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

She is frequently found in examine for companionship on the ranch as her recently found marriage does not give her the warmth she desires, as she states to Lennie “I don’t like Curley he aint a nice fella,” and due to this she often tries to cooperate with the other men although she is never allowed as they think a “ranch aint no place for a girl. ” Carlson also states of how a “women should be at home where she belongs. ” The fact that she is excluded from a place of physical work is symptomatic of how women were exposed during the 1930’s. They were not predictable to do work, but in its place stay at home and raise a family.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’ wife feels apprehensive because of the solitude she feels and it is made clear she is exasperated with this condition, “none of them care how I gotta live. ” Nonetheless, the reader is presented with a side to an apparently playful and occasionally vindictive character. In chapter 5, Steinbeck permits Curley’s Wife’s character to eloquent emotions of loneliness, “I get lonely” and “I get awful lonely”. The use of repetition is used to give emphasis to the remoteness and frustration of not being able to talk to “nobody but Curley”, her hindrance which incessantly exteriors as she speaks to Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Moreover, for the period of the scene Steinbeck describes as such “And then her words tumbled out in a passion of communication, as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away”. The word “tumbled” recommends her frantic need to communicate to people, at the same time as the expression “passion” demonstrates her authority and strength needed to interconnect. Yet, what is predominantly conspicuous is she is used to people walking away from her when she speaks, this generates such consideration for her.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In this chapter she is also presented as a moderate and approachable character, as Steinbeck describes “she consoled him. ‘Don’t you worry any’ […] she moved closer to him and spoke soothingly. ” The fact that she spoke “soothingly” suggests that she has a kind nature, and asked in a maternal way when Lennie needed such gentleness. The reader can then relate this sudden behaviour transformation and her upcoming, but the syrupiness she bounces off blurs the reader’s sight to floral it. All the way through the novel as similar to Crooks, Curley’s Wife is not named.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This highlights her lack of identity on the ranch and how she is viewed as the property of her husband as well as the word “live” indicates that she also is a living human being who wants to fulfil her dreams and desires but it would be impossible for her. As a result of her insecurities, she tries to combat her loneliness and sequestration by resorting to violence. Her vicious attacks on Crooks to getting him “strung up on a tree” and the attacks on Lennie due to his mental disability show how loneliness can not only change a person, but destroy them.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

All of the emotions Curley’s Wife encounters come as a result of the loneliness she feels, and these clearly represent of what a terrifying character she is. Therefore Steinbeck describes Curley’s wife as isolated and discriminate due to her gender of a female throughout the novel. Equally, at the end of the novel, she is presented as innocent and purified from all the trouble through the description of her appearance. This can be seen in chapter 6 when Steinbeck explains “Curley’s wife lay with a half-covering of yellow hay. And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly. The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted. As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment. ” From this passage, the reader can acknowledge the real Curley’s wife but at the same time feel sorry for her as her dream was unfulfilled.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The phrase “meanness (… ) plannings (…) discontent (…) were all gone from her face” shows that she is no longer vicious and dangerous as all the negativity vanished. Most importantly the phrase “roughed cheeks and reddened lips” conveys that her dream is unfulfilled and the repetition of “stopped” to emphasise stillness and the feelings of time standing still. Therefore Steinbeck does not present her as a negative character, but at the time of her death he shows the reader the real her as it was not her nature but nurture that made her what she was.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In contrast Curley’s Wife at first is portrayed as a revolting unpleasant woman. Curley’s Wife is described by Steinbeck many times as “roughed lips and wide-spaced eyes. Her fingernails were red. ” this causes the reader to think of her as he says so. Nonetheless, despite these brutal views of her, the reader is presented with a side to a seemingly flirtatious and sometimes malevolent character. The repetition of the colour “red” denotes the fact that she is very dangerous and cause lot of trouble as the colour red is frequently associated to blood and murder which foreshadows the scenes later on in the novel.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

An alternative interpretation could be that red is also represent as the colour of love and she is wanting to be love, but many readers would link it to her actress personality as most actress love to dress a lot. Not so long, Steinbeck describes her hair as “her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages,” and this simile shocks the reader because sausages are disliked and filthy, so linking it to her means that she is also disliked. Furthermore as sausages do not match with hair, the same way she is not suitable for a place like the ranch.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Therefore Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife as a woman who is dangerous and disliked by linking her with words that supports the point. John Steinbeck points out many flaws in Curley’s wife. For example, he does this when he writes, “she leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward” (Page 51). In this statement, Steinbeck is pointing out that Curley’s wife always tries to instigate something. He also describes her body image and how provocative she is, always looking for attention. Steinbeck says many more things to condemn Curley’s wife, but that is not all that he says about her.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Steinbeck also defends Curley’s wife. He writes of how lonely she is, and describes her as innocent as the rabbits and puppy killed by another character, Lennie. For instance, Curley’s wife says, “Think I don’t want to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time? ”(Page 77). In this statement, Curley’s wife implies that she is tired of being lonely and wants to talk to other people. As much as Steinbeck appears to flip-flop on his view of Curley’s wife, readers can draw different conclusions.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“He calls Of Mice and Men a parable that illustrates the biblical conflict between the brothers Cain and Abel” (Goldhurst 48). Therefore the people who have read the story Of Mice and Men can automatically see the resemblance between the two stories. Of Mice and Men is a novelette by John Steinbeck, it is about two men who are migratory workers that works on farms. Of Mice and Men contains many Biblical allusions including the Story of Cain and Abel, the longing for Eden, and facing temptation.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In Of Mice and Men and the Old Testament the themes are similar. It is stated in the “A Parable Curse of Cain.” “Of Mice and Men is a story about the nature of man’s fate in a fallen world, with particular emphasis upon the question: is man destined to live alone, a solitary wanderer on the face of the earth, or is it the fate of man to care for man, to go his way in companionship with another? This is the same theme that occurs in The Old Testament” (Goldhurst 49).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

One reoccurring theme in Of Mice and Men and The Old Testament is loneliness will always follow man and innocence keeps ideas alive. The curse that the Lord placed upon Cain was that agricultural labor was going to be difficult, and he will be lonely while being a fugitive (Genesis 4:12). In Of Mice and Men George and Lennie are fugitives that are migratory workers but George at times feels lonely even though he has Lennie because he doesn’t have a romantic partner.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In the poems Robert Burns’ “To a Mouse” and “The Mouse’s Petition” by Anna Letitia Barbauld, many feelings and emotions about mice are brought forth. While both poems were written by different authors, many of the feelings they share towards mice are common. The analysis of the two poems will help to find the comparisons and differences in theme, political and social issues, diction, and tone. Examples from the poems will help to show the similarities and differences in the two.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Robert Burns expresses an equal amount of remorse for the mouse in his poem. He does so by using his sad regretful and remorseful tone, much like Barbauld. “I’m truly sorry man’s dominion has broken Nature’s social union.” (Burns, l.7-8) Burns makes it obvious how he feels by using his tones throughout the poem to relay a message of guilt and sadness. The two poems share identical endings; Burns as well as Barbauld make reference to the fact that mice are much like men.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Barbauld indicates, “So when destruction lurks unseen, which men, like mice, may share.” (Barbauld, l.45-48) Oddly enough, speaking to a mouse in the same tone, Burns states, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft a-gley.” (Burns, l.39-40) While both poems are written by different poets, in different years, the two share the same tone to help portray their views of mice and how they are misunderstood.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The themes in both of the poems are very similar also both poems are about mice and their life changing experiences with them. The common theme in Anna Barbauld’s, “A Mouse’s Petition,” is cruelty and unfairness. The mouse Barbauld speaks of is being used for tests in a science lab, and will eventually be killed in such experiments. Anna writes through poem that this act is unjust and should not happen to such a creature. Through the use of the poem she tries to tell the scientist “Beware, lest in the worm you crush, a brother’s soul you find.” (Barbauld, l.35-36) Barbauld relates that killing a mouse is not morally different from taking the life of a fellow man. The poems theme is effective and pushes the reader to feel sorrow for the poor mouse. In “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns, the ongoing themes are guilt and fear.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Burns knows what mice are up to, stealing his food from his crops and ruining his walls within his home to make homes of their own. Burns however, does not care because he himself feels guilty for the little mice. Burns feels like even though they may be a nuisance to some humans, the mice have no choice but to do these things to live to see another day. “I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve; What then? Poor beastie, thou maun live!” (Burns l.13-14) Burns explains why he is not bothered that the mice steal his food. Burns also has the theme of fear in his poem. The mice fear men, and for good reason, Burns is aware of this and makes minimal effort to scare the mice while they are at work.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“An’ justifies that ill opinion which makes thee startle,” (Burns, l.9-10) Burns discusses how the fear mice have for men is due to the brutes who have no patience to understand what the mice go through. While the two poems have different themes, one being cruelty and unfairness and the other being guilt and fear, the themes are similar in the fashion that both poets show remorse for the mice and what they go through. Barbauld never once mentions how mice may in fact have it easier than humans do, but in the final lines from “To a Mouse” Burns does indicate being a mouse may sometimes be easier.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“Still thou art blest compared wi’ me! (Burns, l.43) Burns states that even though a mouse may not want to be a human, Burns believes a mouse has the ability to solely live in the present, and cannot remember the past or have to think of the future. Burns shares the dread he feels when he must remember the past or think about the future. Burns wishes he never had such a burden, and believes mice would not want to have such a burden either. For this reason while the two poems’ themes are very similar, they still have striking differences in how they view mice and men.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Many Political issues were raised when the two poems were written. In 1773, the same year “The Mouse’s Petition” was written, the Boston tea party movement had happened. This happened soon after the British parliament granted it a monopoly to the North American tea trade. While this made the British happy it was the beginning of a revolt by the Americans. They felt they should not have to be taxed for their own goods. The Americans fought back by raiding the tea ships going to the British and dumping all the tea into the ocean. While this was a revolt for the Americans, for the British not much had happened except for the fact they had seen what happens as a result of people being pushed into something they didn’t want to do. This connection can be made to the Mouse in “A Mouse’s Petition” because the mouse did not want to be a test subject but was forced to do so, left without a choice.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Wither or not Barbauld’s writing was affected by the Boston Tea Party movement or not, the two happening in the same year seems to be enough of a connection to assume this was an effect. In 1785, the same year “To a Mouse” was written, Scotland was under the beginning of the highland clearances. Before 1785 many families and clans were getting relocated to other parts of Scotland so that the land could be used to raise big black sheep instead. The success of relocating humans for the use of their land became so popular that the evil countess of Sutherland used the threat of clearances to blackmail every young man on her vast estates to enlist in her regiment.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

She then evicted their families later anyway. One is left to wonder if Burns was forced to take part in one of these dreadful moves, or simply had to experience seeing these events happen. Either way having to leave your land unexpectedly would take a toll on your mind mentally and physically. Especially if you were sent to war with promise your land would be safe, only to come back realizing your land had been taken away anyways.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In, “To a mouse,” burns refers by stating through a part of his poem that he does not like the fact that he can remember the past, “The present only touchect thee: But och! I backward cast my e’e On prospects drear! An’ forward though I canna see, I guess an’ fear!” (Burns, l.49-53) Burns talks about how looking back on the past brings him disappointment and sorrow. Maybe this is because he was in the middle of relocation or had already gone through one due to the highland clearance. While material has not proven or disproven that Burns was a part of the highland clearance one can be left wondering if those events had an impact on his poem.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The poetic diction in the two poems is very unique. While both use plenty of metaphors, there vocabulary is much different. This is partly because Burns uses a Scotish accent in his poems to give off the Scottish feel. Barbauld uses regular 1700’s English, much like other poets of the time from Britain. Burns’s Scottish accent is used in the poem to give the reader an idea what it would sound like if he himself was to recite the poem. While the reader may not understand as quickly as if reading in regular English, it helps to read the poem exactly like it would be read. While at first it is a challenging task to understand, it later becomes simple to translate. Barbaulds poem is much more generic for what the poems looked like in her area in the 1700’s, there is no accent used like in Burns’s which makes the initial reading of her poem much easier.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

One thing “To a Mouse” and “A Mouse’s Petition” have in common is there use of metaphors. Burns uses metaphor less often than Barbauld, “An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin’, Baith snell and keen!” (Burns l.28-29) Burns discusses with the mouse about how the winter winds are sharp like a knife, a metaphor for the winter wind being cold and seeming like it can go right through your body. Barbauld uses metahphors more frequently, “May some kind angel clear thy path, And break the hidden snare.” (Barbauld, l.47-48) Barbauld is saying metaphorically that she hopes the man has a sudden change of mind and his thoughts are changed for the good, not to use the mouse as a scientific test dummy.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The two poems being compared and contrasted show that the two are not so different. While there are many similarities and differences analysing political and social issues, diction, and tone have helped to find these similarities and differences. The two poems about mice are much more complex than the initial read. The reader must dig deep into the meanings of the poems, the diction, the time they were written, the social issues that were happening in those times, and the poet’s tones to reveal the true meanings of the poems.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Of Mice and Men, published by John Steinbeck in 1937, is set in the Salinas Valley of California throughout the Great Depression. The novels two main characters, George and Lennie, embody the American struggle to survive the Depression, however the book is classic since it catches the individual seclusion and suffering present in the land of chance. Throughout the last scene George tells Lennie to take off his hat and look throughout the river while he describes their farm. He tells Lennie about the rabbits, and guarantees that nobody will ever be suggest to him once again.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This ties in to the mice in the story, but more broadly refers to the tragedy of causing discomfort with excellent intents. There are numerous methods to look at this verse and how it includes to the inevitability: the mice refer to weak individuals, such as Lennie, Crooks, and Sweet, and men describe strong people, like George and Slim, the book is a story of weak and strong individuals. Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men at a time when he was ending up being associated with California’s social and financial issues. John Steinbeck lived throughout the Great Depression years, a time in which numerous people were at or listed below the hardship line.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Many of those people became non-trustful of any individual new to town, or those that threaten their community social standards. People, in many cases, imagined threats that did not exist. Also, many people became extremely possessive of what little they had. During the late 1930s, California was struggling not only with the economic problems of the Great Depression, but also with severe labor strife. By the late 1930s there were an estimaled 200,000 to 350,000 migrants: underpaid, underfed, and underemployed.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

However, California’s agricultural system could not exist without the migrant workers. Quotes that reprsent the Great Depression: “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . . 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 them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us. ” Chapter 1.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This signifies how they are migrant workers during the Great Depression, two guys continuously looking for work and trying to survive. “I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

It’s just in their head. They’re all the time talkin’ about it, but it’s jus’ in their head. ” Chapter 4. Again it signifies the migrant workers of the time, searching for work and never losing hope and always having the american dream in mind. The thought that keeps them going is that one day they’ll make enough money and have land of their own, but the Great Depression was really tough and that just didn’t happen to everyone who wished for it. The American Dream is a dream of a land in which life should be better, richer, fuller and with opportunity for each.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

It is a dream of social order in which each man and woman should be able to achieve the fullest stature of which they are capable of, and be recognized for what they are, regardless of the circumstances of birth or position. George and Lennie’s main ambition is to “get the jack together” purchase a few acres of land they can call their own, “an’ live off the fatta the lan’. This is their dream and their dream, however, cannot exist without friendship. The constant repetition of the way things will be is what keeps the dream alive in Lennie. George needs Lennie just as much as Lennie needs him, which is apparent at the end of the novel.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When George kills Lennie, he also kills the friendship, which results in the death of the dream within him. All the characters wish to change their lives in some fashion, but none are capable of doing so; they all have dreams, and it is only the dream that varies from person to person. The farm George and Lennie hope to own is a symbol of the American Dream. Steinbeck uses animal images in his story. Most often applied to Lennie, imagery is particularly apparent in his physical description. His hands are called “paws” and indicate trouble when he uses them. He lumbers along like a bear in Steinbeck’s earliest descriptions of him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Lennie is also associated with rabbits, which are part of his dream (he will get to tend them on the farm) and because they are soft things he likes to pet. Rabbits also symbolize his realization that he is in trouble; if Lennie does “a bad thing,” George will not let him tend the rabbits. In the last scene, when Lennie is at the pool, waiting for George, a rabbit appears to him, berating him and telling him that George will not let him care for the rabbits. In addition, Lennie’s loyalty to George is frequently described like that of a dog, especially a terrier.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Steinbeck chose these images because they connote particular traits: unleashed power, conscience, and loyalty. In this way, it helps the reader understand Lennie and why he often acts instinctively. Lennie ‘snorted into the water like a horse… ’animal imagery –implies carelessness –ominous – he is simple -it will be the reason they get into trouble later in novel “Lennie dabbled his big paw” – animal imagery – referred to as a bear, suggests his size, his movements, unrefined, simplicity of thoughts, clumsy, adorable yet aggressive, foreshadowing later danger – also like the bear hunting for fish. ’ Like a terrier who doesn’ t want to bring a ball to his master’ ’ simile to compare Lennie to a terrier and George to a master. At the end of the novel, George kills Lennie in much the same way as Carlson kills Candy’s dog. The dog is seen as useless and smelly, therefore it was seen as more of a nuisance to Carlson and the others in the bunk house. The men argue that the dog is miserable and in pain, which convinces Candy to let Carlson shoot the dog. After the dog is killed, however, Candy tells George of his regret for letting someone else shoot his dog.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The dog was Candy’s responsibility, and Candy feels he let the dog down by not taking its life himself. “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs. ” (Page 60) This is basically Candy realizing that he’s weak and not really important to anyone on the farm; he has no more power than his dog, who was shot, had. “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog. (Page 61) This was one of the most important quotes that Candy made. It foreshadowed the end of the story, which was that George would shoot Lennie instead of letting a “stranger” (the other ranch hands, namely Curley) do it. This quote foreshadows this due to the parallelism that is drawn between the relationship of Candy with his dog and the relationship of George with Lennie. George is determined not to let this happen to him. George knows that Lennie will be killed by Curley and the other men if and when they find him, and George wants to protect Lennie from the others.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George sees Lennie as his responsibility, and George feels that he must take action to look after Lennie, even if this action leads to Lennie’s death. Lennie’s death also reflects the killing of Candy’s dog in the actual manner of the shooting. George shoots Lennie in the back of the head, just where Carlson told Candy he would shoot the dog, promising that the dog would die instantly and would feel no pain. George wants this “pain-free” death for his friend. In conclusion, Steinbeck is able to highlight the loneliness of the unsettled migrant/workers, and the sharing of their dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck has made the ending of the novel (in which Lennie’s death occurs) inevitable by emphasising the loneliness of most of the characters such as- Curley’s wife, Curley, Candy (after his Dog’s Death, Crooks and George (after Lennies Death) at one point they all make a speech about their dreams and loneliness. Steinbeck also manages to emphasize Lennie’s stength and that because he has the mentality of a child, this is not the best combination as he most always ends up doing wrong. Steinbeck explores all of the forementioned points through references to animals because
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In the book “Of Mice & Men” the two main characters are George and Lennie. The setting of the story seems to be set back in the early 1900’s or the late 1800’s by the dialect they use. The two characters have a unique relationship. The first character is a small quick man with strong features his name is George. The other man is very large with a shapeless face and is also quite slow his name is Lennie. Throughout the story these two characters complement each other fairly nicely.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

No mess at all.” Even so I could always tell that he deeply cares for Lennie. Overall George is a loyal friend to Lennie and dealt with Lennie no matter what, even when I came to the end George only did what he felt was right for Lennie. On the other hand, Lennie Is a gentle giant that is totally oblivious to his extraordinary body strength. During the beginning of the story is says that Lennie is very tactile and doesn’t know his own strength; it backs this up when George reminded Lennie of what he did in Weed.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

So Lennie grabbed the dress and naturally the lady got frightened and screamed, but simple Lennie held on without realizing he was bothering someone. Together George and Lennie have a very entertaining relation as I stated previously. George and Lennie are exactly two different people which helps there dynamic such as; Big-Small and Dumb-Smart. Throughout the book the way that the two interacted with each other intensified for me.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

At first I felt like Lennie was a burden on George and was just a guy Lennie’s Aunt Clara dumped upon George. But as the story Progressed the relationship and the interaction became deeper and almost felt as if they were family. In conclusion the book really showed me about truly unique friendships. George and Lennie are models for me. It showed me that any interactions can lead to a deep, serious friendship. Also that even though George and Lennie seem like two different people they can still become closer than brothers.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinback is a story about George and Lennie, two companions who share the same dream of owning their own land and being their own boss. They move from place to place looking for work but the “fetishes” of Lennie gets them into trouble which hinders their dream for being fulfilled. In the end, reality sinks in and George accepts their fate. Almost all of the characters in the story have dreams of their own but somehow fate conspires against them that prevent their dreams for becoming a reality.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Lennie always asks George to retell him their dreams because part of it involves Lennie petting rabbits, which is Lennie’s fetish (touching soft things), and also because Lennie has a short memory. Ironically, it is their dream that enslaves them to work. The dream of owning a farm is the lifelong dream of George and Lennie because they are tired of moving from place to place constantly trying to find work, which barely support them– owning a farm means, at least for George, being self-reliant, a sense of security and just simply being somebody and not just mere drifters.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Lennie on the other hand is just in it for the rabbits but he clearly values the companionship that their dreams forge. This is shown throughout the story when Lennie gets upset by the thoughts of George getting angry at him Candy, the old man with the old sheep dog, partly became part of George and Lennie’s dream; as he offers money that he supposedly have, to contribute to the purchase of the farm. The dream of the farm also gives him a sense of security because he has nowhere else to go to if he is fired from the current farm he is in.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks also partly shared the dream of George and Lennie when Lennie tells him about the dream farm, Crooks offers his service to the farm for free because for him, equality in the farm might bring is enough. Equality is something he longs for outside of the dream farm because he is discriminated for being black. He lives separately from the other workers and is insulted by the wife of Curley. A place they can call their own where they can have some sense of security and pride is what drives these characters’ dreams.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Dreams, by its mere definition, do not mean that everything would be achieved. The characters dream of a different, or rather, a better life but their conditions prevent them from achieving these dreams. George does not have the money to buy the farm and Lennie slows his progress, Lennie is mentally retarded and relies solely on George so he can somehow function in society. Crooks is a black man, and during the setting of the story, that fact alone is enough to stop all hopes for a better life.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Even Curley’s wife had dreams of becoming an actress but he married Curley who does not make her happy. Slim provides contrast with these dreams as he appears to not have any dreams and accepts the reality that he is stuck on working in the farm. Having dreams is fine but the truth is the world is an unforgiving place. The story shows the idealistic dreams of the characters and their struggle to break out of their situation. The characters strive for a better life but remain in the cycle of work, more work, and hopelessness—Dreams does not always lead to a happy ending.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Thesis Statement : The novel Of Mice and Men was John Steinbeck a message to the world of how the American Dream is dead and unattainable. The nation had seen one of the biggest spending sprees in the nineteen twenties and the following decade the results were crashing down on the nation. People were losing everything that they owned and starving. The American Dream is defined as “The American Dream is “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Because of that, it seemed like the American Dream was dead and there was never a better novel to illustrate it than Of Mice and Men. George and Lennie, the co protagonist of the novel, aspire to the American Dream, but because few people believe in its attainability, few are surprised when they fall short of its achievement. To understand how the American Dream is shown to be unattainable in the novel Of Mice and Men, it must be understood.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

According to Merriam Webster’s “an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity; also: the prosperity or life that is the realization of this ideal. ” (Merriam Webster). The other part of that materialistic idea is that if one works hard enough, he/she can achieve absolutely anything. George and Lennie have a dream that completely embodies the concept of the American Dream. They are two men who are migrant workers during the Great Depression who have a dream of owning their own farm.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The actual ownership of the farm is only a small part of the dream. The fact that they will not be owned by another person is the allure of the dream. All kin’s a vegetable in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. There wouldn’t be no more runnin’ round the country and gettin’ fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house. (Steinbeck p. 63)
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Because of their situation of being migrant workers, every aspect of their lives were dictated by their boss. Their need for money to survive, set them up for ownership as if they were slaves. George realized this more than Lennie. Lennie brought innocence to the dream. He wanted nothing more than to tend the rabbits because petting soft things brought him pleasure. He did not care about materialism or having control of his life. Pleasure of the moment was his goal for life and the American Dream took on its purest form through him. They remind themselves daily of this dream.
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Lennie begs for George to tell him the story even though he knows it as if hearing it will make it so. George tells it as if each time he tells it the dream will become more and more real. Yet they are chasing an illusion. The characters have survived in the world so far because of their belief that the American Dream is alive and well. George and Lennie cannot imagine that their hard work will not pay off in the end. Society had told children for generations that hard work would take an individual to the top of society and many times it did.
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Then came the Great Depression and everything changed. People worked hard and they did what they thought was right, but at that time it did not take them anywhere but backward. George and Lennie try to save, but it takes every dime to survive. Once they meet Candy, who offers to add money to the cause, they know that with the money they have coming, they will be able to have their dream, but just as it was time to make their purchase, tragedy strikes. Their work has gotten them nowhere. It is apparent throughout the novel that the dream is not attainable.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

From the incident in weed to the killing of the puppy, everything that George and Lennie do ends up becoming a disaster. It is obvious that the dream of the farm will be as well. As George says: “-I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would” (103). The unattainable American Dream is not limited to George and Lennie and that is symbolic that most people will not attain it. There are other characters who also have their American Dream crushed. Curly’s wife had a dream of fame and fortune.
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She also wants to be loved. She married a man who was to inherit his father’s farm and he seemed to want her, but after she marries him, she realizes that he only cares about himself. She does everything in her power to get his attention because of her need. He is jealous of other men, but not because of the love for his wife. Love, marriage, and producing a family is part of the American Dream and all Curly and his wife have is the legal part of the institution. The dream that she imagined did not materialize with her marriage and that left her lonely and seeking the attention of other men.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad. You’re all scared of each other, that’s what. Ever’ one of you’s scared the rest is goin’ to get something on you” (85). Crooks wants his part of the American Dream where all men will be equal and he thinks that he gets close to this the night Lennie and Candy end up in his room and share the dream of the farm with him. It does not take long for him to have to face the reality that there is no equality in the world.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George and Lennie prove that the American Dream is unattainable. To obtain it one’s life would be perfect and there is no perfection in the world. There are always going to problems and hardships in life and this makes the dream just that; a dream. Of course the American Dream has become less of a reality in this country since the beginning of the Great Depression, but it was really just a fantasy from the start. There were always people who seemed to achieve it, yet underlying problems were always present. George and Lennie prove that problems will always come to the surface.
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Crooks is symbolic of dignity in the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Dignity describes the sense of self-respect and self-worth, along with physical and psychological integrity and empowerment. Steinbeck shows Crooks as a symbol for dignity and pride in midst adversity when he draws himself up and will not “accept charity” from anyone. For example, when Crooks, Lennie, and Candy are in the bunkhouse they speak of their dream and initially Crooks is on board. After a couple minutes, Crooks deserts the dream as follows: ‘“Well, jus’ forget it,” said Crooks.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Another example of dignity seen through Crooks is when he describes his lineage to Lennie. Crooks states: ‘“I ain’t a southern Negro,” he said. “I was born right here in California. My old man had a chicken ranch, ‘bout ten acres.”’ (Steinbeck 70). Crooks shows pride and dignity in this quote. He is not the descendent of slaves, he tells Lennie, but of landowner’s. Crooks is proud of his lineage and this shows that he has self-respect. By decreasing these prejudices, Crooks stands empowered.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck presents women as a danger to toy with or as a person who engages in sex for payment. There are two types of women portrayed in this novel; prostitutes and mother figures- for example, the girls from the whore house and Aunt Clara. The major female character in the novel, Curley’s wife, does not fit into either of these categories. Her status between domesticity and prostitution makes her extremely problematic in the novel. On one hand, George respects prostitutes. He says, “’Give me a good whore house every time.’” (Steinbeck 56). This statement reflects how the straight-forward, no strings attached relationship is the ideal proposal with women. Women should be seen as objects to pay for rather than people to get committed to.
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While Curley’s wife is a sexual object, she can’t actually provide any relationship – all she can really offer is trouble. George describes Curley’s wife to Lennie as follows: “‘She’s gonna make a mess. They’s gonna be a bad mess about her. She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger. That Curley got his work cut out for him. Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her.’” (Steinbeck 51). The word “jail bait” is used to describe his wife as a very attractive young girl that is desired, but she is also a danger to toy with. Despite the fact that she is constantly flaunting herself, if she is approached in any way it will cause conflict with Curley that could result in an altercation that could cause a prison sentence.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Hence her being bait, to end up in jail. This section of the novel shows how Steinbeck believes that women lure men in and trap them. The role of women in the novel is to be used for sex and to not be involved in a world structured around the brotherly bonds of men. Steinbeck also presents women as being inferior to men and how, at the time, men were sexist and wanted women out of the way. An example of a girl who got in the way was the girl in weed. Overall, Steinbeck represents women as a danger to toy with or as a person who engages in sex for payment.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Renowned commentator, writer and psychiatrist, Charles Krauthammer, disapproves of cloning and alteration of the natural course of life in his article, Of Headless Mice and Men (1998). The article was written at the time when the issue on cloning was very contentious due to the cloning of Dolly, a female domestic sheep. Krauthammer stated that utilization of technology has gotten out of control with the production of altered life forms. Moreover, the benefit of cloning cannot pay off the damages it renders to its subjects.
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There is an enormous ethical and moral breadth that should be considered before executing such undertakings. The author calls for the need of immediate action from the country’s officials to address this issue. One of the arguments Krauthammer presented was that given the available technology that can be used for the advantage of many such as immortality and recurrence of extinct creatures, human’s perception of the value of life will seem to shrink instead of enhanced.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The author has, therefore, described this whole picture as “high-tech barbarity. ” In animal testing, we see thousands of animal subjects die with only a countable few that survives. In human testing, similar phenomenon is not far from occurring. As much as most of want to improve our way of life, there are regulations that need to be observed. Cloning, if pursued, may provide the needs of people but we cannot say that it will not have detrimental effects to human decency and life. Our history can be a guide to people aiming to alter the future.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Candy also had a close relationship with his dog. After his dog was shot, it was almost described as if it was Candy that got shot. As the dog was being executed, Candy laid in bed and stayed silent. The dog and its weakness is a symbolism Steinbeck used to compare to Candy and his missing hand. Candy’s loneliness affects George and Lennie and alters the dream to a three man thing instead of just George and Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Discrimination towards Crooks turns him into an aloof, distant, and lonely man. The men on the ranch isolate and taunt Crooks. For example, when Lennie walks in Crooks room Crooks says, “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.” Crooks is isolating himself from everyone including Lennie and wants to be aloof. He also states, “S’pose you didn’t have nobody.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ’cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. 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’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” Here Crooks expresses his loneliness and how he is an outcast to the rest of the workers on the ranch. His loneliness is formed from discrimination of his African American skin color.
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Portrayed by Curley, Curley’s Wife is the loneliest character on the ranch that even Steinbeck doesn’t give her a name. She is that unimportant and uninteresting compared to the rest of the characters in the novella. Sneaking around and bothering everyone and seeking attention, causing trouble around the ranch, and overall she is unwanted by the workers on the ranch. In the novella, she states that she is lonely right before her death. She states these quotes to Lennie, “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”, “What’s the matter with me? Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?”, and “Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live.”
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Steinbeck describes isolation and loneliness in Of Mice and Men in the three characters Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s Wife. Steinbeck shows the reader how this can affect and alter the story and the characters in it using the literary elements. Quotes and facts from the novella support Steinbeck’s theme of loneliness. These three characters from the novella fit the theme perfect.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

John Steinbeck shows how important a friendship is and how much two people can support each other to survive. Take this bond away and it will create a difficult and almost impossible journey for the two men in this novel. John Steinbeck portrays Lennie and George as having the greatest friendship in the world and while George claims to not need Lennie, he knows that he needs Lennie as much as Lennie needs him. The mutual relationship between George and Lennie is a genuine friendship between two very different men.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This quote shows that George isn’t afraid to say he and Lennie travel around together and isn’t embarrassed by his company. Throughout the whole novel, George always compliments Lennie on his work and his positive abilities. Good friends always stick by each other. They always back each other up and they always help out when one of them is in need. Even though Lennie never contributes to helping George, the reason isn’t because he will not. The reason for this is because George never gets into any type of trouble. Lennie is always the one who needs help, but I’m sure of it that Lennie would help George in any circumstance. When George and Lennie talk to the boss George says to Lennie, “Let me do all the talking”. George proves to help Lennie out because Lennie is not too good with his words.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George and Lennies friendship grows stronger and stronger and it grows so strong that even the part when George kills him is a sign of caring. I believe that George has always wanted the best for Lennie and he knew that Lennie would either be tortured in the end or get killed anyways. When George kills Lennie, it is in my belief that this is the biggest act of respect and love towards Lennie. George never wants to see Lennie get hurt, so this is the only way he can let Lennie live a happy life without getting hurt inside. If I were George I would do the exact same thing. It’s tough letting go of a friend, but sometimes it in the best interest of your friend. The last circumstance that showed a great friendship was when George said “We gonna get a little place (pg. 105). This showed that George wanted to settle down and live with Lennie for the rest of his life. George and Lennie had such a great friendship that they both wanted to live and know each other forever.