Of Mice and Men and Impersonal Natural Laws
Of Mice and Men Naturalism
The struggle against forces beyond human control: Lennie couldn’t control that he had special needs. So him nor George could help it. In the end, he just got scared and that’s why he had killed Curley’s wife. “I tried, Aunt Clara, ma’am. I tried and tried. I couldn’t help it”(97). He was explaining how he couldn’t help that he broke everything that he pet. Because, he was too strong for what he could handle and he was just born with special needs which is a force beyond his control.
Individuals' lives and characters governed and determined by impersonal natural laws and forces, such as social conditions and the environment: Pretty much all of the characters lives were determined by environment and social conditions of the Great Depression. It caused most of them to be often searching for a job and didn’t have a lot of money. Also, Lennie and George had their lives change because of a social condition/law. Lennie says, “Jus’ wanted to feel that woman’s dress-jus’ like it was a mouse”(11). And after that the woman accused him of rape. Which led Lennie and George to leave Weed, which changed their lives forever.
Nature being indifferent to human struggle or society as insensitive to special needs. Attempts at exercising free will or choice are hamstrung by forces beyond their control: Lennie couldn’t control that he had special needs. Nature just gave it to him. “I don’t want ta hurt ya”(87). This shows that Lennie really didn’t want to, he was just to big and strong. Afterwards society was insensitive to him (even with his special needs). This shows when Curley got everyone together to go and try to kill Lennie. So in all society didn’t except Lennie even at the beginning.
Humans as animal-like; instinctive: Throughout the novel there was many comparisons of characters as animals. This mostly just happens when describing Lennie, because he is so big. “…and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear
The struggle against forces beyond human control: Lennie couldn’t control that he had special needs. So him nor George could help it. In the end, he just got scared and that’s why he had killed Curley’s wife. “I tried, Aunt Clara, ma’am. I tried and tried. I couldn’t help it”(97). He was explaining how he couldn’t help that he broke everything that he pet. Because, he was too strong for what he could handle and he was just born with special needs which is a force beyond his control.
Individuals' lives and characters governed and determined by impersonal natural laws and forces, such as social conditions and the environment: Pretty much all of the characters lives were determined by environment and social conditions of the Great Depression. It caused most of them to be often searching for a job and didn’t have a lot of money. Also, Lennie and George had their lives change because of a social condition/law. Lennie says, “Jus’ wanted to feel that woman’s dress-jus’ like it was a mouse”(11). And after that the woman accused him of rape. Which led Lennie and George to leave Weed, which changed their lives forever.
Nature being indifferent to human struggle or society as insensitive to special needs. Attempts at exercising free will or choice are hamstrung by forces beyond their control: Lennie couldn’t control that he had special needs. Nature just gave it to him. “I don’t want ta hurt ya”(87). This shows that Lennie really didn’t want to, he was just to big and strong. Afterwards society was insensitive to him (even with his special needs). This shows when Curley got everyone together to go and try to kill Lennie. So in all society didn’t except Lennie even at the beginning.
Humans as animal-like; instinctive: Throughout the novel there was many comparisons of characters as animals. This mostly just happens when describing Lennie, because he is so big. “…and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear