Character Description 1: Lennie Small A very important main character we are introduced to in this story is Lennie Small. In my opinion Lennie is the most interesting character in the story because he differs from the other characters in many ways. Lennie Small as well as his companion George Milton are migrant workers who travel around the country working on ranches. They hope that one day they will pursue the dream they share of owning their own land or as Lennie says “living off the fatta’ the lan”. Lennie is incapable of making decisions by himself and relies and depends on George entirely and also looks to him as sort of a big brother.
What is the significance of “dreams” in the novel? Hopes and dreams are a key and central theme to ‘Of Mice and Men’. George and Lennie share a dream of independence, owning their own land and working for themselves, which Candy and Crooks are quickly drawn into. Curley’s wife also has a dream of being a movie star in Hollywood, as well as the underlying ‘American Dream’ which forms the base of all the character’s separate ambitions as well as many thousands of other people of the time. Firstly, dreams serve as a vital escape mechanism for the characters, to help them cope whilst living through the American Depression, where life is lonely and difficult.
To what extent does Steinbeck portray dreams as futile in his novella “Of mice and men?” By Theo Cox Dodgson John Steinbeck uses the theme of dreams in his novella “Of Mice and Men” as the novella is set on in America in the 1930’s, which was a time when work was so scarce most people had to travel to find temporary employment. The novella is set on a ranch and most of the characters have such a degenerate state of life that all they have is dreams to keep them going. Although the American dream started in the early 20th century as a dream for land, by the 1930’s it was a dream that anyone, no matter the social background can make a success of themselves in America. Despite the media of the time being optimistic and cheerful; Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” is a more realistic novel showing how the dreams of the characters were always hard to attain, and due to their actions, they were always going to be impossible to achieve. All of the Characters in the novella have an American dream; they all want to make successes of themselves.
Jack Wilkins October 8th, 2013 3rd Period Jack Wilkins October 8th, 2013 3rd Period John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men tells the tragic tale of George and Lennie, two companions forced to drift from job to job in order to make a living. Arriving at a new farm full of characters embodying loneliness, the pair dreams of escape from the vicious cycle of isolation that accompanies life as a migrant worker before they ultimately succumb to Naturalism’s cruel fate themselves. Lennie and George keep each other going, both of them providing the fuel for the other. The two also give hope to the characters around them; their dreams for “defiance of the cycle” inspires others to attempt escape from the chains of Naturalism themselves. But, even as the relationship of George and Lennie is beautiful and rare, it is also heartbreaking, for the contrast between the pair’s aspirations and the final result of their struggle sharply illustrates the tragedy of Naturalism.
Of Mice and Men is filled with characters such as this, which are unable to find a way out of their lonely lives. The loneliness in this story builds and builds and never is allowed to escape. By never allowing its escape, Steinbeck effectively forms a solid backing for the characters and events in his novel. Lennie's loneliness chiefly stems from the fact that he is both mentally undeveloped and very big and strong. His retardation sometimes causes others at the ranch to shun him; even to the point of thinking he is "cuckoo."
1 Explore how Steinbeck develops the theme of loneliness in Of mice and Men. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck expresses the theme of loneliness through key characters throughout the novel. Steinbeck leaves the message that loneliness is an everpresent problem for people in that time frame and ultimately, people of the present day. In the novel, some of the key characters this message is shown through is Candy, Curleys wife, Lennie and Crooks. Candy is lonely because of his old age although it is somewhat helped by the fact he has a dog but as we know, he is left high and dry after the residents of the bunkhouse choose to eradicate it for it was in pain and also smelling.
We know that Candy and his dog grew up and worked together herding sheep, we also know they’re both older and can’t work as well as they used. They are almost like brothers to each other ,when others come and go, both Candy and his dog are the only ones to remain. The same is true of George and Lennie, they are like brothers, they dress the same, look out for each other, travel together; this is not a common occurrence for their type of people. This makes it more depressing when George kills Lennie as they have grown up with the same dream, to “live of the fatta the land”. The ways in which Candy’s dog and Lennie are treated in life and in death are the same.
Candy needed his dog to get jobs on a cattle farm as he could herd animals and his dog needed an owner in his older age. Candy also has a strong yet short relationship with George and Lennie. "I'd make a will an' leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, cause' I ain't got no relatives nor nothing." Steinbeck shows how willing Candy is to his word by using inclusive tone. Candy shows a sense of compassion towards George and Lennie as he is giving two strangers his life's savings when he passes away.
‘Of Mice and Men’- Crooks essay In this section Lennie, Candy and Crooks are in Crooks’ room. Crooks lives by himself because he is the only black man on the ranch. He is bookish and likes to keep his room neat, but he has been so beaten down by loneliness and prejudicial treatment of that he is now suspicious of any kindness he receives, when Lennie enters his room, he soon realizes that Lennie is mentally disabled and find pleasure in tormenting Lennie about what would happen if George didn’t return, this reveals a mean streak in crooks that he developed from being alone. Candy then comes in and he and Lennie accidentally reveal to him their dream of the ranch. In the extract we see that Crooks is very cynical towards the American dream, “‘you guys is just kiddin’ yourself.’” Crooks dismisses the dream as nothing more than something that is just in the heads of these workers.
The novel combines the theme of friendship; Steinbeck uses characters; George and Lennie and Candy and his dog to portray the special bond within each pair. John Steinbeck develops the theme of friendship through characters, by focusing the theme around the idea of two men, completely opposite in every way, have come together and stuck together whilst at this time most people had nothing, due to the Great Depression. At that time itinerant workers were the “loneliest guys in the world”.