When I read this beginning sentence, what stands out in my mind is how Steinbeck uses the description of a natural place to convey the evidence of humans who were once there. He speaks of a beaten path, ash pile, and a limb that has been worn smooth, all points leading to the proof of who last traveled there. From the details the author gives, the reader can conjure a theory about what type of people came to this land before Lennie and George. He describes how the pool by the river is often visited by men walking the highway, and how the sycamore near it has been worn smooth by men who have sat there, leading me to believe that these travelers must have been exhausted from their journeys and seeking a place to rest. Knowing that this story
