What does a reading of ‘Of Mice and Men’ reveal about the cu

experience of migrant workers in the 1930s America?

Of Mice and Men is a novel set on a ranch in the Salinas Valley in California during the Great Depression of the 1930s. By reading it, the reader learns a lot about the lives of itinerant workers and society during that time. Steinbeck also conveys his views on society to the reader and how he feels society without law, morals and politics can not sustain itself and will collapse in on itself. He achieves this through a variety of methods and techniques, which also make the novel an absorbing read.

Steinbeck’s novel emphasises the loneliness of its characters. Every character’s life introduced in the story is lonely and empty in a way whether it is obvious to the reader or not. “Hell, I seen too many guys… seems like ever’ guy got land in his head”, this shows how every ranch worker has to take comfort from insubstantial dreams of a better life in order to overcome their loneliness. Steinbeck establishes this idea of loneliness to the reader right near the start of the book and reminds the reader again at the end of the book, “Guys like us… are the loneliest guys in the world… work up a stake and go i

. . .
The writer represents George, Slim and Crooks as intellectual and sensitive, but for each one, there is a reason to why they are unable to co-operate to accomplish their hopes and dreams together. Although Slim is a skilled mechanic on the ranch, he is the complete opposite of Carlson, the only typical example of an itinerant rancher in the novel who is selfish and cares only for his own comfort. Those with money and power don’t deserve it and those without do. Theses three characters have one thing in common, they are weak, and Steinbeck makes their weaknesses quite evident to the reader, “They left all the weak ones here”, he also uses Lennie’s mice and puppy to represent the idea of how the strong ones survive and the weak ones die. ”

Slim is the only character that does not seem to need an illusion to defend him against the harsh realities of the world. How fate can not be controlled is only clearly demonstrated to the reader by the heron and the snake just before Lennie’s death which is near the end of the novel. Steinbeck shows this through the boss and the boss’ son, Curley, “Seems like Curley ain’t giving nobody a chance…won’t ever get canned ‘cause he’s the old man’s boss”. Steinbeck believes that this type of personality has developed due to his lack of relationship. These deaths are due to society’s prosperity to solve problems with discrimination and violence, “Curley’ll get ‘im killed…an’ the other guys will.

Crooks also shares a value between his white fellow ranchers. Society’s segregation is mainly responsible for Crook’s low status, but Steinbeck also leads the reader into believing Crooks is partially responsible himself. Steinbeck specifically uses minor characters like Crooks to help bring forward the theme of loneliness to the reader because it strikes the reader as they realise how the flaws in society can also affect ranch workers that are as insignificant as Crooks and create pathos for their situation. Steinbeck uses women as a warning to society, how this type of society can lead to unwanted deaths. The images of light described at the beginning of the novel, “the mountains flamed with the light of the sun that had gone”, represents George’s last day of freedom. The repetitions of certain animals are used to as motifs.

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Approximate Word count = 3357
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)

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