Literature Analysis: Of Mice and Men

1) George and Lennie are two best friends who are on a road trip. They are broke because Lennie can't hold down a job due to his mental illness but they are best friends so George can't leave him. They finally get a job at a ranch in Soledad, California. They meet Candy who has one hand, Crooks a lonely, African American stable worker, and Curley who is a man with anger management problems. Curley has a wife but due to his attitude, nobody is allowed to look at her let alone speak to her. Slim and Carlson are two other ranch hands who we met later on. Candy has a hard time putting down her dog and Carlson encourages her to adopt a new puppy and shoots her old dog for her. Carlson we learn is a very violent guy. He ends up getting in a fight with Lennie who crushes his hand. The climax of the book is when Lennie is in the bard one day with a dead puppy he has killed. He is scolding the puppy for getting killed and encouraging him. Curley's wife comes in and offers her head to Lennie so he can pet but he accidentally breaks her neck and kills her. He runs off and when Candy discovers Curley's wife's body he runs to get George. George runs out to find Lennie and talks to Lennie about their dream farm. George tells Lennie to look out to the river and imagine it and when he does, he shoots Lennie in the head. When everyone comes over, George explains that  George tried to take the gun away from Lennie but struggled and Lennie ended up shooting himself. Everyone believes the story except for Slim who understands.

 2) The main theme of this novel is the expectation of the American dream versus the reality. George and Lennie dreamed about one day living on a nice farm but in reality, they couldn't succeed in this dream. Too many things like Lennie's illness got in the way. Instead, they ended up working on a ranch instead of owning their own.

3) I think the tone of the novel was depression. It was hard for all the characters, especially George, to deal with Lennie's illness. He kept forgiving Lennie for everything he did and failed at but in the end, George had to shoot Lennie. "Simmer down, George. Almost as soon as we meet him, George is stomping around the novel flinging verbal abuse as Lennie. Does Lennie acknowledge this as a kind of violence, or is he generally unaffected by it?" "Lennie obviously has no concept of consequences, since he can't even remember the wrong that he did. So we have to ask: it just for George to keep dragging Lennie around with him? Or should George have taken action before Lennie ended up killing someone?" "[George] heard Lennie's whimpering cry and wheeled about. "Blubberin' like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you!" Lennie's lip quivered and tears started in his eyes. "Aw, Lennie!" George put his hand on Lennie's shoulder. "I ain't takin' it away jus' for meanness. That mouse ain't fresh, Lennie; and besides, you've broke it pettin' it. You get another mouse that's fresh and I'll let you keep it a little while.""
 
4) Symbolism- dead mouse= death
Imagery- "On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees— willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool."
Characterization- introducing Lennie and George, "Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, and wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws."
Foil- Slim and Curley, opposites (tall/short and intelligent/simple-minded)
Evocative- When George had Lennie look out to the river and picture their dream of owning their own ranch, it brought out a great deal of sadness and left the readers reminiscing. Right after that, however, George shot Lennie in the head which brought another wave of sadness.
Dialogue- "'Huh? Oh! Hello, Crooks. What’s’ a matter?'
'You told me to warm up tar for that mule’s foot. I got it warm.'
'Oh! Sure, Crooks. I’ll come right out an’ put it on.'
'I can do it if you want, Mr. Slim.'
'No. I’ll come do it myself.'"
Suspense- after Lennie kills Candy's wife, what is going to happen to Lennie
Foreshadowing- a peaceful landscape then George and Lennie run through is causing animals to be alert and flee
Motif- value of everything, “'I got hurt four year ago,' he said. 'They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county.'"
Pathos- When George shot Lennie, we were really able to feel great sorrow for him. The fact that George had to shoot his best friend really dug into the emotion of the readers.

Characterization:
1) Steinbeck used both direct and indirect characterization in this novel and both had a very lasting impression. He used direct characterization on appearances at the beginning of the book so we could picture both George and Lennie in our heads. Once we had that picture, he started to use indirect characterization. I noticed he did this a lot in his dialogue. They way George talked to Lennie you could tell that he really cared about him. Lennie also got really sad when he realizes he did something to upset George and this shows that he also cares a lot about his best friend.
2) I don't think John Steinbeck changed his syntax/diction at all when he focused on one character. He kept a very consistent tone and style throughout the whole book, never did he stray from it.
3) I believe George was a static, flat character. He never really strayed from his kindhearted self. He always stood behind Lennie and did whatever was possible in his power to help him even if he had to end his life. Never once did George stray from his morals nor did he ever think twice about leaving his best friend.
4) After reading the book, I feel like I met George. I was so sad at the end of the novel when he had to kill his best friend and could never imagine having to do something like that. George was such a remarkable character because he really looked out for Lennie and stuck with him even though he could have left Lennie and probably could've become much more successful.