Theme Of Adversity In The Old Man And Men

John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men follows the journey of two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, who struggle through the navigation of working on a ranch in California and fulfilling their dreams together during a time of financial depression. The novel begins with George and Lennie traveling through the California wilderness to get to a new ranch just south of Soledad where they are going to begin new work. They had to leave their previous jobs in a town called Weed because Lennie had caused trouble with a girl by holding on to her red dress because he wanted to feel it, and this incident spiraled into rape allegations against Lennie. As George and Lennie make their way to the new ranch, Lennie; who is a large, but simple minded man; found a dead mouse and wanted to keep it to pet because he likes soft things. George, who is more serious and protects Lennie, takes the mouse away from him because even though it’s dead, he should not be messing with it. Lennie often does not realize his strength because of his mental incapabilities and as a result, he causes a lot of trouble and harm. George finds taking care of Lennie to be taxing, but he knows that their friendship is an important bond that he does not want to be without. In order to comfort Lennie in the wilderness, George tells the story of their shared dream to own their own ranch where they can follow their own rules and live as they please. When they finally arrive at the ranch the next day, George and Lennie

Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men shows that it is impossible for any individual to overcome every bound and challenge in their path, dooming them to a problematic and unhappy life.

“‘Ain’t gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nobody nor steal from ‘em.’ ‘Le’s do it now. Let’s get that place now’” (106). These are the last words that filled the air between George and Lennie, their last exchange preceding a pivotal moment in both of their lives. They conversation calms and soothes Lennie, who hopes to finally get the farm that he and George dreamed about for so many years. Yet unbeknownst to him, Lennie would soon be set free from his earthly bonds by his long-time friend; a bullet, shot from the barrel of George’s gun, would enter Lennie’s head and kill him instantly. That bullet was not one of self-gain and moral disrepute, but one of freedom and liberation from worldly restraints. While this remains a hotly contested topic in classrooms reading Of Mice and Men, George’s intentions in killing Lennie were overwhelmingly good-natured.

While Lennie’s accidental victims grew in both size and stature, Lennie was unaware of their pain until it was too late. Although he was incapable of handling the situation correctly, it was the afterfact that he showed his greatest weakness. Lennie, in the moment, would try to hide his mistakes from the others, particularly George. He was not upset about the animal to humans feeling or inflictions as he was about George finding out. George was the main part in Lennie's dream, he knew he could never achieve that dream if he did not have George. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the author states, “Quote on wife”(pg…). Conclusively, Lennie was unaware of the pain he was causing to others because he was so blinded from what George might hing or take

In John Steinbeck’s novel, “Of Mice and Men”, the story revolves around two main characters: George Milton and Lennie Small. George Milton is a smart and small man. In Chapter one he is directly characterized: “The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose.” He cares for Lennie, makes sure he stays out of trouble, tells him how to act in certain situations, and takes care of him. For example, when Lennie was drinking big gulps from a pool of non-running water, George told him to stop because he could get sick. George also doesn’t allow Lennie to carry his work card because it is important and he knows he would lose it. Lennie Small is also directly characterized in

“To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with” (Mark Twain). In the novel Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie create a special bond that will be tested by trying to achieve their American Dream. However certain factors get in the way, of not only friendship, but of achieving the American Dream. Through the character of George, Steinbeck shows that issues outside the control of an individual often limit the achievement of an individual’s dreams.

Through the imagery found in Steinbeck’s diction, the reader paints a picture of a serene, charming scene where “the golden foothill slopes curve up to the ... mountains” (Of Mice and Men 1) and seemingly nothing could go wrong. But Steinbeck’s novel soon changes, issuing a foreboding sense of future danger when the reader meets the characters. George clearly considers himself Lennie’s caretaker and protector, shielding him from the people in the world who would judge him unfairly due to his inability to understand social situations. George’s insistence in the repetitive “hide in the brush” (Of Mice and Men 15) indicates that at some point in the novel, something will go wrong. George's warning to the readers by instilling this phrase into Lennie's mind gives the reader a sense of wonder about what might happen to George and Lennie.

George, the protagonist in the story of Mice and Men, is a man that is generously looking after Lennie, a mentally disabled man, while also trying to provide for himself. The author John Steinbeck explains to the audience how Lennie has caused many problems for George in the past that was brought up in the present in order to show the love and devotion that George has for Lennie. George’s character is burdened by the views that are placed upon him by society because of Lennie. Society influenced the decisions of both these characters, for they had to leave the village, Weed due to Lennie’s actions that occurred when grabbed for her red dress. George decided to start over and have a new life due to how he knew that rumors would spread, and their

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck writes about the life of two men, George and Lennie, whom are constantly challenged with conflict. ‘George and Lennie’ is a diverse couple. George is a small featured man whom looks after Lennie throughout their travels trying to keep them safe from harm. George is the decision maker, while Lennie simply follows whatever George says…even though he doesn’t always listen. Lennie is his opposite - a physically large, strong man but with the mind of a child. Even though not diagnosed it is established he is mentally disabled, and George refuses to admit it to himself. Throughout the novel the pair sticks together in hopes they will each cure each other’s loneliness inside, their longing for a friend. They search

In Of Mice and Men, Lennie is a character with remarkable strength despite having a mind of a child.  Lennie does not understand much that occurs around him or even his own strength.  Lennie considers the character George Milton as a guardian because he is a leader and guides Lennie to make good decisions.  Lennie is distraught when George is not there to instruct him and the absence of George results in unnecessary casualties and severe consequences.  Throughout the book, Steinbeck compares Lennie to different animals.  Lennie is compared to a horse when he “snorts into the water like a horse,” he is also compared to a bear when he “drags his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.”  Steinbeck wants the readers to understand that Lennie has a simple mind and that his actions are not meant to be hostile or malicious.  Most children are given toys to play with during their childhood, however, Lennie was given mice to pet.  His childhood “toy” later fuels his obsession of petting soft things, whether it is fur, fabric, or hair.  Sadly, death is unavoidable for Lennie because of his lack of intelligence and self-control.  When Lennie is killed, it is out of love for him, not hatred.  Lennie is an “unfinished child of God” because his life lacks development and is filled with imperfection.

Every one in the world has probably felt regret from time to time, whether its something small or something huge. In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows multiple examples of regret and what it can do to a person. This is a story of two friends who are seeking a better life and their own place. However, in this search they encounter many problems that prevent them from achieving their dream. The author shows us the many forms of regret and how it affects people.

In life, every human experiences misfortune. In this aspect, all of mankind is in the same boat. But some humans possess the willpower to tolerate the hardships that fate flings at them. They understand that life is not meant to be free, so they endure their hardships and do not complain about their struggles. Meanwhile, others flounder about in life, stumbling into ditches dug from their own stubbornness and blindly mourning for themselves whenever a complication arises. The difference between these two mindsets is what separates the successful from the miserable. The latter is exemplified in John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, in which numerous characters in the form of migrant workers have been struck with various forms of misfortune and are left to deal with the aftermath themselves. However, these crippled victims of disaster handle their misfortune in foolish manners. Because they end up as failures, they somberly view life through grayscale glasses, refusing to confront their challenges anymore and setting up barriers to separate themselves from society. Utilizing these characters along with implications of symbolism, Steinbeck demonstrates to the readers that it may seem that fate is the source of failure because of its unforgiving might, but in actuality, it is man’s inability to recognize and successfully compensate for his own faults that destroys his utmost potential.

As any child growing up, we wanted to be princesses or astronauts when we were older, but now that we have a better understanding of our lives, we recognize that our aspirations as a child are unrealistic and are now only broken dreams. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, characters express their desires for their futures, but as said in Robert Burns's poem To A Mouse, “The best laid schemes of mice and men go aft astray,” not all goals succeed. When we take time and effort to plan something important, but then goes all wrong and ends poorly is exactly what Burns’s quote means. Steinbeck named his book ‘Of Mice and Men’ from Burns’s Poem because of Curley’s wife’s failed hopes, Candy’s remote treatment on the ranch, and George’s solitude without Lennie.

Many have described hope as a double-edged sword. This idea that hope contains both favorable and unfavorable consequences weaves itself throughout John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, which focuses on two migrant ranch workers named George Milton and Lennie Small with an unlikely friendship. The two share a dream of purchasing their own land and to Lennie’s delight, owning rabbits. When they land a job on a nearby ranch, issues begin to arise, putting a cog in their dream. Towards the end, it becomes apparent that most of the characters in the book dreamt of a different, better life, yet in the end, all of them lose those dreams. Through conflicts and symbolism, Steinbeck demonstrates the impossibility yet necessity of dreams and hopes.

Some believe to live is to suffer, and in Hemingway’s “The Old Man And The Sea” this philosophy is dealt with and viewed in many situations. In this poignant short novel Ernest Hemingway beautifully illustrates the trials and tribulations of everyday man, through Santiago’s struggle at sea. The old man’s adventure with the marlin is one of loss, pride, and achievement all combined into one emotional fight for life itself. Hemingway’s use of allegory in “The Old Man And The Sea” establishes many deeper aspects that man struggles with in everyday life. The numerous hardships and battles Santiago encounters on the sea can be viewed as conflicts man is forced to deal with in his lifetime.