Irony In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The author Steinbeck actually uses a lot of irony in the entire novel. One of the major irony appears in the book is the scene when George kills Lennie, because he wants to protect Lennie from other people such as Curley who might treat Lennie in a violent way. Ironically, George takes Carlson’s shotgun to kill Lennie, and this shotgun is actually the one is used for killing Candy’s dog. It is also irony since the ranch hands do not feel sympathy for Lennie’s death and the fact that George loses his best friend, although they felt sorrow for Candy loss of his old dog. Slim is the only one who notices the fact of the shooting, and he tends to comfort George by telling him “you hadda” do it. Moreover, since George and Lennie is best friend to
For example, before Curley’s wife died, she is actually dreaming of becoming a movie star. Also, although Crooks did not join in Lennie and George’s plan of having their own farm for owing a patch of garden, he would like to join them at the very beginning. Candy is also joins George and Lennie by offering his money for owing a couple of acres on George’s farm. One of the most biggest and distinct dreams in the story is Lennie and George’s dream of buying their own farm and Lennie can get to tend rabbits. However, the problem of Lennie is that he likes to pet soft thing such as mice, puppy and even girl’s dress and hair. Although he is loyal to George, he always gets George into a lot of troubles. He does not understand and cannot control his physical power, which cause him always kills his favorite animals accidentally. The first time he killed a mouse, and the second time he killed a puppy. Just like those ancient story says, if a behavior is repeated three times, it will end in the third. (For example, heroes always have to go through ordeals three times.) So, Lennie killed Curley’s wife in the third times. Curley angrily says that he will shoot Lennie. In order to protect the naive and goodness Lennie from other’s bully, George killed him by shooting at the back of his head. After Lennie’s death, obviously George and Lennie’s dream of having their own farm will never come true, which is a typical American dream because the dreamers are eager to live in their own way and have their own freedom, but will no longer become reality. This is also prove that Crooks is right because he thinks that such a paradises of safety, contentment and freedom will not be found in this