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Of Mice And Men By Lora Colon

Better Essays

Junna Chen
Peterson
Honors English
25 September 2015
Of Mice and Men Analysis “But, I 'm already resigned to this fate / Looking over my life, I recall / If it hadn 't been / for the loneliness / I 'd have no companion at all. ” This stanza from “Loneliness”, by Lora Colon evokes the negative impact a lonely fate has on a person. Words like “resigned” and “loneliness” establish a sense of depression and resignation. During the times of the Great Depression, many people felt similar feelings of melancholy and stoicism. Jobs were hard to come by, and realistic dreams of success were scarce. John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, allows readers to see the life of the Great Depression. The two main characters, George and Lennie, search for jobs, like many other migrant workers. They dream of owning their own land, however, Lennie’s habit of getting in trouble prevents their dream from being reality. After he accidentally causes more trouble at their new job, George is forced to kill him out of mercy. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck shows that even if one meticulously plans out the road to their American Dream, fate will inevitably intervene and lead one to desolation and loneliness. Steinbeck uses extended metaphors and foreshadowing to demonstrate how one plan ahead to ensure their own happiness and success. Throughout the novel, a deck of playing cards, as well as games of solitaire and euchre, are used to illustrate how one searches and draws out a path to their American

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