Of Mice and Men
"Of Mice and Men's" main characters, Lennie and George are as different as night and day. That simile, along with others taken directly from text, is a technique John Steinbeck uses frequently and effectively in the story. The following comparisons using like or as are short in length, but they easily paint a picture and draw the reader into the story right from the beginning. One simile, from the first chapter, begins "Slowly, like a terrier, who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again." This is a vivid word picture. The reader can imagine a small dog playing with its owner. The animal wants to give the ball back almost as much as it wants to keep it. Therefore, it draws back and approaches the
The full description of her creates a picture of a woman with heavy make-up, perhaps cheap looking. We may not yet know how or why they're together, but they have formed some sort of family bond. " This comparison comes from the second chapter. Another simile from that same chapter is "Blubbering' like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you!" As we read the story, it doesn't take long to establish each character's personality. All three of the examples presented take place in the first two chapters. Like the dog, Lennie doesn't want to turn the dead mouse he's found over to George. "Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. Because of his childlike intelligence and maturity, Lennie then falls prey to a woman and feelings he doesn't understand. Lennie is a huge man with little intelligence and even less maturity. As a reader, I felt Lennie's hesitation and George's forcefulness. Steinbeck is describing Curley's wife as both George and Lennie see her for the first time. But George insists and then must explain that this is for Lennie's own good. Imagining him getting upset about being told "no" by George does conjure up the image of a baby or small child whining and crying.
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Acceptance Essays
