”Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck Essay Sample

Henri Frederic Amiel one time stated. “Destiny has two ways of oppressing us- by declining our wants and by carry throughing them. ” In Of Mice and Men. by John Steinbeck. this is really true for George and Lennie. The brace has moved from spread to ranch seeking to maintain down a occupation but Lennie who easy gets in problem ever thwarts them. They long to populate the American Dream but they. like all the other workers. will ne’er make their dream that seems to be merely beyond their fingertips. George watches over Lennie as they travel together but he can non halt the muss that Lennie will acquire into at the newest spread. Steinbeck conveys through the symbolism of playing cards. visible radiation. and Lennie’s hands that we are destined to play the manus destiny trades us even if our hopes and dreams are dashed in the procedure of our fate.

Steinbeck uses the symbolism of cards to stand for that no affair how difficult we fight. we are destined to populate the life destiny programs for us. George merely plays solitaire to demo that he has given in to destine and will be entirely with no 1 else alongside him.

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Even with other people around him. George merely plays entirely which represents that he will ever experience entirely even if he is physically non. “George stared at his solitaire ballad. and so he flounced the cards together and turned about to Lennie. ” ( p. 29 ) George would play cards without Lennie who “was…just watching him. ” ( p. 29 ) stand foring that Lennie would non be involved with George’s fate. It besides shows that although George and Lennie travel together they didn’t play cards together because no affair how many times they could hold played together. they ne’er would hold won and all in destiny. Naturally. George “was little and quick…with ungratified eyes and crisp strong features” ( p. 2 ) and when he spoke he ever did it aggressively. His perennial acuteness indicates a higher intelligence and it is to be expected that a more knowing individual would last longer in the existent universe longer than an imbecile. like Lennie. He was all border but whenever he played cards he would make so “slowly and deliberately…thoughtfully” ( p. 27 ) subconsciously cognizing that the cards held a higher power over his life than anyone else realized. Though George plays cards frequently. he ne’er is able to prove his ability to withstand his destiny and win which means he can ne’er alter the fate he has.

When Lennie inquiries the devising of the cards and its ground. George can merely state “I don’t know…That’s merely the way…” ( p. 5 ) Without cognition about the cards. George and Lennie in bend did non understand destiny. Besides if knowledge peers power. so they had no power over their fate. Because of their deficiency of comprehension. they follow the way destiny has set for them irrespective of the effects. The usage of visible radiation throughout the novel is used as a symbol of hope and dreams that we can merely wish of making. George and Lennie see the visible radiation on the Gabilan Mountains when they make cantonment before the spread and when George shoots Lennie. “Only the tops of the Gabilan Mountains flamed with the light…that had gone from the valley” ( p. 1 ) which is important because without visible radiation in the vale. it shows that the brace will be so close to making their dreams but ne’er genuinely make them. With the “darkening inclines of the Gabilans” ( p. 105 ) right before George shoots Lennie. Steinbeck illustrates that their dream is shattered and would everlastingly be unachievable. Curley’s married woman would besides forestall George and Lennie form accomplishing their dream. Lennie would non be able to disregard her no affair how much George would carry him against it.

By barricading “the rectangle of sunlight in the doorway” ( p. 31 ) it was inevitable that she would in bend block them from their hopes. Her decease would be the concluding straw that would forestall them from making their dream. It was believed by Crooks that he “got a right to hold a light” ( p. 68 ) in his room. Crooks had a meager visible radiation in his room but it was plenty to pull others to its brightness demoing that most of the ranchers had no hope at all for their dreams being achieved. With this. Steinbeck proves that everyone has the right to hold dreams and hopes even if they are non fulfilled. When Lennie goes to Crooks’ room. he keeps reiterating “I seen your light” ( p. 68 ) to explicate his presence at that place. Lennie is drawn to the light even though he has his ain dream screening that he unwittingly suspects that his ain dream will non come true. Without his ain dream. he was traveling to seek to acquire in any he could even though Crooks hardly had any hope left. As Lennie and Crooks talk of accomplishing the American Dream. Candy goes to the room access looking in on the all of a sudden excessively bright room. The meager visible radiation turned into a to the full light room demoing that the light grew with both Crooks and Lennie’s dreams.

Steinbeck uses Lennie’s custodies to stand for destiny and how it destroys our hopes and dreams. The most symbolic line in the whole book is when Lennie “dabbled his large paw in the H2O and wiggled his fingers” ( p. 3 ) and stated “‘Look. George. Look what I done’” ( p. 3 ) . Understanding that Lennie can alter his milieus with his custodies. he would make it several times before the effects would blossom. Using his custodies. Lennie would do the rippling affect in their lives even if he did non intend any injury. Overall. his actions would forestall them from making their much coveted dream. Curley would larn his lesson when he attempted to contend Lennie and took a swing at him. With “his fist lost in Lennie’s paw” ( p. 64 ) Lennie did non understand his ain strength wholly oppressing his manus. Steinbeck shows that when Lennie acts against Curley. he begins the route to losing their dream. Lennie’s destiny would be sealed when he killed Curley’s married woman. Lennie grew angry with her when she tried to shout as he stroked her hair.

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When she began to fight he unwittingly broke her cervix. Before he left. he “pawed up the hay until it partially covered here” ( p. 91 ) . As if seeking to conceal his bad action. Lennie had even tried to cover her up in his last effort to keep their dream. Steinbeck shows that Lennie was able to understand that he had done another bad thing and fled before the others found her. Lennie is forced to utilize his custodies for force. like with Curley and his married woman. which consequence in the devastation of their dreams. However. all of his actions led to his inevitable decease. No 1 can hedge their destiny no affair how difficult they fight it. When Henri stated “Destiny has two ways of oppressing us- by declining our wants and by carry throughing them. ” . he knew that destiny regulations our life in a manner non everyone understands. George and Lennie were refused their dream and George was granted his want of being separated from Lennie for good. Steinbeck used the cards to stand for destiny. the visible radiation to stand for hopes and dreams. and Lennie’s custodies to stand for devastation. When George surrenders that last hope to derive their dream and putting to deaths Lennie. Slim says “You hadda. George” ( p. 107 ) bespeaking the sad truth that one has to give up one’s dream to last.