Topic > Themes and Symbolism in Of Mice & Men

Response of Mice & Men "Of Mice & Men" tackles a number of important themes including isolation, discrimination, racial prejudice, friendship and loneliness. Choose at least two and discuss how the author explores them.' Introduction: 'Of Mice and Men' is a written text published by Pascal Covici and written by the American writer John Steinbeck. The novel is based on the difficulties that two middle-aged men face while working on an old ranch in the 1930s. It details the obstacles they overcome together as they pursue their dream of one day owning a ranch. Throughout the novel, George Milton, who could be described as a sharp, short, and quick man (p. -), is determined to work towards achieving his ambitions while watching over the intellectually handicapped Lennie, who could only be described as an animal, whose greatest weakness is its strength. While including what it means to have a dream, Steinbeck also explores a variety of different techniques to help identify themes associated with the characters and plot. Touching on several themes including discrimination, vulnerability and the Great American Dream. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The theme of the Great American Dream is first introduced early in the novel when Steinbeck includes a description of the farm they both hope to one day together, giving readers a brief understanding of the setting that unfolds. The setting of the novel allows the audience to understand the situation that both Lennie and George find themselves in. The novel is set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis in history and during this time people struggled to find stable jobs to earn money. . The dream depiction of Lennie and George has a lot of meaning as it symbolizes the degree of freedom and control they have in their lives as they move around looking for work. It is evident that Steinbeck uses setting throughout the novel to connect Dreams to the theme of the "American Dream." This gives the idea that people who take pride in their work and work hard make it possible to achieve some success in America. For the characters in Of Mice and Men, especially the men on the ranch, having a dream gives them hope that one day all their hard work will pay off and they will be rewarded. Throughout the novel, Lennie's vulnerability is shown numerous times through the use of foreshadowing. His characteristics and actions play an important role in the novel, as it is evident that his innocence, his violent tendencies, and the little to no restraint he has on his own brute strength foreshadow his character's death in the end. I was just playing with him... and he looked like he was going to bite me... and I looked like I wanted to slap him... and... and I did. And he was dead' (p. 78). Steinbeck also writes about how Lennie and George are kicked out by Weed, he explains "well, he saw this girl in a red dress". Stupid bastard as he is, he wants to touch whatever he likes…. the girl lets out a squeal, and it confuses Lennie, and he resists because it's the only thing he can think of doing' (p. 40). At the beginning of the novel, Lennie unintentionally kills the mice he had found; this may be an indication of what death may occur later in the novel. And unfortunately having no sense of control over his own strength, Lennie's character turns out to be the cause of the death of both the puppy and Curley's wife. The death of Curley's wife appears to be the misfortune of Lennie's actions and, like the death of both the mice and the.