People at least once in their lives will struggle to find the meaning within it during times of conflict. The modernist movement reflected these feelings, embodying the realest and most challenging aspects of life. These ideas influenced many works written in the 20th century including John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. This novella focuses on a mentally handicapped man and the struggles he undergoes brought on by the world's perception of him. The book explores the despair of life, the flaws of humans and uses symbolism, proving it to be a direct product of the movement. One idea that is evidently carried throughout the novella is that of the meaninglessness and despair of life. The main intent of George and Lennie’s journey was to attain
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The story begins with George and Lennie fleeing Weed on account that Lennie “couldn’t let go of [a woman’s] dress” (41) and had a “party out to lynch [him]”(42). While Lennie’s intentions were innocent, his actions in Weed allude to the events that transpire between himself and Curley’s wife. When she is introduced Lennie’s first response is comment on how “purty” (32) she is. George senses the danger in his feelings threatening him “to leave her be” (32). George's reaction to this symbolized the fact that he always knew things were going to end badly with him later saying “[George] think [he] knowed from the very first” (94). Not only does Steinbeck give hints of the death of Curley’s wife but Lennie’s as well. Curley’s dog is killed as he “[wasn’t] no good to himself” (44) and with this is shot in a way that “wouldn’t feel nothing” (45). Later Lennie is found guilty in the death of Curley’s wife and was arguably made him more of a danger to himself. Soon after George kills Lennie in the exact same way as the dog, “to the back of [his] head” (106) in order to bring him the least amount of pain. The dog was a symbol of something misunderstood and perceived to cause more harm than good, similar to Lennie.
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is an obvious reflection of the modernist movement through its use of symbolism and exploration of the despair in life and human
The story begins with George and Lennie fleeing Weed on account that Lennie “couldn’t let go of [a woman’s] dress” (41) and had a “party out to lynch [him]”(42). While Lennie’s intentions were innocent, his actions in Weed allude to the events that transpire between himself and Curley’s wife. When she is introduced Lennie’s first response is comment on how “purty” (32) she is. George senses the danger in his feelings threatening him “to leave her be” (32). George's reaction to this symbolized the fact that he always knew things were going to end badly with him later saying “[George] think [he] knowed from the very first” (94). Not only does Steinbeck give hints of the death of Curley’s wife but Lennie’s as well. Curley’s dog is killed as he “[wasn’t] no good to himself” (44) and with this is shot in a way that “wouldn’t feel nothing” (45). Later Lennie is found guilty in the death of Curley’s wife and was arguably made him more of a danger to himself. Soon after George kills Lennie in the exact same way as the dog, “to the back of [his] head” (106) in order to bring him the least amount of pain. The dog was a symbol of something misunderstood and perceived to cause more harm than good, similar to Lennie.
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is an obvious reflection of the modernist movement through its use of symbolism and exploration of the despair in life and human