Comparison Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Of Mirrors and Men Henry Ward Beecher once said, “Every artist dips his brush in his soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures” (Beecher as qtd. in “Artists Quotes”). The “pictures” that Beecher is talking about are not always pictures, but speeches, poems, literature, music, and fashion. These masterpieces allow artists to express his or her emotions and reflect on conflicts that he or she has gone through in life. For example, C.S. Lewis writes chronicles that parallel his strong religious beliefs, and Edgar Allen Poe writes reflections about his own depression and sorrows. Like these authors, John Steinbeck reflects his life in his novel, Of Mice and Men.
John Steinbeck grew up during the Great Depression and in an area that was familiar with the ways of farming. Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, California with his family who owned a farm and was familiar with migrant workers. Steinbeck also worked alongside migrant workers, while working as a laborer during his summers off of school ("John Steinbeck Biography." Par. 1). Subsequently, working these summers and having his family own a farm, John Steinbeck had personal background information that helped him while writing his books. This information will really be helpful when …show more content…
The novel focuses on two male migrant workers, Lennie and George, who are working in Soledad, California (Steinbeck 1). Lennie and George bale hay on a farm that is managed by the owner’s son, Curley. Curley is harsh, temperamental, and pugnacious. The two characters, Lennie and George, both face hardships unique to themselves. Lennie must suffer through his mental disabilities that hold him back from being able to be thought of as an adult. George has taken it upon himself to look over Lennie and keep him out of trouble. This task seems a little daunting at some points. One character, in particular, mirrors a real person in Steinbeck’s