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Power Relationships in Of Mice and Men

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Power Relationships in Of Mice and Men
D I F F E R E N T P O W E R R E L AT I O N S H I P S I N S E C T I O N 4 I N O F M I C E
AND MEN

In Section 4 in Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, the author, decides to put four characters in the section/scene. The four characters are: Crooks, Lennie, Candy and Curley’s Wife. In this scene,
Steinbeck portrays power through the characters. He portrays different types of power and uses different methods to show us the power relationship through the four characters. Steinbeck presents differing power through three main methods. These methods are: power through the setting, power through all four characters (as one band of characters), and through individual power in the group. As a result of this, we see difference between certain characters.
When Steinbeck wrote this section, he made the setting in the least powerful place on the ranch. As crooks lives next to the barn (which is the least powerful place), we think that he has got no power as the setting suggests that Crooks is an animal as he lives next to them. Not only this but it also tells us that “Crooks had his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses. The setting of the Scene is important because the characters show their power differently according to where they are: in the barn is where Crooks has more power and has more authority over.He confronts Curley’s Wife here. Maybe if they were in the Boss’ house Crooks would not have dared to confront her. Steinbeck also makes the two most powerless characters come in first, building up to the most powerful coming last. In this case, Curley’s Wife, at the end, is the most powerful character in this scene.
There are different types of powers that are portrayed by Steinbeck in Section 4. Some of these powers override others. For example Lennie’s physical power is only useful to him if he uses it, but he does not. This takes away his strongest power as he doesn 't have many others. Not

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