The Role of Setting in John Steinbeck's Of Mice & Men Essay

In 1929, tears swept the nation and gloom bestowed itself upon a once happy place. The Great Depression had started. People lost everything ,so many became migrant workers. Of Mice and Men, a classic novel written by John Steinbeck, emphasizes many sad themes, but gives us a good insight on what life was like in the 1940’s for many people. Although there are other themes, rootlessness, loneliness, and poverty are extremely prominent throughout the novel in many characters.

After the Great Depression, many things changed, different\\ genders and races were all treated differently. Blacks and white women were forced to be outcast in the world, women belonged in the house and blacks did not belong anywhere. In the book Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck portrays perfectly of how blacks and women were separated from everyone else with Curley’s wife and Crooks, the black stable hand. Curley’s wife and Crooks are alike in many ways; in their loneliness, the way they are separated from everyone else and how they get out casted from everything, discriminated against during the time period; which helps show how blacks and women were treated during this time period of life.

Themes are integral and fundamental aspects which render the literature valuable. They usually provide insight into the author’s perception and internalisations of the world in which they live. Set in California during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men, by Steinbeck, illustrates the hardships experienced by individuals as they roamed the countryside seeking a way of living. The story focuses particularly on the two main characters, George Milton, a small, wiry, quick-witted man, and his companion, Lennie Small, an ironically named lumbering giant.

John Steinbeck, an American novelist, is well-known for his familiar themes of depression and loneliness. He uses these themes throughout a majority of his novels. These themes come from his childhood and growing up during the stock market crash. A reader can see his depiction of his childhood era. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows the prominent themes of loneliness, the need for relationships, and the loss of dreams in the 1930s through the novels’ character.

In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, many themes come up often throughout the story, especially the theme about bonds between two people. The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck expresses theme of Friendship through various literary elements. Friendship is people that care for and respect each other. It is the link that makes people stick together through the struggles of life. This essay will prove that friendship is important in life.

Of Mice and Men is based in the time of the ‘Great Depression’ in America in the 1930’s. The two main characters are George and Lennie who are very close friends, roaming around America together looking for work. Their friendship is so unique and foreign to their surrounding people, and at that time having one true friend was very rare because men didn’t have time to worry about other people, they just did their work and got their money. Their friendship is what makes the story so special, Steinbeck shows George and Lennie’s similarities and differences to other characters in the book to boldly show how unique they are.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s when America was plunged into financial crisis following the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, levels of unemployment and poverty were at an all time high. In this ear life was a struggle and the mentality of society became survival of the fittest, every man for himself. Migrant workers toured the country in search of labour to provide money for food typically sent to relatives living on the bread line elsewhere in America. These men lead lonely and emotionless lives, which are reflected through Steinbeck’s portrayal of his characters in his famous, yet bleak, 1930s novella ‘Of Mice and Men.’

Steinbeck creates a scene that illustrates the miserable lifestyle of the characters, revealing the novel’s barren, empty, and gloomy tone. The passage implies that the novel is set in the Dust Bowl states and evokes emotions of sympathy from the reader by providing a short, yet powerful and depressing description of a family’s typical morning. Within the first pages of the novel, the reader becomes aware that the novel will be a description of the depressing and unfulfilling life experienced by the characters.

Biases and inequality towards women have been a problem in society since men foolishly decided to give women the stereotype of being housewives and only good for breeding children. Those who refuse to follow the stereotype are considered promiscuous, or unfaithful towards their significant other. This stereotype was highly expected of women during the early twentieth century, and was also exhibited in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men towards Curley’s wife. Of Mice and Men took place in the 1930s, and the plot follows two best friends trying to achieve their dreams, which lands them in a ranch that will do them nothing but harm. In this ranch, only the strongest may survive, and those who do not follow the usual stereotype were considered weak, and will most likely die. Steinbeck’s theme of death is always feared, but to some it is a way to leave the misery that is the world reveals the social injustices in society causes gender discrimination towards Curley’s wife. The hostility and bitterness towards Curley’s wife did not just lead to her death, but also saved her from the loneliness and isolation she had to go through on the ranch.

In the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, John Steinbeck tells the story of the loneliness of the itinerant worker in America during the 1930’s. The main purpose of ‘Of Mice and Men’ is to inform people about how life was during the times of the Great Depression and to

Steinbeck illustrates the American Dream during the Great Depression using characters and their thoughts. Utilizing indirect characterization, he shows how characters value the comfort that their dreams provide. When George describes their dream in vivid detail, Lennie often becomes very giddy and complacent (Steinbeck 13-14).

Steinbeck's Snapshot of the Human Condition The 1930’s was a time in American history which was fraught with hardships. During this time period, the Great Depression was still in effect and wreaking havoc over the country. Many people were falling below the poverty line during this time and living in nightmarish conditions. These people were lacking basic necessities, such as food and water.

John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men, is about two guys during the Great Depression in California, moving around working from place to place. The men, George and Lennie have a unique friendship, although one of the guys, Lennie, is slow, and not brilliant, but big and strong. Due to his slowness, he causes both of them trouble, and ends them up with getting fired or in some case chased. After a job experience at a ranch, George decides to kill Lennie because he believes its for the best.

‘Of mice and men’ is a tale of loneliness and hardship felt by the people living in America during the 1930 's. Written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937, it tells the heartbreaking story of two ranch workers during the depression; George Milton and Lennie Small. At the time America was very poor, with a shortage of jobs so people had to travel in search of new jobs. As many people were constantly moving, lasting friendships or relationships were hard to come across. People became scared to have friendships, scared of each other making them lonely and isolated. Most of the characters lived by ‘every man for himself’; only having to care for themselves, not having to worry about others and therefore

John Steinbeck wrote ‘Of Mice and Men’ to show how hard life was for migrant ranch workers during the time of the Great Depression and how they were often exploited by their employers. In showing how George and Lennie’s dream of owning their own piece of land did not come true, Steinbeck explores a wider theme, criticising the idea of the American Dream. The American Dream tells people that there is ‘opportunity for each... regardless of the fortuitous circumstance of birth and position. Steinbeck criticises this as these ranch workers were given few opportunities. Settings play a very important part in the novel as they pinpoint clear times and places giving a sense of realism to the story, but they are also used to create atmosphere.