...The 1930s was a harsh time where racism, sexism, and discrimination triumphed. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a thrilling novella conveying the hardships migrant workers faced.The story begins with Lennie, a mentally disabled man that physically towers over everyone, and George, an average man, going to work on a ranch. When they reach their farm we learn of Lennie’s past with women and meet the ranch workers. As the story unfolds, the connection between Curley’s wife and Lennie leads to the tragic resolution. Steinbeck writes Curley's wife as a well rounded character that faces discrimination as demonstrated by the lack of female rights and the position of Curley’s wife on the farm. Using the historical lens, the reader can see that...
Words: 854 - Pages: 4
...H. Tharp The Unspoken Truth about John Steinbeck’s Legacy in Monterey County John Ernst Jr. Steinbeck is one of the most respected and honored American writers among our society today. In many classrooms around the world, his books are still mandated as reading requirements and there are many museums and centers dedicated to this esteemed author. John Steinbeck has won numerous awards for his books, most notably the Pulitzer Prize for his fictional novel, The Grapes of Wrath in 1940, and the Nobel Prize in literature in 1962 based on his entire body of work. Steinbeck’s other awards, which are typically less known are included in the following chart: WORK | YEAR | AWARD | MEDIUM | “The Murder” | 1934 | O. Henry Award | Print | Tortilla Flat | 1935 | Commonwealth Club of California Gold Medal for Best Novel by a Californian | Print | In Dubious Battle | 1936 | Ibid | Print | Of Mice and Men | 1938 | N.Y Drama Critic’s Circle Award | Play | “The Promise” | 1938 | O. Henry Award | Print | Of Mice and Men | 1939 | American Bookseller’s Award | Print | LifeBoat | 1944 | Academy Award nominee for Best Story | Print | A Medal for Benny | 1945 | Ibid | Print | The Moon is Down | 1946 | King Haakon Liberty Cross | Print | Viva Zapata! | 1952 | Academy Award nominee for Best Original Screenplay | Play | N/A | 1963 | Honorary Consultant in American Literature to the Library of Congress | N/A | N/A | 1964 | U.S Medal of Freedom; Press Medal of Freedom | N/A...
Words: 5126 - Pages: 21
...Of Mice and Men is one of the most widely assigned modern novels in high schools because of both its form and the issues that it raises. John Steinbeck’s reliance on dialogue, as opposed to contextual description, makes the work accessible to young readers, as does his use of foreshadowing and recurrent images. Equally important is the way in which he intertwines the themes of loneliness and friendship and gives dignity to those characters, especially Lennie and Crooks, who are clearly different from their peers. By focusing on a group of lonely drifters, Steinbeck highlights the perceived isolation and sense of “otherness” that can seem so overwhelming when one is growing up. Of Mice and Men is also important because it explores the way in which events can conspire against the realization of one’s dreams. It pits a group of flawed individuals against a set of circumstances that they are unable to master or, in the case of Lennie, even to comprehend. This is a theme that Steinbeck also explores in his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939). When Steinbeck began Of Mice and Men, he was planning to write a children’s book called Something That Happened. His intent was to demonstrate that events often have a momentum of their own and need not reflect the existence of a higher power that is exacting punishment. Perhaps it was for this reason that he decided to retitle the book, drawing from Robert Burns’s oft-quoted poem “To a Mouse,” which contains the line “The best-laid...
Words: 932 - Pages: 4
...people to look beyond their troubles and strongly motivate people to exert more effort towards their goals. Dreams also improve people’s outlook on life as it is a chance for more happiness. This is very evident in John Steinbeck’s novella, “Of Mice and Men” when we see Lennie complain about the bunkhouse but tolerates staying there because of his dream, which is to tend the rabbits. Another example would be George. On the weekend, instead of spending all his on tempting offers, he stashes it in the bank to save up for his and Lennie’s dream ranch. Lastly, Candy is also a prime example of this statement. When Candy is let in on George and Lennie’s dream, Candy’s outlook on life improves and even...
Words: 1182 - Pages: 5
...Analysis of Major Characters Lennie Although Lennie is among the principal characters in Of Mice and Men, he is perhaps the least dynamic. He undergoes no significant changes, development, or growth throughout the novel and remains exactly as the reader encounters him in the opening pages. Simply put, he loves to pet soft things, is blindly devoted to George and their vision of the farm, and possesses incredible physical strength. Nearly every scene in which Lennie appears confirms these and only these characteristics. Although Steinbeck’s insistent repetition of these characteristics makes Lennie a rather flat character, Lennie’s simplicity is central to Steinbeck’s conception of the novel. Of Mice and Men is a very short work that manages to build up an extremely powerful impact. Since the tragedy depends upon the outcome seeming to be inevitable, the reader must know from the start that Lennie is doomed, and must be sympathetic to him. Steinbeck achieves these two feats by creating a protagonist who earns the reader’s sympathy because of his utter helplessness in the face of the events that unfold. Lennie is totally defenseless. He cannot avoid the dangers presented by Curley, Curley’s wife, or the world at large. His innocence raises him to a standard of pure goodness that is more poetic and literary than realistic. His enthusiasm for the vision of their future farm proves contagious as he convinces George, Candy, Crooks, and the reader that such a paradise might be possible...
Words: 2401 - Pages: 10
...Through a list of harsh truths, John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men casts humanity in an unfavorable light. These include loneliness, oppression, and imperfection. The grim realities of the hardworking characters are revealed through their actions to rise above challenges and in the end their defeats These truths are all used to build the complex main theme of friendship and the effect it can have on an individual's life. Of Mice and Men exposes the validity,loneliness, of people during the Great Depression. For instance Curly’s wife seeks attention ,positive or negative, from anyone on the ranch because of her isolation being the only woman present. When confronted with her isolation she says,“Wha’s the matter with me?Ain’t I got...
Words: 853 - Pages: 4
...During the early and mid 1900’s, African Americans are endless victims of discrimination. They are seen as outcasts and are treated horribly. The events of discrimination are shown very well in the novels A Summer of Kings by Han Nolan and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Both of the books clearly show the themes of racism, segregation and gender inequality throughout the content of their storylines. Having these forms of discrimination in both of the novels, make the readers realize how much suffering these innocent people had to go through every single day of their lives because of the cruel societies around them. Both of the novels have events within them showing the segregation, racism and gender inequality that are associated with the theme of discrimination. The events that they endure every day are horrible and these events have made a mark on history. Every event that shows discrimination is embedded in history and in A Summer of Kings and Of Mice and Men, the authors have shown these events clearly and made the suffering real enough to clearly understand as the reader. In the book A Summer of Kings racism is a central issue. Han Nolan makes sure to inform the readers that the African-American people live in different cities than the white people do. King-Roy Johnston, who is a black man that has been accused of murdering a white man in Alabama. When he comes to live with her family, Esther’s neighbour Pip is not so happy about this when he says “You think...
Words: 2037 - Pages: 9
...Discrimination in Of Mice and Men All throughout American history, minorities have been mistreated. In the John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, prejudice influences the way the ranchers treat others. Curley’s Wife, Crooks, and Candy are excluded because of gender, race, age, or disability. This bias results in these people feeling lonely and inferior. In Steinbeck’s novella, multiple characters experience alienation due to discrimination by other ranchers. Throughout the novella, Curley’s Wife is isolated from the male workers several times due to her gender. This is portrayed when the men in the bunkhouse argue with Curley about his wife, when they try to avoid Curley’s Wife because they view her as a nothing more than a distraction because they think her beauty is her only valuable characteristic. Carlson says, “Why’n’t you...
Words: 590 - Pages: 3
...At the time of the Great Depression the U.S created a repatriation program that deported people of mexican descent, 400,000 were repatriated, sometimes against their will. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men, there are many overarching themes, these themes help the author show the hard times of the Great Depression. One such theme would be the prevalence of loneliness in many of the characters. Another theme would be the discrimination against a number of characters, in the different forms such as sexism and racism. Lastly, many dreams in the novel go unfulfilled leaving many characters with the weight of failure. Throughout the Great Depression human compassion was as rare as a job, this led to widespread loneliness, that, in turn, is apparent...
Words: 1042 - Pages: 5
...Explore Steinbeck's portrayal of Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men. John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr, was born on February 26th, 1902, Salinas, California, United States. He decided while in high school he wanted to be a writer. Steinbeck studied at Stanford University intermittently between 1920 and 1926 where he majored in English. He married on the 28th December 1950 to his third and last wife, Elaine Anderson Scott. During his lifetime he wrote twenty-seven books, including five collections of short stories, six non-fiction books and sixteen novellas. One of his most successful novellas is ‘Of Mice and Men’ which I am going to explore and analyse. Steinbeck uses Curley’s wife as a symbol to portray and demonstrate male dominance and portray female oppression in the 1930’s USA. He also shows the futility of the American dream throughout the novella. Steinbeck portrays the nameless wife throughout the novella as Curley’s wife, as that ‘title’ shows the apostrophe of possession. Curley’s Wife is not a person of her own but merely a possession. We are not informed the name of Curley’s Wife. Steinbeck never informs us about her at all during the course of the novella, she remains much of a questionable character. Steinbeck's way of showing us this is that she is always asking questions, she never gives any solid information about herself. This gives way to excessive mystery and many different observations about her. Symbolism is used by Steinbeck when he refers to Curley’s...
Words: 1280 - Pages: 6
...John Steinbeck John Steinbeck’s career as a writer led, led him to becoming a great American Novelist. When Steinbeck started his literary after dropping out of college, he was going nowhere. His work showed his inexperience, and it would be years before his writing would mature. Once he gained the experience he needed, his books were becoming top sellers and he became a distinguished author. The focus of his works was to reveal conditions in American work life. He particularly helped express what the conditions for farm hands were like. What made John Steinbeck a great American author is how he tried to help improve American’s life with his writing throughout his life. It is this focus is what makes him a true American author. “John Steinbeck was born February 17, 1902 in Salinas, California” (Gale). He was raised in a large family, “He was the only son and the third of four children of Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck, a school teacher and John Ernst Steinbeck, manager and eventually owner of the Sperry Flour Mill, later treasurer of Monterey County” (Bernhard). His family was wealthy and down to earth allowing young Steinbeck an easy childhood, leaving a lasting impression in his literature. “The Salinas Valley, the rugged hills surrounding it, and the coastal flats bordering Monterey Bay … later became the backdrop for much of his fiction” (Bernhard). Both of Steinbeck’s parents actively stimulated his literature, but “Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck … fostered Steinbeck’s love of...
Words: 809 - Pages: 4
...In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, loneliness is a powerful motif. This motif is constantly repeated throughout the story and helps the reader receive Steinbeck's view on isolation. John Steinbeck is saying that loneliness was normal during the Great Depression. As depicted in his novel, it was out of the norm to find two migrant workers travelling together, for everyone was scared of each other and many suffered as a result of being alone for too long. During the Great Depression, it was rare to see two migrant workers travelling together. When the two main characters, George and Lennie, were talking, they were saying that "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family.... With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us" (Steinbeck 15). George and Lennie were saying that most migrant workers travelled alone and rarely had a companion. Unlike most, George and Lennie had each other...
Words: 709 - Pages: 3
...didn’t depict actual history in the plot so it doesn’t refute religion. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was banned by the Board of Curriculum in Seattle schools, and in schools in Glen Burnie for sexual content. According to Alexandra Petri “in Glen Burnie the issue was too much sexual content in Seattle, there were complaints of racially offensive or derogatory language, misinformation, and stereotypes.” I do not agree with the banning of a Brave New World because it is a depiction of a society through Huxley’s fictional and creative perspective. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck was banned in 1997 in Peru, Illinois for race and gender conflictions. Ron Titus from the Marshal University said the of Mice and Men had offensive language, racism, violence, unsuitable to its age group, bad presentation of traditional values, derogatory towards African Americans, women, and developmentally challenged. I do not think that of Mice...
Words: 426 - Pages: 2
...John Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men This scene in Of Mice and Men is made extra tense by the author, John Steinbeck, by a mixture of linguistic devices, description and speech. Curley’s wife is introduced in this scene and it starts by describing her. In the novel “Of Mice and Men” John Steinbeck tells a story of dreams, hopes and loneliness. We are introduced to a majorly significant and complex character, Curley’s wife. Steinbeck shows us that Curley’s wife is flirtatious, mischievous but most of all an isolated character. She plays a main part in the novel; in doing this she displays and presents many of the main themes. Before we are presented to Curley’s wife, Candy talks about her, to George and Lennie. She is spoken about in a gossipy manor. “I think Curley’s married a … tart.” Steinbeck is prejudicing and preparing us before we meet Curley’s wife. He does this, so that we have an influenced preliminary impression of Curley’s wife and the way she acts. Steinbeck creates tension in this scene as, at the start, he builds up a stark image in our mind about how Curley’s wife looks. He also makes it very clear to us what both George and Lenny are thinking. Lenny is dazzled by Curley’s wife’s beauty whereas George is more wary of her and knows better than to chat with her too long. We develop an initial perception of Curley’s wife as being flirtatious and promiscuous. This is shown at the entrance of Curley’s wife’s. Steinbeck first introduces us to her appearance, “full...
Words: 696 - Pages: 3
...Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is known for being different. Steinbeck implies that he has an intellectual disability. Lennie travels with his friend George during the time of the Great Depression, although it makes them more deviate. They share a dream about owning their own land with their own farm. Moreover, Curley’s wife realizes that there is a specific discrepancy between Lennie and the rest of the ranchers. The difference is Lennie’s behavior and thoughts. It causes problems escalating from a dead mouse to a dead woman. His behavior is similar to those with autism. Thus, Lennie Small portrays signs of autism based on his inept social interactions, obsessive interests, and difficulties communicating. The articles “Autism” by Carol Turkington and Albert Tzeel, “Autism”, and “Nursing Standard: Autism” provide information about autism. To begin, Lennie Small has trouble socializing. Turkington and Tzeel assert, “the primary feature of autism is impaired social interaction”...
Words: 814 - Pages: 4
