Steinbeck Novella Essay

Of Mice and Men widely explores the values and attitudes related to the rural development of the 1930’s. The issues presented in the text are related to Racism, Social Status, Gender and Disability. In contrast are the current values and attitudes that society holds and whether or not they have changed since the 1930’s. Narrative techniques such as characterization, Point Of View, conflict and setting are used to convey these values and atti

Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck raises many issues as the attitudes represented in the 1930’s context and exploitation. Of Mice and Men confirms the reader response to the 1930’s and towards exploitation. The 1930’s was the time of the Great Depression where only limited money and work was available and inequality and exploitation was common amongst the workplace. Exploitation was the main issue in Of Mice and Men and the attitudes of the 1930’s towards racism and status remain almost the same and gender and disability have changed.

The boss exploits all employees on the ranch, they live and work in a place of hazardous conditions, insecure work and poor pay. This was common in the 1930’s as there was no workers compensation. This is shown through imagery and descriptive language of the accidents and the living and working conditions.

Curley exploits is wife and the ranch workers due to his position of power.

Although George and Lennie were friends, George felt it was his duty to look after Lennie. “Course Lennie’s a god damn nuisance most of the time”(P- ) The main event that conveys the attitudes and values of the 1930’s towards people with disabilities is the killing of Lennie. Lennie accidentally broke Curley’s wife’s neck instantly killing her. Instead of hearing his side of the story or giving him a second chance they want to hunt him down and kill him. This shows the mistreatment of people with disabilities. Steinbeck uses conflict to convey the issue of disability in his text also characterization, structure and sequence of events.

Some topics in this essay:
Social Status, Curley’s Wife, Ranch Candy, John Steinbeck, P- Crooks, George Lennie, Curley Lennie, Lennie Lennie, Mice Lennie, African American, social status, ranch workers, values attitudes, conflict curley, george lennie, curley’s wife, readers response, today’s society, 1930’s towards, curley wife, written john steinbeck, exploitation main issue, conflict curley lennie, conflict curley wife, mice written john,