How Does Steinbeck Create Suspense In Of Mice And Men

The entertainment industry have been known to use heavy foreshadowing in an attempt to create high levels of suspense. It helps to create an edge-of-the seat feeling to keep the audience fascinated in the work. The use of direct foreshadowing and the effect of suspense is commonly shown through John Steinbeck’s short novel, “Of Mice and Men”. Written about two migrant workers in the midst of the Great Depression, this useful technique helps illuminate the previous experiences of the characters as well as highlighting the hardships faced by many in this period. Through parallelism, minor conflicts, and the reoccurring theme of dreams, Steinbeck uses foreshadowing to create a suspenseful mood and a unique atmosphere for the novel.
At the beginning of the novel, Steinbeck makes it evident that George must always keep track of Lennie’s every move, in order for the both of them to stay safe and to keep their jobs at the ranch. George later explained his worries to Slim, elaborating on why they left their previous jobs in Weed..“He just scared her. I’d be scared too if he grabbed me. But he never hurt her. He jus’ wanted to touch that red dress, like he wants to pet them pups all the time” (Steinbeck 42). Lennie's false accusation of rape coupled with his new interest in Curley's sultry wife spells trouble for the duo. This conflict in Weed ultimately foreshadows the future climatic conflict, one that starts with the murder of the wife. Furthermore, the previous, more insignificant actions that Lennie makes depicts what could lead up to a bigger conflict than just a mouse being accidentally killed. When LEnnie kills the mouse, it portrays how Lennie won't be able to handle his mental illness at the ranch. Further, his actions towards the puppy at the end of the novel shows that he still doesn't fully understand his strength, and hints that he may never be able to. “Why do you got to get killed? You ain't so little as mice. I didn't bounce you hard” (Steinbeck, 85). Lennie's constant violent tendencies, from killing mice to a puppy, heavily hint at future conflict. The authors use of this
Steinbeck finally concludes the end of his suspenseful foreshadowing techniques when he creates the ending that no one ever dreamed of. Lennie lives his life based on the story George told him “someday we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs an’ live off the fatta the lan’” (Steinbeck 14)This ideal and faultless image of the migrant worker's life seems extremely foreign to the Great Depression setting, revealing the dreams cataclysmic ending. Lennie's dreams soon are deferred when Curley and others decide to lynch him for his wife's murder. Returning to Candy's previous quote, George knows he has to be the one to kill Lennie. It seems almost cruel that the one thing that Lennie lived for was the last thing he heard before he died. The constant referral to the perfect ending foreshadows a darker twist of fate at the end. Steinbeck used the workers dream to foreshadow the deadly ending. Ultimately, Steinbeck creates a strong, emotional piece of literature to describe the events that take place in “Of Mice and Men”. Steinbeck expertly uses techniques like parallelism, minor conflicts, and the repeated use of the workers aspirations to foreshadow the novel's dismal ending. Along with these foreshadowing of events, Steinbeck is able to keep a suspenseful mood throughout the development of