Of Mice and Men : The Ranch as a Microcosm
Many times the work of an author will reflect his or her observations of and ideas on how events in the world appear to be. From the way the author approaches the subject matter in his works, connections between the text and how similar events occur in the real world can sometimes be made. The author's stance towards these real-world events can then be discerned from how they are portrayed in the storyline of the work. John Steinbeck, a true realist, gives the reader a taste of how life was during the time period portrayed in his novels and his mood toward the subject matter reflects how he regards the events of the years surrounding the Great Depression. In one of his great novels, Of Mice and Men, set in this time period, the ranch plays a major role in how Steinbeck realistically portrays the Great Depression era in our history. In effect, the ranch and the people on it can be thought of as a microcosm of American society because it reflects the loneliness, the prejudice, and the different aspects of society of the time.a. "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake and then they go
Ever'body! An' what am I doin'? Standin' here talkin' to a bunch of bindle-stiffs-a nigger an' a dum-dum and a lousy ol' sheep-an' likin' it because they ain't nobody else. As a result, she acts promiscuously and flirtatiously to satisfy her hatred for Curley. Women, not able to work because of their gender, were forced to marry because they were unable to find sources of income on their own. He can beat anyone smaller than he is and being the boss's son, can have fired the people he can't beat. They ain't got nothin to look ahead to. Curley's wife can be portrayed as sadness in society, since she is probably the saddest character. She is never wanted in the bunk house, and is referred to as a "bitch" between the men of the ranch. His line at the end of the novel ends the book on a kind of cynical note: "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?" He is unable to realize the emotional cost to George in shooting Lennie. inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. "Loneliness is a part of life on the ranch, and although it may not show so much on the outside of the characters, it bothers them all to some degree. The dream not only gives him hope and purpose, it also gives him some sort of cameraderie with other people. Carlson represents the tactless and unfeeling in society.
Common topics in this essay:
An' God,
Civil Rights,
Lennie Crooks,
Lennie George's,
John Steinbeck,
Ever'body An',
Aspects Society,
Loneliness Guys,
Candy Crooks,
Nonetheless Crooks,
curley's wife,
ranch hands,
lennie george's,
people ranch,
american society,
lennie george's dream,
society people,
aspects society,
george's dream,
characters novel,
i'm black,
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