Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck - 1452 Words

The novella â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck (published in 1937) and the play â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller (published in 1949) both focus on the idea of the American dream creating a better life for oneself in a land of opportunity. However, both texts question whether this dream is achievable or just an illusion which is unattainable. Steinbecks novella â€Å"Of Mice and Men† tells the tale of two migrant ranch workers, George and Lennie, with a dream of getting their own farm. The genuine catastrophe in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is that Crooks, the pessimistic stable hand, was right as â€Å"nobody gets no land. It s just in their head. They re all the time talkin about it, but it s jus in their head.† Crooks is alluding to not only the literal possession but also to the fantasy of satisfaction about which these simple men dream of. Implied in the theme of the American dream is the ironic idea that the development and maturity of the characters leads to the obliteration of ones aspirations. George â€Å"matures† by killing Lennie, and in turn killing the dream that they fantasized. George survives on the grounds that he deserts his unreasonable dreams. Dreaming, then again, is mankind s only protection against an aloof world. The title of the novella itself suggests that individuals are helpless in changing their destinies and thus foreshadowing the hopelessness of the American dream. Likewise, Miller demonstrates how development and maturity prompts the destruction ofShow MoreRelatedOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck973 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: I. Background A. John Steinbeck was born on February 27th, 1902 in Salinas, California. 1. Salinas River was one of the few centers for shipping, farming, and agriculture a. John Steinbeck worked as an employed laborer, digging canals and working beside men similar to characters in his novels. 2. In a discussion John Steinbeck said, I worked in the same country that the story is laid in. The characters are composites to a certain extent. Lennie was a real person. Hes in an insaneRead MoreOf Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck842 Words   |  4 Pages it was not uncommon to become morosely secluded while working. Men would go far away from their families in search of any jobs they could get, with only themselves to confide in; colleagues only filling in the void of friends and family partially. Naturally, John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, written during this period, would reflect this fact as a major aspect of the story. Loneliness would become the sinew of Of Mice and Men, manifested in some of the story’s main characters: Candy, CrooksRead MoreThe And Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1549 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will be exploring the role of women in the texts ‘DNA’ by Dennis Kelly and ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck . Both texts are quite dissimilar for the most part, with ‘DNA’ being a contemporary play, dealing with problems faced by modern youth groups and ‘Of Mice and Men’ being a classic novella. Set in the 1930’s, the novella tells a story of two migrant workers who flee to Salinas, California, for work. In spite of this, both explore the presentation of female characters similarlyRead MoreOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck1358 Words   |  6 Pagesthis expression to stress the fact that there are and will be difficulties in life. John Steinbeck, in his novella Of Mice and Men, does not fall short of the same views. It takes place in the year 1937, a period associated with the Great Depression, and illustrates the hardships of the time, and more so those that laborers such as George and Lennie experience. Life proves to be full of disappointments for both men who are victims of harsh circumstances in more ways than one. The two have a dreamRead MoreOf Mi ce And Men By John Steinbeck894 Words   |  4 PagesOf Mice and Men Essay John Steinbeck once said, â€Å"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us†. In his novella, Of Mice and Men, two men go on an unexpected journey in search for their dream of happiness. There are many themes that come from their journey such as, the gilded American dream, the bond of male friendships, the power of women and femininityRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1433 Words   |  6 PagesI am writing a literary essay on the novella, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I will be responding to the question describe an important character and explain how the character helped you understand an important message. In the novella, Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, two characters, Crooks and Curley’s wife, help me understand the message ‘Discrimination isolates people’. The book takes place in Soledad, California, mid 1930’s, during the Great Depression, at a time when discriminationRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1747 Words   |  7 Pages Of Mice and Men is a tragedy And The Pearl is a parable. Author s Name John Steinbeck -Title of Work #1: Of Mice and Men -Genre: Tragedy -Evidence of Genre (explain what makes the work an example of the genre): Tragedy is a branch of literature that uses a serious and dignified style the sad or unfortunate events encountered or caused by a heroic individual. In Of Mice and Men George and Lennie face a lot of tragic events. -Complete Summary of Work: Of Mice and Men is theRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1354 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, written by John Steinbeck, is set near the Salinas River in California, America during the Great Depression between 1930-1939. The Great Depression was a distressing time in the history of America as the unemployment rate was high which in turn led to poverty and hunger. During this time, many struggled to find work and this steered them to travel long distances, often without having anyone to talk to. Dreams were crafted by this travelling workforce and were somethingRead MoreMice Of Men By John Steinbeck785 Words   |  4 Pages It was an hopeless time period. For George in steinbeck s book mice of men by John Steinbeck,it was the great depression.This was a time period of a deep and dark economic downturn that affected the whole country. While the story focuses on George and Lennie s struggles through this hopeless time.They were best buds that got along great. They went to farm to farm as migrant works to get there pay. George had to take care of Lennie throughout the book and pick up the pieces, but lennie was a kindRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1400 Words   |  6 PagesOf Mice and Men, it is not just a band! Of Mice and Men was originally a short novel written by John Steinbeck in the 1930s. Regardless of the shortness in length, though, it is a rather deep and emotional book with quite a few messages behind the fictional storyline. These messages, however, cannot be discovered right off the bat. To genuinely absorb the messages Steinbeck teaches and actually understand the meaning behind them, one must read the book in its entirety. Steinbeck educates readers