Themes

“Fame and fortune is everyones dream. When reading John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men I noticed the theme of having the ideal American Dream comes up more than once. A lot of the characters often wonder what life would be like if they had a family, fortune, and even fame.

First, there’s the idea of having a family. George, and Lennie are often seen as brothers, or even cousins as George once said, but they would seem more like a family if they had a permanent home. It’s George’s dream to buy his own little farm, for himself and Lennie. When reading this book, they even invited Candy to join them because of his old age. Lennie is obsessed with tending with the rabbits, and possibly getting his own dog. George on the other hand will have a garden and basically run things. With their money all put together they desire a better life for themselves.

Alongside the ideal of family, fortune is also a theme of this great novel. The boss, for example still makes money regardless of being in a depression. When readers first meet him, he comes off as “bossy” because George and Lennie are a day late, and he needed work to be done. George explains that the bus driver was too lazy to drive them all the way, but is interrupted when the boss tells him he doesn’t give a damn. The only thing the boss is good for, is giving food, shelter and pay . His main priority is do the work, so you can make me money, no matter what it takes.

Fame, at times we all want it, believe it or not! A character in the book that probably wanted it more than anyone was in fact Curly’s wife. Being the only women on a ranch must get lonely at times, and all she wanted was someone to talk to. The guys see her as promiscuous, but in all honestly she just wanted a friend. She got a chance to have a friend when she talked to Lennie about her dreams. Lennie being the first person she ever told, she explained how she wanted to become a movie star, and a guy she met was going to make that happen. Being so naïve she believed him and it never happened. Because her dream of being a famous movie star never happened she’s stuck at a ranch being married to Curly. Maybe if her dream could’ve come true, she may actually have an identity!

Basically, Of Mice and Men is a novel about the American Dream which everyone wants. Money family and even fame. If you ever want to expand your horizons and read something very intelligent, read this book. It has a lot of drama and teaches you life lessons at the same time.

Of Mice And Men Motifs

A motif of, Of Mice and Men is the feel of loneliness and the need for companionship from a few of the characters in this book. The characters that has this feeling the most is Curly’s wife, George, and Candy, who all, first start out with a companion but is soon found in loneliness.Even though she is married to Curly, Curly’s wife is lonely. Curly is very cruel to her and is always out fighting to prove his manhood, so she is very lonely. Curly is always telling her to back into the house and then leaving her alone for hours.While Curly'ss wife is lonely, Candy is also lonely. Candy once had a dog who was his companion but, then the men decided that the dogwas too old. So, they shot Candy's dog. After the dog was shot Candy became reclusive and therefore became lonely.George is another character who is lonely. George traveled everywhere with Lennie, even Lennie says, " George and I go everywhere together." But at the end of the book George shots Lennie, so sadly George is then left alone.In, conclusion there were a lot of motifs in the story "Of Mice and Men". But the chararcter that has this feeling the most is Curly's Wife, George, and Candy.

Of Mice And Men Symbols (Grade)

You see symbols everyday but what are symbols and were do you find them? Most peoples response would be something like the signs on doors and signs you see in the street that tells you what to do with just showing a picture. However, symbols have a deeper meaning than the ones we see everyday, for example symbols in the book Of Mice and Men. The symbols in the book are not seen visually like most symbols. They are things, places, or even people that represent things in life. Three symbols in Of Mice and Men that I recognized are a farm, Curlys Wife, and Candy's dog.

Now, Everyone has a dream that they wish to come true. In Of Mice and Men Lennie, George, and Candy had a dream to own their own farm one day. The dream farm is a symbol. Its a symbol of peace and, success. To have their own farm meant that they would not have to deal with anyone else but them selves. They would be at peace in there own little harmony. Success would come from the ideal of being on their own. Being able to work for themselves, and not anybody else.

The next symbol I recognized is Curlies Wife. In the book she comes off as a very permiscuos girl who throws herself at every man she comes across. If you think about, its kind of like alot of young girls today. She meets a man who she thinks she loves and gives up all her hopes and dreams to be with him and in the long run she finally figures out that she isnt at all happy with the outcome of her life. However, she wasnt permiscuous at all, she was simply a lonely young girl seeking attention. When she couldnt get it from her husband she looked for it in anyone she cam across. When people actualyy gave her the time to talk instead of judging her, I noticed she simply wanted someone to talk to, and someone to care about her.

I even recognized a pet in the book as a symbol. Old man Candy's dog is a symbol. The dog is old, and helpless.The dog was stmelly and seemed as if he was going to fall out and die any minute. The men that knew Candy and his dog, figured that they should take the dog out of his misery. Candy being old his self, hesitated about this. But, eventually considered it. Candy's dog represents death and, the sadness of being useless. Since the dog was useless they killed him. Sadly thats how society looks at ederly. Old, useless, and smelly with no purpose. Also the dog could represent dreams that die. You try so hard for something but evetually it gets old and useless so you just forget about it.

After I finished reading Of Mice and Men I realized that life is full of symbols, much more than the signs we see in our everyday lives. Symbols can be people, a place, even a pet. Many Books do not have visual symbols, but things or places that represent as a symbol with meaning. This book was filled with symbols that represent peace, sucess, hope, oppurtunity, and even death.