ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Steinbeck uses Crooks to show that in the 1930’s black people were discriminated just like Crooks was in Of Mice and Men. Discrimination is lot of things. Discrimination can be sexism,racism, all of which are shown in Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck showed the struggle of Candy being an elderly man working at a ranch with younger men. Leaving Candy feeling powerless and hopeless because he can’t work like them. “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouse they’ll put me on the county.” While Candy was talking to George, Candy explains what might happen to him when they think he’s too old to work. Candy gets excited and has hope when George agrees to let him work at their dream ranch. But soon enough he loses that excitement and hope when Lennie murders Curley’s wife and ruins the dream. “
Topic: of-mice-and-men

You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we, George? You an’ me can go there an’ live nice, can’t we, George? Can’t we?(…) Before George answered, Candy dropped his head and looked down at the hay. He knew.” Candy by now has lost all his hope, about everyone showing him the respect he wants. As, someone who has no hand and is the only elderly man working on the ranch. It’s no surprise that Candy has lost his hope in everything because he’s completely powerless. Both Crooks and Candy faced discrimination, they might be two totally different people but are very similar when it comes to discrimination. Crooks faced racism while Candy faced ageism. Steinbeck had a very clear point when he used both Crooks and Candy’s character to show what many people had to deal with during the Great Depression and how because of it they felt hopeless and that they felt like they were powerless.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I think that discrimination shouldn’t be a problem nowadays, we should learn that if we don’t have something nice to say about them then don’t say it. If that’s to much for you then don’t hang around that person. People shouldn’t be racist to people of color. I for one know how it feels to be discriminated because of my skin color. People think just because I’m Mexican I can’t live in the United States. But we all have rights to live and say what we want. But that doesn’t mean you should go around discriminating people. We just need to focus on the love, and peace, and the freedom that we have and embrace each other no matter, our skin color. For I think that’s the key to ending discrimination.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Book covers are more than just protective bindings or a means to sell more copies of a book. Book covers can be used to portray events that happen in the book, events that have happened in the author’s life, events that have happened in the cover designer’s life, or events that are happening at the time of publication. For the sake of this essay, we will be looking at four book covers form John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and how they relate to the context of the decade they were released in.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The Dust Bowl was a time from 1935 to 1938 where colossal sand storms, sometimes miles in length, wreaked havoc on farmers and their land in the Midwest. Because of this, hundreds of thousands of farmers and their families were displaced. Some were forced into homelessness while others were forced to abandon their farms and head west in search of work. Although Of Mice and Men doesn’t specifically mention the Dust Bowl, both George and Lennie are heading west to find work. The cover of the book portrays the two men as they head west. Continuing our look into the past, the next book cover we’re going to talk about its context and analyze is from a reprint of the book in 1993. During the 1990’s the United States had two Presidents, George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

From 1989 – 1993, George H. W. Bush lead the country. During his presidency, the United States took part in the Gulf War. “When Saddam Hussein invaded his small, oil-rich neighbor in the summer of 1990, the Department faced its first full-scale post-Cold War international crisis. Bush’s foreign policy team forged an unprecedented international coalition consisting of the NATO allies and the Middle Eastern countries of Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt to oppose Iraqi aggression” (The First Gulf War). The Gulf War lasted about a year and concluded when Iraq left Kuwait on Feb. 28th 1991. The 1990’s also saw the end of the Cold War, also in 1991. Another Major event in the 1990’s was Hurricane Andrew. Hurricane Andrew was a category 5 hurricane that struck Florida. According to the Medical Examiner Reports of Deaths Associated with Hurricane Andrew, there were 32 deaths that were directly associated with Hurricane Andrew.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The next section if the 90s occurred after Bill, William, Clinton won the 1993 election. In 1993 President Clinton signed ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ (DADT) into law. DADT was a law that prevented openly gay and openly bisexual couples from serving in the military. Another big thing that happened in the 90s was in 1995 when O. J. Simpson was acquitted of from the two first degree murder charges of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The trial lasted about nine months and is know as one of the most publicized events in history. In 1996 President Clinton was reelected but didn’t stay in office for the full term. In 1998 Clinton became the 2nd president in history to be impeached due to him being accused of having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, a 22-year-old white house intern. Although he was impeached, he is later acquitted of the charges.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Of Mice and Men is a well-crafted novel that shows readers the grim cycle of natural human existence. That all the characters in the novel eventually admit to suffering from profound loneliness. Each desires the solace from a companion but will settle for the attention of a stranger. Throughout the book, John Steinbeck uses the theme of solitude to reveal each significant figures’ unique manifestation of isolation. It shows readers how, even when surrounded by people, one can still be consumed by loneliness.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A symbol that Steinbeck uses to express this is the card game solitaire. Solitare meaning “to be alone”. Even though he has Lennie, he chooses to play alone because if he played with Lennie they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere. This reflects not only on the card game but also his life as well. Because he has to constantly take care of Lennie, he remains stuck in the progress of his own life. This can be seen when George becomes enraged at Lennie for wanting ketchup and begins to rant about how easy life would be without him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy, I could go get a job and’ work, an’ no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why, I could stay at a cat house all night. I could eat any place I want, hotel or any place, and order any damn thing I could think of.” (Page 11).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Though these words are harsh, they are unquestionably true. Life would be a breeze if Geroge didn’t have the bother of Lennie around however, the human instinct to favor companionship overpowers all else. In the end, George’s hope of such companionship dies with Lennie, and true to his original statement, he will continue through life alone. Furthermore, Crooks presents the theme of loneliness because he is constantly alone in his room. As the only black man on the ranch, he is forced to sleep in separate bunks and even in daylight, the other ranch hands prefer not to interact with him. Crooks is very aware of the fact that his skin color keeps him separate from the others. And even though he was born in the state of California, he will still remain an outcast in the eyes of his fellow workers. This outsider status has caused the stable buck to grow cold and cynical. In his brief interaction with Lennie, he begins “S’posing” (Page 71) that George won’t come back. To a certain extent, his misery and isolation have caused him to find delight in the loneliness of others.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

He criticizes Lennie’s dreams of a farm and his reliance on George because it makes him feel powerful in contrast with his normally low self-worth. It can also be assumed that Crooks is a more educated man. When describing his room, the author wrote that he had “a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905” (Page 67). A civil code is a book made up of “statutes which govern the general obligations and rights of persons within the jurisdiction” of the said state. This suggests that even though he humiliates others for their outlandish dreams, he wants to someday achieve freedom. Further, in the novel, Candy and Lennie let Crooks in on their dream of “livin’ on the fatta the land”, however, he was reminded of his harsh existence when Curley’s wife threatened to have him lynched for talking back. Jolted back into reality, he accepts that he will always live with discrimination. It can be seen that Crooks defines his own self-worth not based on his beliefs, but on knowing that, no matter how he feels about himself, others will always see him as less. And as quickly as he became enthusiastic about the dream, he abandoned it, claiming that he was “Jus’ foolin” about wanting to obtain freedom and happiness.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Unlike the others, Curley’s wife is very vocal about her loneliness. In one scene, she enters Crooks’ room in search of Curley. The men proceed by telling her to leave because she’s married and shouldn’t fraternize with other men. She responds with “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guy she don’t like, and he don’t like nobody. Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twicet, and then bring in the ol’ right cross? ‘One-two,’ he says. ‘Jus’ the ol’ one-two an’ he’ll go down’” (Page 78). This shows how even though she’s married, she doesn’t love him. He doesn’t give her the kind of affection she so desperately wants, as a result, she goes around the ranch seeking attention from anybody to satisfy her need for a companion. This behavior eventually earned her the nickname of a “tart”. As the story progresses, she expresses her frustration to Lennie. “What kinda harm am I doin’ to you? Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live. I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself” (Page 88).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The fact that she confesses her entire life story to a complete stranger only further shows her desperation for affection. This holds extreme significance because, throughout the book, Curley’s wife hasn’t been portrayed as anything but a flirt. She didn’t have any character and was simply a tease that would go around causing trouble. However, this is the only moment that she reveals her personality to the audience, and ironically, gets killed for it. In the end, the love, and affections she has wanted all her life is unreachable. In the lonely town of Soledad, every character suffers from unique cases of isolation. To a certain extent, George chooses to be lonely. By staying with Lennie, he knew he’d have to give-up living an easy life. For Crooks, he is strongly discriminated against because of the color of his skin. Forced to sleep in separate bunks and constantly excluded from group activities, he has gradually lost faith in other people’s morals and questions their every intention. And lastly, Curley’s wife, the only women ever mentioned in the novel. Although she’s married, she feels unloved and treated like a mere possession. In the end, Steinbeck shows readers that, no matter how hard they try, the companionship that all of them seek is unattainable.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I think Steinbeck has his characters use racially derogatory terms to show that prejudice based on race was still a widespread issue, even though slavery and racial discrimination had not been legal for some time. Derogatory terms were mainly directed at Crooks due to his race. He says, “‘Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. 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’” (Steinbeck 78).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

These words used describe how Crooks is treated by everyone else at the ranch, showing that the men are very racist people. The word “nigger” is used to emphasize how bad racial prejudices were. Even in present day, it is a relevant matter that this book brings to attention. Causing us, as readers to realize that the issue of mistreatment due to race is an issue that has not disappeared over time. In the Steinbeck documentary, it is stated that he had an issue with class but did not have a problem with the color of one’s skin.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Also because she isn’t called by a name, it makes her feel unwanted since she has almost no ability to feel fulfilled as an individual. Leaving her nameless also shows how the men on the ranch feel about women in general, especially Curley’s wife. I also think her lack of a name is simply rooted in realism. It could be the way that the workers refer to her simply because they do not know her name. Another reason why nobody referred to her by her name could be because they were afraid of Curley himself. Even if the men knew her name, maybe they didn’t dare use it for fear of offending Curley because of his hotheadedness; so they played it safe. Leaving Curley’s wife nameless could possible reveal that Steinbeck was making a feminist point by withholding her name.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks is isolated mainly due to his race. He is excluded from the other workers because he is black and disabled. This isolation is not only a mental one for Crooks but also a physical one as he has to sleep in the stable. He also thinks that most people are out to harm him so it is difficult for him to form any relationships, even if they were available to him. It was hard in those days to be accepted for who you are not your color. Being an old black man living in the barn all by himself, he is forced to read books to make his life seem less lonely. When he gets an opportunity he lashes all his anger out on Lennie and tells him that George won’t come back, making Lennie feel upset. ‘Crooks face lightened with pleasure in his torture… ‘Well s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then?” (Steinbeck 70-71). These words show that he wanted Lennie to join him so he can have a companion instead of being all alone. He says that he would like to be part of the dream but quickly retreats himself as he knows he will not be accepted.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Candy is isolated because after the loss of his dog and his broken arm he is unable to work and doesn’t feel wanted by the other men. Once his dog is shot, he feels as if he has lost a part of himself. The person who shot Candy’s dog did it without any remorse but deep inside Candy knows he should have shot the dog himself. “‘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 59). This statement shows that Candy is very willing to give all his money to George and Lennie once he dies. He does this because he doesn’t have any relatives which shows that Candy has been very lonely and would do anything to break that loneliness. Being a part of George and Lennie’s dream is the only way for him to have some company so that he is not completely alone once he would get fired.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Lennie’s intellectual disability is the main reason he is lonely in Of Mice and Men. Unlike the other workers on the ranch, Lennie’s mental disability prevents him from creating friendships with the other workers. With the exception of George, Lennie is isolated from the other workers on the ranch and spends the majority of his time playing alone with his new puppy. In chapter four, George and the other workers leave the ranch and head into town and Lennie is left behind, with Candy and Crooks. Lennie also has a difficult time interacting with Crooks, who eventually warms up to him after feeling threatened. The only other character who tries to have a positive social interaction with Lennie is Curley’s wife. Sadly, Lennie accidentally kills her after he gets panicked while not being able to stop touching her hair. In addition to Lennie’s mental disability he is also lonely because of his lowly status as a migrant worker. Similar to other migrant workers, Lennie does not have a permanent home either and his Aunt Clara died too, leaving him without a family.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George is a lonely character for many reasons. First, he is constantly traveling and has no family of his own. He works and tries to save money because he would like to own his own house one day. But this is a problem for him because he has to take care of his Lennie, who is mentally disabled. Lennie constantly causes problems that cause them to have to move. They are never in one place too long, therefore he does not get time to form relationships with others. When George is forced to kill Lennie, at the end of the book, he must have felt immense loneliness because Lennie was close to him and they were almost like family.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s wife is mainly isolated because she is the only woman on the ranch. She doesn’t even get a proper identity and is referred to as “tramp,” “tart,” and “bitch”. She is viewed as her husband’s property and doesn’t get any attention from anyone. She exists in a place of lonely men with incomplete, shattered dreams. The men can share their pain by talking to the other men but Curley’s wife must go through her problems all alone because no one likes her. She is ignored and mocked by the men, and her only option is to go place to place looking for someone to share her pain with. Also, Curley prefers she not interact with anyone even though he really doesn’t like her, causing her to want to talk to someone even more. By this point she is so desperate for someone to notice her that she tries to gain attention from the men with her femine charm by flirting with them. “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody’s every’ once in a while? Think I like to stick around in the house alla time?’” (Steinbeck 77). When Curley’s wife says this statement it is clear that she receives harsh treatment from the other men on the ranch, and that no one cares about her feelings. She is seen as a trouble-maker and weak mainly due to the fact that she is a woman, and because of this assumption she is left hurt and lonely. This also means that Curley’s wife suffers severe loneliness and all the men on the ranch don’t give her a second thought when they ignore her. She is truly alone.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I think Steinbeck chose to end Of Mice and Men the way he did because he wanted to display the fourth naturalistic concept that the weak and vulnerable cannot survive. I also think that because George is forced to kill Lennie himself, Lennie’s death is not only the death of a single person, but also the death of their special and unique friendship. Throughout the novel, George and Lennie have viewed themselves as special and lucky because they aren’t lonely like the others; they have each other to depend upon, but in the end, all this means is that George must be the person to kill Lennie. This conclusion could also suggest that for the weakest and most isolated people, lasting friendship is a dream that is almost impossible to achieve.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Technically, of course, George the person who pulls the trigger and kills Lennie, is George. However, I would argue that Lennie is responsible for his own death sentence due to his total incapability to control the triggers in his environment. This incapability led him to taking the life of Curley’s wife. The fact that he gets to that point is quite dangerous, making it understandable, though not entirely justifiable, that George just decided to mercy-kill Lennie, rather than have him get lynched by Curley’s gang that was coming to get Lennie. Lennie is a not-so-gentle giant with immense strength. The problem is that he operates purely out of impulse, due to the fact that his mind hasn’t developed properly and he doesn’t know what to do in panic situations. As a result, he destroys many things in his way, although he does not do it on purpose. It is his mind versus his strength. He wants to be careful with things but his strength deceives him. Realistically speaking, he is out of control and George can’t do much to control Lennie’s actions.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

During the 1930s for most white Americans, racism was normal. African American people were considered inferior to white people according to the popular prejudices of the time. The realism of dialogue in Of Mice and Men highlights racism at the time well. Steinbeck imitates the way the ranch hands really spoke giving us an accurate insight into the context of the novel. In the book, Crooks is referred to as ‘nigger’ quite a few times. When Candy mentions Crooks for the first time during the book, he says “Ya see the stable buck’s a nigger” (Steinbeck 20). However, he immediately follows up by saying that Crooks is a “Nice fella too” (Steinbeck 20). This perfectly displays the normality of racism in the 1930s. Racism against African American people is still present today, but on a much lesser scale than previous years.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck is about two ranch workers aiming to fulfill their dream of having their own farm. The story occurs in the 1930s, which is the time of the Great Depression in America. A main theme in “Of Mice and Men” is loneliness, and characterization highlights this theme. The novel incorporates different characters who all faced loneliness and isolation due to multiple reasons. Crooks is for his race, Candy is for his age, Curley’s wife is for her gender and George is for his obligation to Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks is someone who has a black skin colour, and beaten down by prejudicial treatment. The quote expresses Crooks’ struggles as a black man throughout the 1930’s. Crooks isn’t allowed to be near the whites, who was the majority at the ranch. He’s forced to live in the stable supervising the horses. While the others can play cards and experience some companionship, Crooks’ only has his books. He despises this exclusion, but he doesn’t have the ability to avoid it, and manages to survive miserably.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The rhetorical question demonstrates Crooks is terrorizing Lennie by saying George will leave him alone. Crooks is jealous of him for having a friend who could protect him. Crooks is a defenceless man, and the biggest victim in the novel, until he meets Lennie. Through successfully threatening Lennie, he can feel powerful, which is what he lacked. He tries to make himself feel valuable by intimidating Lennie. This conveys that he’s been by himself for so long that he desires company.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Since Carlson killed his companion, he’s old, and only has one arm, Candy represents isolation. Candy said “You seen what they done to my dog tonight?” to George and Lennie after Carlson killed his dog. He insisted to follow them, so he could help to make their dream come true. Candy’s dog represents vulnerability. The sheepdog was once young and energetic. Nevertheless, it is now old, so it is unable to work. Therefore, it had no choice but to face the reality, which is death. With a broken arm and his age, Candy is also purposeless. Once someone can’t work anymore, their fate is to be discarded. Furthermore, foreshadowing is included in this quote. The dog was killed with a gunshot in the head, signaling Lennie’s death. Like Candy’s dog, Lennie is meaningless. Despite Lennie being physically strong, he is never able to learn from his mistakes. Lennie doesn’t recognise how strong he is, so he accidentally killed numerous animals. Consequently, he’s pointless and his fate is death. Candy’s dog was killed because it was unproductive. Without his only companion, Candy is friendless. With Candy also being useless, he will soon have to experience the same thing. Candy tries to fix it by offering his cash to join George and Lennie, otherwise he would live solitarily and no one could take care of him. He sees this as an opportunity to escape loneliness, however, at the end, he realises that this would actually never become true. He is tied with the inescapable sadness.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s wife displays isolation because of her sexuality. Curley’s wife said “Why can’t I talk to you?” to Lennie. At the start, he avoids speaking considering that George forbids him. The rhetorical question proves that she feels abandoned. She uses the excuse of finding Curley to talk to the workers to be able to break free from the feeling of solitude. However, the workers feel disturbed when she does that as they believe that she is trying to gain attention in order to flirt with them. Steinbeck uses characterisation to build the character “Curley’s wife”. She remains anonymous for the whole novel. The name “Curley’s wife” sounds like she is Curley’s property, and not respected as a person. This portrays the truth about society’s view of women. Men were incredibly sexist towards women. Moreover, the workers called her a “tart” from the result of her seductive behaviour. However, her intentions in talking to them were never to flirt with them, in fact, she feels lonely and just wants consolation. She tries to resolve the loneliness by talking to Lennie, as he is the only one that is willing to talk to her. Unfortunately, it goes fails tragically. She offers Lennie to touch her soft hair, but he grabs on too tightly, which made her agitated and started to scream. Lennie attempts to quiet her down by grabbing onto her mouth. However, he shakes her until he broke her neck and she dies. In the end her life still ends being alone.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Although George has Lennie as a friend, but he still presents isolation through his responsibility of protecting and understanding Lennie. George didn’t have an option except to shoot his longtime friend. Steinbeck wrote, “The hand shook violently but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger.” He figured that Lennie broke Curley’s wife’s neck and suffocated her while Lennie was just trying to make her stay quiet. He ensured that Lennie thinks of the rabbits that he always hoped to touch. Shortly after, George claimed his friend’s life. Imagery is used in this quote. “Shook violently” communicates that he had no other options. However, he was aware that it was impossible to look after Lennie anymore regardless of how close they are. At first, he escapes isolation, but eventually he indignantly chose to accept the truth.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When Lennie was still alive, George felt restricted with their conversations because their conversations generally were limited and revolved around Lennie. The characterisation of “George” proved that he was loyal and tried to defend Lennie continuously. Although he complained about how easy it would be without Lennie, he never made an effort to flee from keeping Lennie safe. Nonetheless, the quote shows that he has changed. He attempted to save Lennie from a painful death from Curley, who would have made Lennie suffer more than George did. Additionally, it illustrates that George has finally learnt that Lennie won’t improve. George recognizes he’s fortunate to have Lennie, nevertheless, like any other characters, he’s destined to be lonely.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Isolation is inevitable. Nearly every character experiences some loneliness, especially Crooks, Candy and Curley’s wife. Crooks is abandoned by the white workers because of his skin colour. Candy is now alone as his companion was killed. Curley’s wife is ignored for the reason of her sexuality. Even though George wasn’t lonely, but after the death of his friend, he will be like the others. Different characters find different alternatives to escape loneliness. Steinbeck establishes what life was like during the Great Depression and he illustrates how people strive to seek companionship.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The American Dream in a time of hope, struggle, and hardship was characterized by Americans fighting for the land of their own. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows the struggles that men faced to achieve their dream. Lennie and George are two polar opposite friends fighting to pursue their dreams. Lennie is a big guy with special needs and his sidekick George is navigating the farmlands in search of property to call their own. Their friendship has many ups and downs but their goal is simple; own a farm with lots of rabbits.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Trying to achieve the American dream is one of the hardest times in American history due to the lack of money and the struggle to survive. John Steinbeck uses world issues in different lights as a way to prove points about the American Dream. “Jeffersonian agrarianism…was essentially democratic: it insisted on the widespread ownership of property, on political and economic independence, on individualism; it created a society in which every individual had status; it made the dignity of man something more than a political slogan….
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Of Mice and Men shows clearly Steinbeck’s interest in agrarianism, even though he is still haunted by psychological abnormality… Lennie and George, migratory workers in the California fields, cherish the dream of a little farm of their own where, as Lennie’s refrain has it, they can ‘live off the gatta the lan’. George yearns for his own place where he could bring in his own crops, where he could get what comes up out of the ground. He wants the full reward of his own labor. He wants the independence that partnership can give him… these give men the dignity that is rightfully theirs in a democracy.” (Eisinger.) This piece of evidence shows how Stienbeck used Jefferson’s agrarianism to exemplify the lack of money. In the book the author wrote the ideas through the characters to make this point clear. According to Kenneth D. Swan he says in his article that John Steinbeck was a writer who was a “first-rate interpreter of the American scene” John Steinbeck was awarded Nobel prizes on his take of the instincts of America, good or bad. ‘Sure they all want it. Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much. Jus’ som’thin’ that was his. Som’thin’ he could live on and there couldn’t nobody throw him off of it. I never had none. I planted crops for damn near ever’body in this state, but they wasn’t my crops, and when I harvested ’em, it wasn’t none of my harvest.’ (Steinbeck, 37.) This shows how the character is saying that the goal is to have a small piece of land where the profits of it are his and his only. They don’t have to give your money to a rich owner, even if the work was done by them. ‘You guys is just kiddin’ yourself. You’ll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you won’t get no land . . . Hell, I seen too many guys. Lennie here’ll quit an’ be on the road in two, three weeks. Seems like ever’ guy got land in his head.’ (Steinbeck, 37.) This is showing that many people living on farms have a sort of depression from constantly feeling empty. They have no money, no family, no friends, and have no reason to live for a goal. Lennie and George had a goal in the story; no matter what they had to keep going for this goal. Many of the American characters in this story are living the financial status as the true Americans who went through it. John Steinbeck uses real life ideas to portray this story.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

To continue, John Steinbeck uses the power of friendship to portray the loneliness faced in the American dream. Lennie and George share a connection in the story that is unlike any other. They may go through hard times and struggle to find money but no matter who goes against them they have each other’s back. “The main purpose of this essay is to analyze the relationship between the two main characters George and Lennie in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men (1937) and determine what kind of relationship they share, how their relationship is built and whether they are genuine friends or not… Besides Aristotle’s definition of friendship, the novella will be examined from a perspective with a primary focus on the concept of friendship and it will also to some extent touch the field of interpersonal relationships. The concept will then be applied to the examination of their relationship and will only take the content of the novella itself into account. To assist the theory and provide with an extended view upon friendship, the works of Allan” (Lynn.) This article is affirming how one of the main purposes of the book is to show the power of friendship. They have each other; many characters in the book and in real time never had anyone to travel with, just themselves. ‘I was only foolin’, George. I don’t want no ketchup. I wouldn’t eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me.’ If it was here, you could have some.’But I wouldn’t eat none, George. I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it.'(Stienbeck, 14.) Lennie is disabled and his George can get frustrated with him from time to time throughout the story. Yet no matter how frustrated George gets at Lennie he could never leave him. ‘With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If the other guys get in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.’ (Steinbeck, 47.) According to Winifred Dunsenbury Frazer, they said how in the novel the loneliness of the characters keeps the plot moving. The relationship of Lennie and George pushes the idea that they are the ones who can make the dream come to life. The two main characters have something that sets them apart from the other characters in the story and that’s why John Steinbeck made the book the way it is; because it’s different and shows so much power through the actions of the character. Lennie and George work for their goal and their friendship endlessly sets them apart from others.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Mental Illness is something that affects many Americans today and has for many years prior. Lennie Smalls struggles with mental illness and it affects him throughout the story. In Of Mice and Men many events occur that make you see the struggle people with mental illness go through. As part of his disability he prefers to touch soft animals. Part of why George and he are moving is because Lennie got into big trouble for touching a woman’s dress. They had to move away from the town to have Lennie safe. Lennie has killed many animals due to his immense strength; which has also caused him to kill a woman. His mishaps have caused a lot of trouble for George. It had got to an extent where Lennie had to die just to get over torture. “John Steinbeck created figures characterized by a low level of intelligence and low morality out of deep social concern, which is often misinterpreted as his preference for describing primitives, idiots, or deviants. Those characters are used by Steinbeck to reveal essential socio-psychological aspects of human life, as such social relations may not be so vivid in more sophisticated personalities depicted by Steinbeck in his other novels” (instructional.) This quote shows how John Steinbeck is using the idea of loneliness to drive the story onward. He used the power of disability to show the reader how effective this is in people’s lives. The effects mental illness has on the book, truly shows how Steinbeck uses disability to show how in today’s world and the lives of people back then, it is a struggle to continue on with life when the character is constantly being pushed down. Mental illness is a struggle that Lennie goes through in the book and it affects his take on the American Dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In conclusion, John Steinbeck’s writing in Of Mice and Men shows the repercussions of the start American dream. He explains the powers of economic times and how money was not an option for many people, they worked through filthy conditions just for minimal pay. Stienbeck shows how relationships affect the outcome of people’s lives and the power redemptive love can have on someone. No matter how hard life got Lennie had George and that’s all that mattered. Finally, how mental illness can upshot the power someone withholds. Lennie has problems and he constantly is put to the test even when he didn’t know any better. He worked hard; yet, didn’t always succeed, which is something that happens in today’s society. John Steinbeck used the characters in the book to exclaim to the readers how powerful this historical event really was. The American dream is a hardship and something many Americans urge to conquer.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Imagine that you have a friend who always tells you that they are your friend, but they never really treat you like one. This person always puts you down and makes you feel bad about yourself. All you needed was a true friend, and with every second, they proved to be the exact opposite, just like what happened in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a character named Lennie had a friend just like that named George, and because Lennie did not realize that George had a negative effect on him, George eventually got rid of Lennie by killing him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

First, a true friend should be someone’s understanding. If a friend is understanding, they will never make fun of you for having a different mind, way of thinking, etc. Instead, this person would accept you. Another part about having a friend that is understanding is that they are good listeners. They are good listeners because when you go through something difficult, they understand, and show their affection by listening to what you have to say. They will give you someone to talk to, help you relieve your stress, and limit the pressure put on you.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

They will show it by never talking badly about you, never judging you for anything, and defending you when you need a shoulder to lean on. Another part about having a friend that respects you is that they will never violate your rights. They will never call you names, or make you feel bad. They will never commit an act of violence against you. They will also never take your things without asking, or damage your possessions. Last, a true friend should be someone loyal. They will never leave you to be with the “popular kids”, or because they just lose interest in you. They will always be there to catch you if you fall and will put you right back on your feet. Even they get into a fight with you, they will feel bad and immediately make it up with you, because they are loyal.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George was an untrue friend to Lennie was because George was not understanding, respectful, or loyal. First, George never understood Lennie as a true friend would have. Lennie had some mental challenges that he could not control. He needed someone who would understand him. Instead of George understanding that Lennie could not control his mental state, George denied believing he had such difficulties. This put a lot of stress on Lennie because he was always trying to make George happy by trying his best to overcome his mental challenges, but he always failed. On top of all this, Lennie had no one to talk to, which made it even harder to deal with his stress of always trying to please George. To prove that George was not understanding, in the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George says, “ Used to have a h*ll of a lot of fun with ‘im. Used to play a joke on ‘im ‘cause he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him. I had fun. Made me seem God da*n smart alongside him.” (p. 40)
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This shows how Lennie chose not to understand George, but to use and make fun of him. Second, George never respected Lennie as a true friend would. George was always telling him to grow up, was always swearing at him, and calling him inappropriate names, thus making Lennie feel bad about himself. Also, the fact that George betrayed Lennie by exposing him, and killing him shows that he disrespected Lennie. George violated Lennie’s right to live! Third, George was not loyal to Lennie like a true friend would have been. George told Lennie to go hide by the bush if he got into trouble, and when Lennie got into trouble, George decided to expose and kill Lennie. To prove that George was not respectful or loyal to Lennie, in the book Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck narrates, “And George raised the gun steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie’s head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred and then settled slowly to the sand, and he lay without quivering.” (p. 166) This shows how unloyal George was to Lennie by violating Lennie’s right to live.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“Lennie!” he said sharply. “Lennie, for God’ sake don’t drink so much.” Lennie continued to snort into the pool. The small man leaned over and shook him by the shoulder. “Lennie. You gonna be sick like you was last night” (Steinbeck 3). This portrays friendship because George is concerned about Lennie’s health. George being there with Lennie affects him because if he wasn’t no one would be there to look out for him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

But not us! An’ why? Because… because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” He laughed delightedly. “Go on now, George!” (Steinbeck 14). This shows friendship because Lennie is stating that they’re not lonely and that they have each other. This affects different characters because none of them on the ranch have a friendship like George and Lennie do.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George leaves Lennie to go out with the other ranch workers. Later on, Lennie ends up sitting and talking to Crook. Crook gets an idea and says, “S’pose George don’t come back no more. S’pose he took a powder and just ain’t coming back no more. What’ll you do then?” (Steinbeck 71). This causes Lennie to tense up, “Suddenly Lennie’s eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad. He walked dangerously toward Crooks. ‘Who hurt George?’ he demanded.” (Steinbeck 72). Lennie is showing how he cares for George by asking Crook who hurt him. By what Crook said impacts, Lennie, because with the absence of George he would have no one to be with him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Undoubtedly, the themes of isolation and loneliness indeed dominate the novella and can be seen by observing and comparing all other characters in the novella to George and Lennie. John Steinbeck wrote the novella “of mice and men” in 1937, set, during the time of the American Great Depression, in Salinas, California. During the time of the Great Depression, the economic positions exploited many ranch workers, like our two protagonists in the novella; George and Lennie, whose dream for a farm was nullified by brutal and cruel forces beyond their control.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

However, their plight was ultimately distinguished by their resolute compassion and friendship. During the Great Depression, isolation and loneliness were two very common attitudes. Isolation and loneliness are two similar but different words, Isolation means the process of being excluded or remaining alone, whereas loneliness means a sadness that stems from not having any companions or friends. Loneliness is an evident theme in the novella as well as isolation. However, there is another dominator of the novella, friendship.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The novella “of mice and men” depicts loneliness as a complex emotion that usually pressures individuals to severe behaviours. Steinbeck uses characters such as Curley’s wife, Crooks and Candy, to mirror on the prejudicial era that elementally leads to the character’s loneliness and specific behaviours. “A guy needs somebody to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long as he’s with you. I tell ya.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I tell ya, a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” (page 82). During the Great Depression, racism was one of the biggest problems that was prevalent, which Crooks, unfortunately, was a victim of. Crooks was physically separated from the other men and had very limited communication with others. Crooks replaced his need for companionship with books. However, even he acknowledged that “Books ain’t no good” (page 82) and that “A guy needs somebody to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long as he’s with you. I tell ya. I tell ya, a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” (page 82).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When Crooks states that; “A guy goes nuts” and “He gets sick” Steinbeck hints towards the mental consequences of too much loneliness. For example, using the word nut, is another word for mad and sick, and in this case, sick is another word for mentally sick. Black people were confronted with racial discrimination and segregation from the supreme white society during the Great Depression. Crooks, being the only black man on the ranch in the book “of mice and men,” overstates the racial discrimination in the novella. However, unlike Candy or Curley’s wife, Crooks unfortunately accepted his status in society, which resulted in him becoming lonely. Crooks, being one of the characters who represented the loneliness brought about by the Great Depression. Crooks realized his loneliness and because of his situation, and role in society, he tried to shun himself from everybody. The Great Depression was obviously a time of discrimination, which Steinbeck made clear in “of mice and men.” In this way, Steinbeck undoubtedly made it clear that loneliness brought about by discrimination does in fact affect a person’s behaviour, actions and way of thinking.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The result of coerced isolation during the 1930s Great Depression had grave effects on people’s lives from different types of discrimination, and John Steinbeck embodies every-one in his novella. “Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live” (page 99). Curley’s wife states in anger that nobody cares about her, when all the men including her husband, Curley, went to town for entertainment. This quote depicts how she was practically abandoned and wasn’t cared for, even by her own husband. Although Curley’s wife and Crooks are isolated and lonely, their actions and behaviours are vastly different. Where Crooks accepted the fact that he wasn’t wanted, Curley’s wife tried to go against the fact that she was a mere house wife and not a movie star by wearing bright, flashy coloured clothes to contrast to the dull farm and to state that she didn’t belong there. Clearly, Steinbeck allows the reader to empathize for Curley’s wife in Chapter 5, as a person who wants companionship and someone who must deal with the effects of segregation and isolation.