Of Mice and Men - Companionship and Aspirations Through Hardship.
Practice SAC Essay-
Why does Steinbeck want us to know about companionship and aspirations through hard times? Why does he want us to see the importance of it? Steinbeck shows us three important themes - Dreams, Friendship and Hardship. Friendship, or companionship and being a friend to somebody is very important during times of hardship, or difficulty and also the presence of dreams and things that inspire the characters to get through the difficult times. The novella Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck in 1937, is a book about two very different but close pals. It follows them as they journey on as they travel through the everyday life at the ranch.
Dreams are a way to envisage what someone could want for their future. In this novella, Steinbeck makes a clear understanding of what the characters in this written piece desire. ‘Lennie was delighted. “That’s it – that’s it. Now tell us how it is with us.” George went on, “With us it ain’t like that, we got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.”’ (pg 15) Steinbeck clearly states that George and Lennie have a dream - A dream to have their own farm and to start working for themselves. Steinbeck urges us to understand the importance of George and Lennie’s dreams and how it puts an effect on their friendship and their friendships with other characters. “Candy leaned forward eagerly. “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?” (pg 67) In this text reference it shows us that Candy has a dream too. Steinbeck also really pushes the fact that Candy also wants a say in this, as he needs a friendship because of the loss of his old sheepdog that Carlson persisted that he should shoot in
Why does Steinbeck want us to know about companionship and aspirations through hard times? Why does he want us to see the importance of it? Steinbeck shows us three important themes - Dreams, Friendship and Hardship. Friendship, or companionship and being a friend to somebody is very important during times of hardship, or difficulty and also the presence of dreams and things that inspire the characters to get through the difficult times. The novella Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck in 1937, is a book about two very different but close pals. It follows them as they journey on as they travel through the everyday life at the ranch.
Dreams are a way to envisage what someone could want for their future. In this novella, Steinbeck makes a clear understanding of what the characters in this written piece desire. ‘Lennie was delighted. “That’s it – that’s it. Now tell us how it is with us.” George went on, “With us it ain’t like that, we got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.”’ (pg 15) Steinbeck clearly states that George and Lennie have a dream - A dream to have their own farm and to start working for themselves. Steinbeck urges us to understand the importance of George and Lennie’s dreams and how it puts an effect on their friendship and their friendships with other characters. “Candy leaned forward eagerly. “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?” (pg 67) In this text reference it shows us that Candy has a dream too. Steinbeck also really pushes the fact that Candy also wants a say in this, as he needs a friendship because of the loss of his old sheepdog that Carlson persisted that he should shoot in