Travels With Charley By John Steinbeck Analysis

Narrative pacing is used by Steinbeck to create a sense of loneliness and isolation in the novel.

Imagine if you had almost no money, only had 1 true friend, and one goal that you will do anything to achieve. That's the life of George and Lennie, two farm hands who are about to start working on a ranch in Salinas, California. It seemed like everything was going well for the two of them, or at least they thought it was. Steinbeck argues, throughout Of Mice and Men, that we as humans need to be able to comprehend the fact that the American dream is impossible, so when we fail at that, we won't fall as hard as we might if we had full faith in it, and he develops this stance using diction choices, imagery, and characterization.

Steinbeck wanted to show the effects of land ownership and what pursuing dreams can do to people. This lesson is still true to this day and affects everyone around

John Steinbeck uses symbolism to signify ideas and qualities by giving them a meaning. For instance, Candy’s dog. Candy’s dog represent the fate awaiting anyone who has outlived his or her purpose. Candy’s dog is old and weak so he is no longer needed in the world. Although, Carlson promises to kill the dog painlessly, his insistence that the old dog must die supports a cruel natural law that the strong will dispose of the weak. “That dog of Candy's is so God damn old he can't hardly walk. Stinks like hell, too. Ever' time he comes into the bunk house I can smell him for two, three days. Why'n't you get Candy to shoot his old dog and give him one of the pups to raise up? I can smell that dog a mile away. Got no teeth, damn near blind, can't eat. Candy feeds him milk. He can't chew nothing else." Candy knows this lesson, for he fears that he himself is coming to an end when he will no longer be useful at the ranch.

Steinbeck wrote about many different characters who are full of dreams which sadly none of their dreams came true. Everyone has a big dream that would like to accomplish one day but sometimes , when we get lonely our dreams don’t come true. Through these characters John Steinbeck shows the effects about true loneliness.

John Steinbeck’s tone throughout Travels with Charley can be described as witty or comical. Through the way that he described his dog Charley, for example, I noticed that he often times made him seem like he was a human in a humorous way. Even after a traumatic experience at Yellowstone National Park, he managed to keep it light, describing Charley as “a man coming out of a long, hard drunk- worn out, depleted, collapsed” (Steinbeck 165). It was interesting picturing a dog acting like a drunk human. How he was able to keep a comical tone throughout the novel is what drew me in and kept me interested.

Like how Crooks was telling Lennie about how he has seen tons of men wanting the dream that every man wants but he has never seen anyone do it. With Curley’s wife, she wanted to be an actress and said that she had the opportunity but it was her mom that was holding her back. Yet she was “discovered” at a dancing club which did not seem to give her the clue that it was not for real. This comes to show how today, everyone wants to be famous, actor, singer, internet star, but it is just the real world and not everyone gets to be or gets what they want. Then how Lennie is always in the way of the american dream for him and George. Steinbeck just shows how complicated it is to achieve the american dream and shows how it may not be possible for

Steinbeck presents dreams as a tool to aid the men of the ranch’s survival and happiness. They give a sense of purpose, a reward for long days

Dreams coming true and people living happily ever after is what we see in tv shows and read in books. In reality dreams are very slim to becoming true. Steinbeck uses foreshadowing and conflict to emphasize that “The American Dream” is just a dream. George and Lennie dream about having land with animals and are trying to reach their goal. Many problem come their way to their journey to achieving “The American Dream”.

Steinbeck creates a family that represents the struggling people during this time. The harrowing journey of the Joads is very similar to those who were forced to travel for survival. In this heart-wrenching novel, the Joads

John Steinbeck once said, “A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us”. In his novella, Of Mice and Men, two men go on an unexpected journey in search for their dream of happiness. There are many themes that come from their journey such as, the gilded American dream, the bond of male friendships, the power of women and femininity, and racism.

John Steinbeck is a very kind man who cares greatly for his surroundings and the outdoors. Steinbeck believes every creature around him deserves to live their life with no interference. He cares for all things that live on the planet, so why should he kill one of them. The conflicts that John Steinbeck experienced in the travel literature, Travels With Charley, help to teach people better ways to resolve their conflicts.

Steinbeck provides insight in the interests of countless characters, including but not limited to Frankie, a mentally handicapped child, Gay, a man who is beaten by his wife during his sleep, and Dora Flood, madam at the Bear Flag Restaurant. Some of their stories make up a paragraph or even a chapter or two, yet none are essential in furthering the plot. By giving each character a chance to show who they are or where they came from, Steinbeck turns his fictional portrayal of the world into a realistic one. As a result, the story becomes more truthful, which in turn allows Steinbeck to project a magnified image of life’s intricacies. For example, after the death of Horace Abbeville, he shows self-awareness, saying “And although it has nothing to do with this story, no Abbeville child, no matter who its mother was, knew the lack of a stick of spearmint ever afterward” (8). This line is especially significant because it represents the whole novel. None of these little stories accelerated the plot. None of them really had any reason to be included in the story, yet they were still necessary anyway because Steinbeck was not just writing a simple novel, he was painting a picture of life itself. In his brief sentences, paragraphs, and the occasional chapter of

The journey of the Joads represents Steinbeck's message of respect for the poor and oppressed on three levels. The first is literal: he used the journey and its ever-changing environment to put the Joads through many situations. The second level is general: the journey of the Joads can be seen as the same that forced farmers to become

As Steinbeck traveled to Long Island, his relationship with Charley was slowly introduced as they headed for Niagara Falls. “Charley caught it from me, but he is a gallant dog. He came into the bathroom and that old fool played with the plastic bath mat like a puppy. What strength of character, what a friend!” (Steinbeck 47). From this excerpt, we can understand that Steinbeck sees Charley not only as a dog, but as his friend. He seems to admire Charley’s sense of character, as it lights up the environment around him. The quality of their friendship is important throughout the first section of this novel because it will indicate how the rest of their journey will layout, especially during demanding times. From the first example, we can infer that Charley’s “character” towards Steinbeck comforts him. The traits that the author sees in Charley helps him to feel accompanied rather than lonely during his travels. “In establishing contact with strange people, Charley is my ambassador… A child can do the same thing, but a dog is better.” (Steinbeck 65). From this line, Charley is described as one who can do things a human might do for Steinbeck, but of better quality. Steinbeck suggests that his companion is also his “ambassador,” making it appear that Charley’s actions directly affect the author’s reactions. From both examples in context, we can know that Charley’s basic characteristics lay a basis for Steinbeck and how he interacts with people. This might affect his conversation habits, or the way that Steinbeck sees America as a whole.