Of Mice And Men Passage Analysis Essay

Steinbeck’s character, Lennie, is large and strong, but his mind is weak and slow. His companion through the story, George, looks after Lennie and has plans for a good life for

One night when George goes out with the other men he leaves Lennie alone to play with his pup when he wanders into Crook’s room. Even though the majority of the time Crooks plays mind games with Lennie he ends up expressing his dream of equality. At this time period black people are still heavily discriminated against which effects how others treat him and how he accepts others. "'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me." (Steinbeck ___). Even though Crooks is just like all the other men on the farm he is still viewed in a negative way because of his skin colour. Afterwards, Crooks begins to describe his child hood discrimination does not exist and giving him a sense of

This shows that Lennie does not change and is therefore a static character. At the beginning the story, Lennie gets him and George kicked out of the Weed Farm. At the end of the story, Lennie make another huge mistake and has to flee the ranch. This develops a circle where Lennie and George end up right where they started. The first sentence of chapter one states, “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas river drops in close to hillside bank and runs deep and green.” (Steinbeck, 1). The first sentence of the last chapter reads, “The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still in the late afternoon.” Both sentences describe the Salinas River as being deep and green. This shows irony as well as the circle Lennie traveled in, bringing him right back to where he began. Lennie traveled in this circle by following his violent actions and his unintelligence. (Steinbeck,

Crooks is a minority character introduced in chapter 4. Page 66 reads “negro stable buck.” Crooks’ character is introduced exactly the way he would be seen by other ranch workers. Steinbeck’s intentions of presenting

Lennie's character exhibits a rather childlike manner. He seems to do and see things like a child. His pleasures are those of an innocent youngster. For example, in the first chapter, he delights in making the water ripple, and he is content to pet a dead mouse.

In this novel John Steinbeck used a lot of allusions to help develop characters. The allusion being used to develop Lennie’s character is when Curley and he are fighting. Lennie and Curley are being described as David and Goliath. Lennie is strong and big like Goliath. Curley is small like David. In the end Curley defeats Lennie, just like David defeats Goliath. This allusion showed the character trait of strong and big. Another literary device used in this novel is a simile. “ Slowly, like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again”(Steinbeck 9). This shows that Lennie is very unsure and nervous.

The character of Crooks is used to symbolize the social standing of the black community occurring during the time at which the novel is set. Crooks is a lonely African American on the farm that feels out of place. As George and Lennie explain their dream to Crooks he brushes them off and says that no one around here can implement their dreams. This realism gives the reader an impression that Crooks has absolutely no hope. However, Crooks may be pessimistic, but yet even he has a dream, which is the hope of one day experiencing the joys of his childhood again. Crooks' character is portrayed as very lonely in the novel, this is evident when Crooks explains, "A guy needs someone." (Mice 77). Crooks is telling the reader the need of human interaction. This realism that Steinbeck uses shows the reader the harsh realities of the black community during the time of the depression in the 1930's

get Curley but his eyes slipped on past and saw Lennie, Curley got into a fight with

The very first chapter of the novel Steinbeck says, “Lennie dunked his head fully under water and drank like a horse” (3). Steinbeck is subtly hinting at Lennie’s mental disabilities and portrays him as an animal. “Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush moving as silently as a bear” (100). In most people’s minds, putting down an animal for disobedience is considered okay. Lennie did an action that was a hanging offense in those times.

John Steinbeck is an author that creates an illusion of life in animalistic terms. Throughout the course of the novella, animal characteristics are given to the character Lennie. The author compares the character to an animal along with explaining the physicality and interactive movement of the character. “These are made acceptable and indeed moving because of the genuine sweetness on feels in Steinbeck’s nature and because he sees these human beings as being at least as dignified as animals” (Allen 325). Human beings have instincts and behaviors that are similar to animals. Steinbeck’s personal interest of humans portray under the living qualities of animals. “Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water…” (Steinbeck 3). Steinbeck compares

John Steinbeck puts this in the story to represent how Lennie looks. Another way John shows this is on page 2 “Lennie dabbled his big paws in the water.” The author also shows Lennie as a direct character by his actions. Lennie is very grateful of George and shows actions and feelings on why he loves and appreciates him.

Lennie is unquestioning in his loyalty to George. We see this in George’s anecdote about the Sacramento River. “‘Jump in.’ An’ he jumps”(P66) Lennie has a childlike obedience. Steinbeck shows us this in the fight between Lennie and Curley. Earlier on, George tells Lennie to not fight with Curley, Lennie remembers this and due to his childlike obedience, his “hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself.”(P91). Once George tells Lennie to “Get him”(P91), Lennie immediately crushes Curley’s hand completely. Most mature people would know whether they should break the rules or not, because they wouldn’t get as badly hurt, but with Lennie, it is a different story. It is this childlike obedience that Steinbeck uses to show us how George needs to act as a parent towards Lennie.

When Lennie comes into Crooks’ bunkhouse, Crooks vents on how he is never allowed to be in the bunkhouse with the others. He then says, “This is just an *expletive* talking, and a busted back *expletive*. So it don't mean nothing, see?”(Steinbeck 71). Crooks shows how he knows that although he has the same rights as the others, he will never be seen as an equal due to his race. Adding on, this makes him seem less important than the others due to the color of his skin.

Lennie doesn’t know that they don’t have enough money for the farm and at the end we see Lennie saying “Le ’s do it now. Le’s get that place now.” At the end, we know that Curley is hunting Lennie and wants his revenge but Lennie doesn’t know what is about to happen to him. Steinbeck’s use of short sentences shows the reader the innocence of Lennie, and they develop a great sympathy for

It reflects the loneliness Crooks has to bear. The light seems to be almost swallowed up by the darkness in the same way that Crooks is swallowed up by loneliness. This makes him appear weak and vulnerable, just like the light. The depth of despair described by Steinbeck makes the reader think that Crooks will never be able to achieve the American Dream. The fewpossessions Crooks has are described as ‘mauled’, ‘battered’ and ‘tattered’, adjectives that reflect the poverty he lives in, in which nothing is new.