What Is The Difference Between Of Mice And Men
No matter how much people try, life isn't a fairytale, or a bed of roses. Life will never be picture perfect, but that is where the beauty of most things lie; in its imperfections. A good book, by many, is often considered to be a story written to make us forget about the harsh realities of life. However, a great book will often push boundaries a little, in order to make the readers reflect upon the social, political, economical, and even religious statuses of the world that they are living in. The novels, Of Mice and Men and The Pearl, written by John Steinbeck are social criticisms of many daunting real-life issues, that impact almost everyone, at some point in their lives. In both of these novels, Steinbeck explores the issues of racism,
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classism, and sexism, and provides a message of how much the damage the severity of these issues can cause in the world. To start off, Of Mice and Men delves into numerous encounters that involve very racist remarks being said towards certain characters on the ranch that the novel takes place in. The character who undisputedly receives the most hurtful and racist backlash is Crooks. Crooks is a black man, who is also disabled. His race and overall appearance make him a very easy target of racism, in the eyes of the other characters, since black people were considered to be inferior to all other races in the time period in which this story takes place (1930’s). “Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny”(OMAM 20). In this certain encounter, Curley’s wife is using extremely derogatory racial slurs towards him, and she is threatening to get Crooks lynched, if he doesn't keep quiet and obey her, after he simply told her to leave his room since white women, such as herself, were not supposed to be entering into colored peoples’ rooms. Clearly, this appalling treatment that Crooks is receiving is Steinbeck’s way of addressing the very prevalent issue of racism in the world today because Crooks is made to be a complete social outcast in this novel. He is not only treated like dirt for being black, which is something that is out of his control, but the racism directed towards him is made even more clear to the readers, due to the fact that he is being segregated on the ranch, as he must live in isolation, due to his race. While, some readers may be taken aback by the way Steinbeck has other characters speak to Crooks, this treatment he receives is integral to the essence of this novel, as is paints the truth about how racism can leave people in powerless and extremely oppressed states. Likewise, The Pearl explores issues of racism, as well. The protagonist in this novel, Kino, is a poor pearl diver. He lives with his wife Juana, and their newborn son, Coyotito. When Coyotito is bit by a scorpion, they are forced to go to the doctor. However, this doctor is known for only treating people with money. When the doctor is informed that Kino’s family has arrived at his office with Coyotito, his response was utterly alarming. “Have I nothing better to do than cure insect bites for 'little Indians'? I am a doctor, not a veterinary”(The Pearl 11). His racism toward “Indians” is very evident in this situation because he is refusing to treat Coyotito just because of his skin color. The doctor does not even seem to care that this newborn could die. His racial discrimination is getting in the way of him saving a life, since he acts like helping Coyotito is one of the last tasks he would ever want to do. The doctor also mentions that he is not a veterinarian who should be doing trivial tasks such as undertaking insect bites on babies, but if Kino’s family were not people of color, it would be safe to say that this racist doctor would treat them without any hesitation. Steinbeck’s writing in this scenario is undoubtedly addressing the fact that racism will follow certain people, everywhere they go in life. The Pearl shows readers that even in situations of life and death, racist people will still hold onto their outdated beliefs. Just like racism is a ubiquitous issue in Of Mice and Men, classism is another real-life matter that Steinbeck addresses in this novel.
On the ranch that George and Lennie are working on, there seems to be this unspoken social hierarchy between all the people who reside on the ranch. With this social hierarchy, it is no surprise that the upper class folk on the ranch treat the people who they deem to be underneath them abominably. The people at the top of this human pyramid are the boss and his son Curley, who often treat lower class ranch workers with no respect at all. “Curley glared at him. His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie... Curley stepped over to Lennie…“What the hell you laughin' at... no big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I'll show ya who's yella”(OMAM 62). After this altercation with Lennie, Curley proceeds to hitting Lennie repeatedly, even though Lennie had done nothing to provoke him. The unjust treatment that Lennie is receiving here, shows how classism impacts life on the ranch for anyone who was not a rich, white man. Curley has all the power in this situation, as he is the son of the ranch’s owner, and he uses his authority over Lennie to conduct any type of behavior he wants, since he rests higher on the social hierarchy than Lennie does. Steinbeck proves through his writing in Of Mice and Men, that classism will often target people who do not have as much as the wealthy, and the poor in society will continuously fall at the hands of …show more content…
people who simply have more money and stand higher than them in society. Similarly, in The Pearl, classism impacts not only Kino and his family, but the rest of the poor, uneducated pearl divers in this novel, are also victims to the cruelty of classism. All of the pearl divers, including Kino, have to sell the pearls they found to the pearl buyers on the fisherman's wharf. These pearl buyers, however, all have a higher social standing than the pearl divers, which means that they are also more educated than impoverished people like Kino. The pearl buyers frequently use their lack of ignorance to their advantage, when they are in the market to buy pearls. “We do not know what prices are paid in other places,” said Juan Tomás. "How can we know what is a fair price, if we do not know what the pearl buyer gets for the pearl in another place”(The Pearl 46). It is clear that these pearl buyers have all of the power in these circumstances because they had the access to getting an education, due to their economic and financial states being much finer than the pearl diver’s. Steinbeck truly encapsulates the negative impacts of classism here because, the pearl divers don't really know anything about the right price to charge on their pearls, and these upper class men, are all keeping them in the dark, instead of helping people who were poor, and did not have the opportunity to have an education that would help them succeed in their future endeavors in life. Steinbeck proves that classism is not only a factor that impacts the characters in The Pearl, but it is something that can toy with the lives of people in the real world, as well. Another pressing issue in the world today that Steinbeck gives his insights on through his writings in Of Mice and Men is sexism. There is only one female character in this novel, and she is never even addressed by her actual name. She is simply referred to as “Curley’s wife.” Furthermore, Curley's wife is talked about behind her back, by all of the other men on the ranch, time and time again. The men on the ranch often discuss Curley’s wife in manners that make her seem like she is some sort of sexual deviant. “Well—she got the eye.” “Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye? Maybe that's why Curley's pants is full of ants”(OMAM 49). In this certain scenario, the men are talking about how Curley's wife is “eyeing”, or flirting with all of the other men on the ranch. They think that this is driving Curley up a wall, which is why he has “pants full of ants.” However, the reality of her situation is that she is the only woman on the ranch, and life for her can get very lonely, so there is no surprise in the fact that Curley's wife is just trying to make friends with the people around her. Curley’s wife is most likely considered to be lower on the social pyramid of hierarchy than all of the men, due to her gender, which is the root cause of the sexism she has to face throughout the duration of the novel. All in all, the terribly cruel remarks that are made towards Curley's wife is Steinbeck's way of showing readers that sexism can be very real. It can make people feel powerless in almost every situation, since they feel like their own gender is holding them back from receiving the equal treatment that they deserve. In a similar way, The Pearl portrays sexism throughout its storyline, as well.
Juana (Kino's wife), is the representation for women in this novel. She is a strong and smart person, who always stands by her husband’s side. Even though Juana is a headstrong character, societal norms are still very sexist towards women, and there are moments where her voice is not considered to be as important as the voice of a man. “She knew she could help him best by being silent and by being near”(The Pearl 55). The fact that Juana thinks that being silent in tough situations will help her husband, is honestly very sad. The opinions, feelings, and thoughts of women should be just as valid as a man, and if the roles were reversed, Kino would surely pipe in with his thoughts, if Juana was having a personal crisis. Steinbeck's depiction of the impacts of sexism on women, are extremely accurate. He does not give the readers what they want, by making Juana extremely empowered and in control during the novel because a society where women often fall victim to sexism makes it challenging for them to stand up to these old-fashioned ideals of women being the silent partners in relationships, since sexism against women has been so normalized, especially in the past. John Steinbeck’s depictions of the realities of sexism in The Pearl, prove that the voices of women have been put on the back burner for too long, and it is high time that they are considered to be equal counterparts to
men. Of Mice and Men and The Pearl may not be the most “feel-good” types of books, that make readers become all warm and fuzzy inside. However, these two timeless pieces of literature speak volumes about the conditions of the world, and the hardships that the people in this world face everyday of their lives. These brilliant, thought-provoking novels are not only social criticisms of life, but they are books that are not afraid to discuss any controversial topics. No harsh or frightening details are left out of these novels, and yes, that may make many people uncomfortable, but the reality is that, the world we live in today is uncomfortable, and facing these real-life issues is something that every human must face. The fact of the matter is, that the beauty of Of Mice and Men and The Pearl is found in challenging its readers to look into the dark parts of life, and realize that they have the power to turn that darkness into something extraordinary.
classism, and sexism, and provides a message of how much the damage the severity of these issues can cause in the world. To start off, Of Mice and Men delves into numerous encounters that involve very racist remarks being said towards certain characters on the ranch that the novel takes place in. The character who undisputedly receives the most hurtful and racist backlash is Crooks. Crooks is a black man, who is also disabled. His race and overall appearance make him a very easy target of racism, in the eyes of the other characters, since black people were considered to be inferior to all other races in the time period in which this story takes place (1930’s). “Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny”(OMAM 20). In this certain encounter, Curley’s wife is using extremely derogatory racial slurs towards him, and she is threatening to get Crooks lynched, if he doesn't keep quiet and obey her, after he simply told her to leave his room since white women, such as herself, were not supposed to be entering into colored peoples’ rooms. Clearly, this appalling treatment that Crooks is receiving is Steinbeck’s way of addressing the very prevalent issue of racism in the world today because Crooks is made to be a complete social outcast in this novel. He is not only treated like dirt for being black, which is something that is out of his control, but the racism directed towards him is made even more clear to the readers, due to the fact that he is being segregated on the ranch, as he must live in isolation, due to his race. While, some readers may be taken aback by the way Steinbeck has other characters speak to Crooks, this treatment he receives is integral to the essence of this novel, as is paints the truth about how racism can leave people in powerless and extremely oppressed states. Likewise, The Pearl explores issues of racism, as well. The protagonist in this novel, Kino, is a poor pearl diver. He lives with his wife Juana, and their newborn son, Coyotito. When Coyotito is bit by a scorpion, they are forced to go to the doctor. However, this doctor is known for only treating people with money. When the doctor is informed that Kino’s family has arrived at his office with Coyotito, his response was utterly alarming. “Have I nothing better to do than cure insect bites for 'little Indians'? I am a doctor, not a veterinary”(The Pearl 11). His racism toward “Indians” is very evident in this situation because he is refusing to treat Coyotito just because of his skin color. The doctor does not even seem to care that this newborn could die. His racial discrimination is getting in the way of him saving a life, since he acts like helping Coyotito is one of the last tasks he would ever want to do. The doctor also mentions that he is not a veterinarian who should be doing trivial tasks such as undertaking insect bites on babies, but if Kino’s family were not people of color, it would be safe to say that this racist doctor would treat them without any hesitation. Steinbeck’s writing in this scenario is undoubtedly addressing the fact that racism will follow certain people, everywhere they go in life. The Pearl shows readers that even in situations of life and death, racist people will still hold onto their outdated beliefs. Just like racism is a ubiquitous issue in Of Mice and Men, classism is another real-life matter that Steinbeck addresses in this novel.
On the ranch that George and Lennie are working on, there seems to be this unspoken social hierarchy between all the people who reside on the ranch. With this social hierarchy, it is no surprise that the upper class folk on the ranch treat the people who they deem to be underneath them abominably. The people at the top of this human pyramid are the boss and his son Curley, who often treat lower class ranch workers with no respect at all. “Curley glared at him. His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie... Curley stepped over to Lennie…“What the hell you laughin' at... no big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I'll show ya who's yella”(OMAM 62). After this altercation with Lennie, Curley proceeds to hitting Lennie repeatedly, even though Lennie had done nothing to provoke him. The unjust treatment that Lennie is receiving here, shows how classism impacts life on the ranch for anyone who was not a rich, white man. Curley has all the power in this situation, as he is the son of the ranch’s owner, and he uses his authority over Lennie to conduct any type of behavior he wants, since he rests higher on the social hierarchy than Lennie does. Steinbeck proves through his writing in Of Mice and Men, that classism will often target people who do not have as much as the wealthy, and the poor in society will continuously fall at the hands of …show more content…
people who simply have more money and stand higher than them in society. Similarly, in The Pearl, classism impacts not only Kino and his family, but the rest of the poor, uneducated pearl divers in this novel, are also victims to the cruelty of classism. All of the pearl divers, including Kino, have to sell the pearls they found to the pearl buyers on the fisherman's wharf. These pearl buyers, however, all have a higher social standing than the pearl divers, which means that they are also more educated than impoverished people like Kino. The pearl buyers frequently use their lack of ignorance to their advantage, when they are in the market to buy pearls. “We do not know what prices are paid in other places,” said Juan Tomás. "How can we know what is a fair price, if we do not know what the pearl buyer gets for the pearl in another place”(The Pearl 46). It is clear that these pearl buyers have all of the power in these circumstances because they had the access to getting an education, due to their economic and financial states being much finer than the pearl diver’s. Steinbeck truly encapsulates the negative impacts of classism here because, the pearl divers don't really know anything about the right price to charge on their pearls, and these upper class men, are all keeping them in the dark, instead of helping people who were poor, and did not have the opportunity to have an education that would help them succeed in their future endeavors in life. Steinbeck proves that classism is not only a factor that impacts the characters in The Pearl, but it is something that can toy with the lives of people in the real world, as well. Another pressing issue in the world today that Steinbeck gives his insights on through his writings in Of Mice and Men is sexism. There is only one female character in this novel, and she is never even addressed by her actual name. She is simply referred to as “Curley’s wife.” Furthermore, Curley's wife is talked about behind her back, by all of the other men on the ranch, time and time again. The men on the ranch often discuss Curley’s wife in manners that make her seem like she is some sort of sexual deviant. “Well—she got the eye.” “Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye? Maybe that's why Curley's pants is full of ants”(OMAM 49). In this certain scenario, the men are talking about how Curley's wife is “eyeing”, or flirting with all of the other men on the ranch. They think that this is driving Curley up a wall, which is why he has “pants full of ants.” However, the reality of her situation is that she is the only woman on the ranch, and life for her can get very lonely, so there is no surprise in the fact that Curley's wife is just trying to make friends with the people around her. Curley’s wife is most likely considered to be lower on the social pyramid of hierarchy than all of the men, due to her gender, which is the root cause of the sexism she has to face throughout the duration of the novel. All in all, the terribly cruel remarks that are made towards Curley's wife is Steinbeck's way of showing readers that sexism can be very real. It can make people feel powerless in almost every situation, since they feel like their own gender is holding them back from receiving the equal treatment that they deserve. In a similar way, The Pearl portrays sexism throughout its storyline, as well.
Juana (Kino's wife), is the representation for women in this novel. She is a strong and smart person, who always stands by her husband’s side. Even though Juana is a headstrong character, societal norms are still very sexist towards women, and there are moments where her voice is not considered to be as important as the voice of a man. “She knew she could help him best by being silent and by being near”(The Pearl 55). The fact that Juana thinks that being silent in tough situations will help her husband, is honestly very sad. The opinions, feelings, and thoughts of women should be just as valid as a man, and if the roles were reversed, Kino would surely pipe in with his thoughts, if Juana was having a personal crisis. Steinbeck's depiction of the impacts of sexism on women, are extremely accurate. He does not give the readers what they want, by making Juana extremely empowered and in control during the novel because a society where women often fall victim to sexism makes it challenging for them to stand up to these old-fashioned ideals of women being the silent partners in relationships, since sexism against women has been so normalized, especially in the past. John Steinbeck’s depictions of the realities of sexism in The Pearl, prove that the voices of women have been put on the back burner for too long, and it is high time that they are considered to be equal counterparts to
men. Of Mice and Men and The Pearl may not be the most “feel-good” types of books, that make readers become all warm and fuzzy inside. However, these two timeless pieces of literature speak volumes about the conditions of the world, and the hardships that the people in this world face everyday of their lives. These brilliant, thought-provoking novels are not only social criticisms of life, but they are books that are not afraid to discuss any controversial topics. No harsh or frightening details are left out of these novels, and yes, that may make many people uncomfortable, but the reality is that, the world we live in today is uncomfortable, and facing these real-life issues is something that every human must face. The fact of the matter is, that the beauty of Of Mice and Men and The Pearl is found in challenging its readers to look into the dark parts of life, and realize that they have the power to turn that darkness into something extraordinary.