Analysis Of John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice And Men'
TITLE AND AUTHOR
Title-Of Mice and Men
Author-John Steinbeck
HISTORICAL DATE THE BOOK WAS PUBLISHED
Date-February 6, 1937
LIST OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS
George Milton-Lennie’s “cousin”/caretaker, clever/responsible/loyal, migrant worker, wants to start own farm, forced by circumstance to kill Lennie
Lennie Small-big/strong, ignorant of own abilities, mentally disabled, depends on George, ultimately kills what he loves-mice, puppies, Curley’s Wife, dreams
Slim-jerkline skinner/top hand, wise/experienced, understanding of Lennie
Candy-swamper, old/useless/one-handed, sick/old dog, joins dream farm plan
Curley-Boss’ son, pugnacious/supercilious/paranoid, dislikes George and Lennie
Curley’s Wife-coquette/flirt, causes trouble, killed by Lennie …show more content…
You ain't so little as mice"(Steinbeck 85) -Lennie
"No, Lennie. I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now. That's a thing I want ya to know"(Steinbeck 106) -George
POINT OF VIEW (NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE)
Of Mice and Men is narrated in the third person omniscient and objective point of view by an non-participant, non-character in the book. This point of view allows the narrator to know what is happening in the book with all of the characters at all times. By using this point of view, Steinbeck is able to give us some insight on the thoughts of each character as well as tell events as they happen in a generally unbiased point of view. The purpose of this narrator seems to be to tell the story how it happened.
SOCIAL/POLITICAL/PHILOSOPHICAL AGENDAS OR ISSUES BEING DEALT WITH BY THE AUTHOR (AKA THEMES)
An important theme in Of Mice and Men is innocence. Through the character of Lennie, Of Mice and Men forces us to ask if Lennie’s ignorance absolves him of guilt and responsibility for his actions, or if he is truly a bad person. (3, 5, 17, 32-33, 41-43, 73, 92, …show more content…
Candy’s Dog-foreshadowing for George and Lennie and Candy, old/out of use so it is killed, brings out the brutality/carelessness in human nature (Carlson)
Candy’s dog contributes to the author’s purpose by revealing one of society’s flaws–throwing out or forgetting people and things that are no longer of our use.
The Pool by the River-the beginning and end of the novel, a safe place for both George and Lennie, utopia, where George and Lennie can be themselves
The pool by the river contributes to the author’s purpose by showing the audience the possibility of how life for George and Lennie could be if society’s norms didn’t affect them.
Mice-(false) hope for the future, reminder of Aunt Clara, ultimately Lennie hurts what he loves (soft things-girls, puppies, rabbits), Lennie’s small mind
The mice contribute to the author’s purpose by symbolizing the precious things in life and how easily they can be taken from us. They also foreshadow Lennie’s destructiveness and inability to fit into a normal
Title-Of Mice and Men
Author-John Steinbeck
HISTORICAL DATE THE BOOK WAS PUBLISHED
Date-February 6, 1937
LIST OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS
George Milton-Lennie’s “cousin”/caretaker, clever/responsible/loyal, migrant worker, wants to start own farm, forced by circumstance to kill Lennie
Lennie Small-big/strong, ignorant of own abilities, mentally disabled, depends on George, ultimately kills what he loves-mice, puppies, Curley’s Wife, dreams
Slim-jerkline skinner/top hand, wise/experienced, understanding of Lennie
Candy-swamper, old/useless/one-handed, sick/old dog, joins dream farm plan
Curley-Boss’ son, pugnacious/supercilious/paranoid, dislikes George and Lennie
Curley’s Wife-coquette/flirt, causes trouble, killed by Lennie …show more content…
You ain't so little as mice"(Steinbeck 85) -Lennie
"No, Lennie. I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now. That's a thing I want ya to know"(Steinbeck 106) -George
POINT OF VIEW (NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE)
Of Mice and Men is narrated in the third person omniscient and objective point of view by an non-participant, non-character in the book. This point of view allows the narrator to know what is happening in the book with all of the characters at all times. By using this point of view, Steinbeck is able to give us some insight on the thoughts of each character as well as tell events as they happen in a generally unbiased point of view. The purpose of this narrator seems to be to tell the story how it happened.
SOCIAL/POLITICAL/PHILOSOPHICAL AGENDAS OR ISSUES BEING DEALT WITH BY THE AUTHOR (AKA THEMES)
An important theme in Of Mice and Men is innocence. Through the character of Lennie, Of Mice and Men forces us to ask if Lennie’s ignorance absolves him of guilt and responsibility for his actions, or if he is truly a bad person. (3, 5, 17, 32-33, 41-43, 73, 92, …show more content…
Candy’s Dog-foreshadowing for George and Lennie and Candy, old/out of use so it is killed, brings out the brutality/carelessness in human nature (Carlson)
Candy’s dog contributes to the author’s purpose by revealing one of society’s flaws–throwing out or forgetting people and things that are no longer of our use.
The Pool by the River-the beginning and end of the novel, a safe place for both George and Lennie, utopia, where George and Lennie can be themselves
The pool by the river contributes to the author’s purpose by showing the audience the possibility of how life for George and Lennie could be if society’s norms didn’t affect them.
Mice-(false) hope for the future, reminder of Aunt Clara, ultimately Lennie hurts what he loves (soft things-girls, puppies, rabbits), Lennie’s small mind
The mice contribute to the author’s purpose by symbolizing the precious things in life and how easily they can be taken from us. They also foreshadow Lennie’s destructiveness and inability to fit into a normal