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Hope, Humanity and Tragedy in Of Mice and Men

            The American Dream is an important part to the characterizations in John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men. Each of the main characters is driven by their ambition. This ambition is important because it provides motivation and a sense of determination to each of their beings. When their ambition is gone, it becomes clear that a part of their humanity goes also. And with that loss of humanity comes other emotions. .
             Loneliness is a persuasive emotion experienced by all of the characters in Of Mice and Men. This loneliness is profoundly existential and symbolic. The men do not want to be alone with themselves, and they do not want to be left behind by society.
             One of the ways Steinbeck establishes the theme of loneliness is through the setting itself. Section one of the book is set at a pleasant and peaceful river a few miles south of Soledad. Soledad, meaning "lonely place" in Spanish. The river seems very secluded and isolated. There's nothing but nature. It's a very harmonious and tranquil place. This is a complete contrast to where the rest of the book is mainly set, a ranch where George and Lennie, the two main characters, manage to find work. The ranch displays isolation mainly through the actions characters take and the events that happen.
             Of Mice and Men describes the life of a man and his best friend, who has the mentality of a child. Their friendship is very strong and this is unusual due to the other characters in the book being very lonely. Lennie and George are driven by their desire to own a farm. For Lennie, this immediately translates into "tending the rabbits." For George, this becomes the idea that they can "own a piece of land" and control it for themselves. Such expectations are so meaningful to George and Lennie because they provide encouragement to them and help them endure challenging times. The ability to hope and dream is of vital importance to their livelihood.


Essays Related to Hope, Humanity and Tragedy in Of Mice and Men

1. Narratives of The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men

Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, and John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, are two novels that deal with the tragic culmination of the American Dream, personified through respective protagonists. ... The description of the characters in Of Mice and Men is not entirely objective either, and is not short of hyperbole and exaggeration. ... In Of Mice and Men, however, the third person narrator tells the story with the ending in mind. ... Thus, the narrator in Of Mice and Men is simply doing his job of narrating the story as it has been set, and thus it is not set up for shock or surpri...

  • Word Count: 2039
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Of Mice and Men Lost Hope is like a contagious disease in the novel Of Mice and Men. Many of the characters have lost their hopes and dreams. ... Another character who lost his hopes and dreams due to a tragedy is Lennie Smalls. Lennie does not have any hope physically because of the ruff times, but mentally his hopes and dreams live in him until the moment he dies. ... Lost hope is a wide spreading disease in the novel Of Mice and Men. ...

  • Word Count: 540
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Imaginative Writings of Mice and Men "Something That Happened- John Steinbeck's book, Of Mice and Men, was originally going to be titled "Something That Happened-. ... The killing of Curley's wife was simply an impending tragedy waiting to happen. ... The images of mice and men are also the central focus of the book. The characters "George, Lennie, Candy and Crooks "are mice who want to be men; nobodies searching for significance in their lives. ... The book is about the how the dreams of both the cowards (mice) and the brave (men) fluctuate through trials and that...

  • Word Count: 497
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

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  • Word Count: 1271
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  • Word Count: 1049
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  • Grade Level: High School

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7. Of Mice and Men

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  • Word Count: 584
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OF MICE AND MEN Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a story which shows how weak the human trait of loyalty can be if put through the test of time. ... Of Mice and Men", by John Steinbeck, is composed of four major themes.These themes are the value of dreams and goals, moral responsibility, social injustice, and the bond of friendship and loyalty. Of mice and men is a novel about two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, who go to work on a ranch in California together. ... The implication here is that man without hope and love, without a dream, is perhaps better off dead. ... When Georg...

  • Word Count: 1752
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  • Word Count: 1408
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

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