Preview

Of Mice and Men Theme, Title, and Point of View Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
646 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Of Mice and Men Theme, Title, and Point of View Analysis
Theme:When an individual in our society is confronted with seclusion and desolation, the individual expresses actions of desperation and distress, only desiring a sense of companionship.

Point of View:The point of view in Of Mice and Men is Third Person Omniscient. Throughout the whole story Steinbeck limited himself to only revealing what one would see in a play, the actions and dialogue of the characters, with chapter six as an exception. Chapter six is an exception because of Lennie's hallucinations of the rabbit and Aunt Clara, which were put there to create a sense of pity for the audience, even after Lennie had killed Curley's wife. The other chapters were limited to actions and dialogue because if all information, thoughts, and ideas were to be given to the audience then there wouldn't be much of a story. Everyone sees or thinks differently and Steinbeck created space for that to happen allowing the audience to make their own connections to the story.

Prediction: After Lennie's death, George would have stayed at the farm in Soledad meaning loneliness in Spanish. That's just how he would continued to live, and without Lennie there to mess things up and make him lose his job, he would stay. Candy was still willing to go on with the dream even though Lennie died so he and George tried to pursue their dream after several more months of work. It seemed as though they reached their dream but George feeling lonely and miserable started drinking and spent all he made on poker games and a "cat house". He ends up dying alone and with nothing.

Title:The best laid schemes of mice and menGo often askewJohn Steinbeck's title came from this line in Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse" Just this line reflects a great deal about the book. George and Lennie had planned their future, hoping to have a home, but because of unfortunate events (Lennie commits murder) their dream was ruined, just as the mouse's home was by the farmer's plough. Within the piece you could make

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Chapter 2 1. The chapter begins by explaining in detail what the bunkhouse is; it’s a long rectangular building with whitewashed walls and small square windows. 2. Against the walls were eight bunks and over each bunk there was a box nailed on it so that each one can have its belongings in it, like soap, razors, powder, etc. 3. Then came an old man and opened the door and showed George and Lennie the place, he’s a man without an arm and with his stick like arm pointed the two bunks.…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    of mice and men summaries

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages

    2. George and Lennie finally get to the ranch where they will be working. They meet…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The movie and book Of Mice and Men are rather similar, however there are major differences. For example, in the beginning of the book John Steinbeck starts by describing the scenic pond where the exposition begins, and the movie opens up with the scene of a girl in a red dress frantically running while Lennie and George are trying to elude men with guns. On the other hand, when George is describing their dream of owning their very own farm, the description in both the book and movie are the same. For instance, “An’ it’d be our own, an’ nobody could can us.” (Source A) is rather similar to what was said in the movie. Another example of a similarity, “ We're gonna have a cow, and some pigs, and we're gonna have, maybe, maybe, a chicken. Down…

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    After reading the first chapter in Of Mice and Men, it becomes apparent to readers that Lennie is unlike many adults. As Lennie is described throughout the chapter, readers begin to see that he possess characteristics similar to those of a child. Even the way Lennie is described as he eats provides an impression that he is very childish. While eating his beans (page15), they were said to “fall out of his mouth” painting a picture of Lennie eating similar to a baby. George, not only his friend, seems to take on the role of his “father” as he is perceived to be the one who cares for him. In the chapter George becomes upset by Lennie’s actions and makes statements that upset Lennie (page11). Similar to how children threaten their parents of running…

    • 217 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Of Mice and Men is narrated in the third person omniscient and objective point of view by an non-participant, non-character in the book. This point of view allows the narrator to know what is happening in the book with all of the characters at all times. By using this point of view, Steinbeck is able to give us some insight on the thoughts of each character as well as tell events as they happen in a generally unbiased point of view. The purpose of this narrator seems to be to tell the story how it happened.…

    • 1495 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Of Mice and Men is a story about the failure of the American dream.The main characters' troubles can be compared to those of mice, which explains the title. Robert Burns' poem, "To a Mouse" also can help to clarify the title. It contains the quotation: "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley" ("often go awry"). In fact, this quote is the reason John Steinbeck chose Of Mice and Men as the title.…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The book Of Mice and Men was written by John Steinbeck and takes place during the Great Depression. Throughout the book we follow the two main characters, George and Lennie. George is shown to have much power over Lennie. These two and many other characters struggle with obtaining, holding, or keeping “under control” the amount of power they have or want. In Steinbeck's novel, the theme that seems to be most present is that, although people seek power, they often misuse it after obtaining it.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Of Two Mice, a Comparison

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men, often go awry, And lead us nought but grief and pain” The poem To a Mouse, by Robert Burns is used not only as part of the title in Of Mice and Men, but it also mirrors many of the same themes raised by the poet. To a Mouse is about the poet, Robert Burns, destroying a mouse’s nest. Burns then attempts to console the mouse, telling him that, “the best laid scheme o' mice an' men. often go awry,”. John Steinbeck, the author of Of Mice and Men, took this line to heart when writing his novel. Just like the mouse, the two major characters, Lennie and George’s dreams and plans for the future all go wrong.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the tragic novela of mice and men steinbeck presents many themes and symbols that are being represented. Two of the themes are, the predatory nature of human existence, the predatory nature of human existence means that humans are born with the nature of being predatory or hunting other humans or thing. when Crooks criticizes Lennie’s dream of the farm and his dependence on George is a big example of this theme in the novela. Another theme would be the importance of fraternity and bonds between men. The men in Of Mice and Men desire to come together in a way that would allow them to be like brothers to one another. That is, they want to live with one another’s best interests in mind, to protect each other, and to know that there is someone in the world dedicated to protecting them is a very big example of the importance of fraternity and bonds between men.…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “”George would have a better life without Lennie and would be ale to be who he wants to be. Candy wants to keep his forever friend(his dog), but is basically forced to have his dog shot. All Lennie wants to do is pet soft things, but he is too “big and…

    • 1035 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men chronicles the experiences of two unlikely friends Lennie and George, as they follow the path of life in pursuit of their own version of the American dream. Steinbeck incorporates thematic ideas that define dreams and what prevents them from being manifested, tensions concerning race and gender, and the significance of relationships within the story. Use of these thematic ideas amplify the strength of feeling throughout the story, and connects the reader with themes they can identify with.…

    • 633 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” is a simple yet intriguing novel, which mentions the lives of different individuals who are co-existing in one environment. Throughout the novel Steinbeck sets out relationships individuals have with each other and shows how the shared environment affects these and is ultimately capable of ending them.…

    • 512 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Of Mice and Men Characters

    • 1322 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Although Steinbeck’s insistent repetition of these characteristics makes Lennie a rather flat character, Lennie’s simplicity is central to Steinbeck’s conception of the novel. Of Mice and Men is a very short work that manages to build up an extremely powerful impact. Since the tragedy depends upon the outcome seeming to be inevitable, the reader must know from the start that Lennie is doomed, and must be sympathetic to him. Steinbeck achieves these two feats by creating a protagonist who earns the reader’s sympathy because of his utter helplessness in the face of the events that unfold. Lennie is totally defenseless. He cannot avoid the dangers presented by Curley, Curley’s wife, or the world at large. His innocence raises him to a standard of pure goodness that is more poetic and literary than realistic. His enthusiasm for the vision of their future farm proves contagious as he convinces George, Candy, Crooks, and the reader that such a paradise might be possible. But he is a character whom Steinbeck sets up for disaster, a character whose innocence only seems to ensure his inevitable destruction.…

    • 1322 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Thesis of mice and men

    • 251 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In "Of Mice and Men," John Steinbeck utilizes his prevailing themes of friendship and loneliness, through his deep characterization and interconnection between George and Lenny, in order to illustrate glamorized desire of "the American dream."…

    • 251 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Of Mice and Men

    • 1234 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The novel explores the predatory nature of human existence. It explores loneliness, isolation and friendship. A major theme is that of the illusionary nature of ‘Dreams '. In particular, ‘The American Dream '.…

    • 1234 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics