Of Mice and Men
The novel ‘of Mice and Men’ was written by John Steinbeck published in 1937 in a place known as the Pacific Grove and Los ranch in California. John Steinbeck addresses a variety of themes in the novel such as power, seduction and hierarchy. Steinbeck had worked as a ranch hand himself that’s why he understood the types of people that were in it. Following the US Stock market in 1929 US experienced a period of depression known as the ‘Great Depression’ in 1930s America, to highlight how people lived and how the itinerant workers’ only option was short-term employment. The Depression lasted from 1929 to 1939 and was a result of the Wall Street Stock market Crash were most people lost money.
Furthermore, there was a drought which resulted in California being referred to as the ‘Dusk Bowl’ of America. That was the era that hoardes of migrant workers came to California and ranches looking for work and because the work was temporary the ranches constantly on the move.
The types of power that exist in the novella range from Physical to Seduction to Mental to Sexual to Loneliness and isolation. The importance of physical power is highlighted by the massive strength of Lennie who despite his limited intellect is valued for the amount of manual work he can in a day. Also, there’s the fight scene between Curley and Lennie which symbolic of the physical hierarchy in the world of the ranch workers. Seduction is also a major theme in the novel and is characterised by Curley’s wife throughout the novel. However, Mental is expressed in the novel by Lennie who has a feeble mind and also mental power emanates in the novel since, Lennie has no real mental power, he has immense strength and this can be seen as a form of power. Sexual power is exposed by Curley’s wife because she has the power of seduction to attract men on the ranch. By illustrating sexual positions and being keen on her appearance. Loneliness and isolation is present throughout the novel. Characters like Crooks,
Furthermore, there was a drought which resulted in California being referred to as the ‘Dusk Bowl’ of America. That was the era that hoardes of migrant workers came to California and ranches looking for work and because the work was temporary the ranches constantly on the move.
The types of power that exist in the novella range from Physical to Seduction to Mental to Sexual to Loneliness and isolation. The importance of physical power is highlighted by the massive strength of Lennie who despite his limited intellect is valued for the amount of manual work he can in a day. Also, there’s the fight scene between Curley and Lennie which symbolic of the physical hierarchy in the world of the ranch workers. Seduction is also a major theme in the novel and is characterised by Curley’s wife throughout the novel. However, Mental is expressed in the novel by Lennie who has a feeble mind and also mental power emanates in the novel since, Lennie has no real mental power, he has immense strength and this can be seen as a form of power. Sexual power is exposed by Curley’s wife because she has the power of seduction to attract men on the ranch. By illustrating sexual positions and being keen on her appearance. Loneliness and isolation is present throughout the novel. Characters like Crooks,