John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

”Wha’s the matter with me?’ she cried. ‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways?” (Steinbeck 87) In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife is discriminated against because she is a woman living in the 1930s when few females could live economically independent of men. By choosing not to name her, Steinbeck reinforces her insignificance on the ranch and her dependence on Curley. While a misfortunate victim of isolation, Curley’s wife exerts unexpected power attempting to mask her pain.

Besides the American Dream, the theme of death plays a major role and is recurring in both texts. From the novel ‘Of mice and men’, both Lennie and Curley’s Wife die. From this we can deduce that they both got killed due to their differences and society looking at them in a different way. Both texts also foreshadow the future deaths from the beginning to the end of the texts, there is hints everywhere. The moment that Curley’s Wife was introduced, an ill feeling overcame the atmosphere indicating that Lennie will be getting into a mess with her. At the beginning, George clearly states that Lennie always gets George into trouble. Steinbeck states ‘You do bad things and I got to get you out’. Previously, before George and Lennie arrived at the ranch, Lennie got into trouble by supposedly attacking the only woman in Weed. This also suggests that there will be trouble between Curley’s Wife, who is the only woman on the ranch and Lennie. Connecting ends with ends, this shows that the only two women are insecure. Later on, there was an intimation that she is going to be killed by Lennie as Lennie kills the soft things he likes to ‘pet’ such as the puppy and the mouse. In the novel Curley’s Wife lets him touch her dress, which is soft therefore leading to an inevitable death.

Through the narrative convention of foreshadowing, Steinbeck uses the execution of Candy’s dog to predict what will occur to Candy himself, once his ability to work diminishes completely. Candy’s dog is a metaphor of himself. The dog represents the brutality of life on the land and the inevitability of becoming useless.

Candy and his dog’s relationship is seen by the audience as very realistic. It is a relationship between a human and a dog companion. As Candy said “Well-hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup,” on page 71, like Candy most people have had their dogs since they were pups and has grown a very close and strong bond with it like Candy has done with his dog. Also if he had it from a pup it’s like a child to him and as an old swamper with no family the dog is his only source of companionship and friend.

Candy 's dog and Lennie share many characteristics by their disabilities. Both struggle through life and worry the people who care about them. While Lennie has a childish mind and is socially inept, needing George to constantly lecture him, the dog suffers from his own health and needs to be taken care of by Candy, unable to help on the ranch.

The unemployment rate for African Americans during the Great Depression reached upward of 50 percent at its peak. The commonly seen statistic of a 25 percent unemployment rate is primarily only applicable to white males at the time. The Great Depression stressed many societal structures that oppressed peoples based on race, gender ability to work, and socioeconomic standing. Despite the fact that over three quarters of a century has passed since the end of the Great Depression, many of these inequalities still remain (although to a lesser extent). A large number of Discussion about the social problems in the 1930s may still be applicable to today 's society. In his novel Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck outlines many corrupt societal structures intended to exploit and demean individuals based on their perceived value: the inherent exploitative nature of the American Dream, the hierarchy of power in America based on an individual 's ability to work, and the way in which oppressive systems are maintained through a mis-projection of anger of the oppressed.

After the loss of Candy’s dog, he becomes lonely but has to find a way to overcome loneliness. John Steinbeck creates Candy to be an old and crippled man. Candy, since he is a older man, might not get as much work. That isn't the only reason. Steinbeck describes Candy with, “a round stick-like wrist, but no hand” (18). At this moment, George and Lennie are meeting and observing Candy for the first time. Throughout the story, the reader does not hear of Candy doing much work on the ranch. He “[shifts] his broom” on the first day but that might be the only deed he does (18). The farm workers stereotype him to be weak because he is old and only has one hand. When we first meet Candy, we learn that Candy has one main friend. That is his

The killing of Candy's old dog is genuinely heartbreaking. Carlson constantly berates Candy that his old dog should be “ ‘put... out of his misery’ ” (Steinbeck 47). He does not understand that the old, putrid dog is all Candy has. Carlson selfishly and successfully persuades Candy and the other men why the dog should be killed.

Candy’s dog was his companion for a very long time and for Candy to let it die made him encounter this emotion of isolation that he never really felt before. A quote that shows this is “I had him since he was a puppy.” This demonstrates to us that Candy has finally realised what life is without his companion by his side, he feels as if his life is isolated and unwanted by the rest. Candy’s dog was his only proper friend who can share his feelings with and now that he is gone, he feels isolated from everyone and as if he cannot share his feelings anymore. Steinbeck uses the relationship between Candy and his dog to help the reader engage with the emotion of isolation among the characters.

Throughout the novel, Steinbeck points out that candy is so attached to the dog because he grew up with the dog. He has basically had and been with the dog his whole entire life. In the novel, Steinbeck says, The old man squirmed uncomfortably. “Well-Hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him.” He said proudly(Steinbeck 45) . This quote shows how candy has grown a great bond with the dog. Candy doesn’t have anyone else besides the dog to be with. he doesn’t have an family or any true friends This shows that Candy is lonely without the dog at his

When George tells Candy about his and Lennie’s dream of owning their own sliver of land, Candy realizes that he could be of use again. Candy, who is already upset at the loss of his beloved dog, overhears George and Lennie talking about their future ranch and speaks up “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?” (Steinbeck 57). Candy has been prepared to leave his current ranch for a while because of his large sum of money. Finally someone has an opportunity for him to work and help out, so he takes the chance and joins in on George and Lennie’s dream. Candy originally believes that he could do more good than he is currently doing and this is proven when he says, “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here

‘No, I couldn’t do that. I had ‘im too long’” (Steinbeck 44 - 45). The hesitance shows that Candy sees his dog as his best friend and someone that he can be with through isolation. He looks around for someone to help him to keep his companion, but no one does.

“At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, ‘Awright—take ‘im.’ He did not look down at the dog at all. He lay back on his bunk and crossed his arms behind his head and started at the ceiling” (Steinbeck 47-48). Candy’s dog precluded Candy from being alone, but after the dog’s death Candy struggles against loneliness. Candy’s dog symbolizes Candy being thrown away when he’s useless. Candy is afraid of being thrown out when he is useless like his dog.

Furthermore, Candy is a very lonely man. Candy explains what happened to his hand and that he has nobody: “I got hurt four years ago. They’ll can me up purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county” (Steinbeck 60). Now that Candy’s dog has been killed he is lonely and thinks he would feel better if he would have shot him: “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta let no stranger shoot my dog” (Steinbeck 61).

As their struggles increase, the farm life dream that George and Lennie envision grows more and more vivid. Their vision becomes powerful enough to attract others who also wish to live a life free of cruelty and prejudice. One of these people is Candy. Just previously, Candy’s dog had been shot due to its lack of strength and worthiness of life on the ranch according to the ranch hands. Candy knows he