How does the author of the text “Of Mice and Men,” express character and themes through language.

In the novel “Of Mice and Men” the author John Steinbeck uses detailed description, direct speech, symbolism, character analysis and description of nature to express the personalities and the appearance of his characters and the themes of personal dignity, violence, friendship, loneliness and racism.

This is a novel of defeated hope and the harsh reality of the American Dream.

The novel opens with the description of a riverbed in rural California, a beautiful, wooded area at the base of "golden foothill slopes." A path runs to the river, used by boys going swimming and riffraff coming down from the highway. Two men walk along the path. The first, George, is small, wiry, and sharp-featured, while his companion, Lennie, is large and awkward. . The clearing into which Lennie and George wander evokes Eden in its serenity and beauty. Steinbeck wisely opens the novel with this idyllic scene, for it creates a background for the idealized friendship between the men and introduces the exaggerated dream of farm life

Steinbeck has expressed in the novel that it is necessary for humans to have companions in order to survive. That loneliness causes depression and desperation, and how discrimination is harmful to the human heart. He also explores different types of strengths and weakness throughout the novel.

The Man discriminated by his age is Candy; he’s got a smelly, old, weak dog. The boys at the farm don’t like the dog any more because it’s useless. “…Why'n't you get Candy to shoot his old dog…” This makes Candy think what will happen if I become useless, will they shoot me too? It makes one wonder, who cares if he’s old and useless he’s a human being and no one has the right to kill another no matter how old they are. They always think he’s unable to do things because he’s old, even though he can do it “I lost my hand right here on this ranch. That's why they give me a job swampin'.” Throughout the book Candy keeps to himself, away from others, because he’s rejected by others, just like Crooks and Curly’s Wife. Candy, a sweet old man, is also discriminated against.

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