Of Mice and Men and Macbeth Conflict

Texts that deal with the theme of conflict make us think. Conflict is the centre of all dramatic development in the three texts I will be discussing. These are Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and O Brother Where Art Thou’, directed by Joel Coen. There are many forms of conflict expressed in these texts. These include both emotional and physical conflict. Conflict has been brought about in many ways throughout these texts. Most of which has been fuelled by inner discord. However a person’s inner conflict can often lead to violent activity. This demonstrates that both forms of conflict are indeed affiliated.
OMAM tells the story of a sharp witted man and his simple friend who find work in California’s Salinas Valley. They are driven by a shared dream, that one day they will own their own property and “live off the fatta the lan”. George serves as Lennie’s protector, as Lennie is mentally retarded. “He’s awright, just aint bright” Lennie’s fetish for soft things and his ignorant behaviour, often lands them both in trouble.
Many of the characters in OMAM admit to suffering from profound loneliness and lost dreams. This is perhaps most effectively delivered through George. At the end of the novel Lennie accidentally kills the wife of the boss' son while trying to comfort her. Although Lennie is afraid George will be angry and flees. The ranch hands rightly guess the culprit and they set out to find and kill him. As George realizes what Lennie has done, the painful mission that he must undertake becomes clear to him, a mission that will cause him great grief and inner conflict. George knows that the murder of this girl could not be left unaddressed. Even if turning Lennie over to the police was a realistic option, being separated from George would have destabilized Lennie to a point that could have resulted in even greater tragedy. This internal conflict ripped George up inside, debating the right thing to do. It was more