"Life... it tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations." The author of the quote, Richard DeVos, believed that people control the way they see their lives; whether that means positively, negatively, or realistically. John Steinbeck raises a question similar to DeVos ' belief in his novel, Of Mice and Men. The book tells the story of migrant workers whose dream for a better future motivates their journeys. Steinbeck proposes that while everyone will face hardships throughout his life; each person can choose his outlook on life. Steinbeck addresses this theme through his characters - George, an optimistic individual, and in contrast, Candy and Crooks, both pessimistic in nature.
Regardless of the attitudes …show more content…
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Candy lives with the loss of a hand, loses a dog, and finds Curley 's dead wife; in these occurrences, Candy tends to see the bad side. In the past, Candy lost his hand, "… out of the sleeve came a stick-like wrist, but no hand" (Steinbeck 18). Instead of trying to get over his disability or moving on, Candy seems to cling to it like a fresh wound. This shows that while Candy has he option to move on, he seems to have a negative attitude. Another example is when his dog is shot (Steinbeck 48). He does not shoot it, and so he is upset that he did not kill it and some "stranger", or at least to the dog, shot him. He could have just been happy that his dog was out of its pain; instead, he keeps a narrow mind and loses part of himself. A counter example might have been when Lennie Killed Curley 's wife; instead of being happy that Lennie is going to leave the ranch, he helps George out and looks for the brighter outcome for the situation (Steinbeck 79). These examples show that in bad situations, Candy had the option to see it as good or bad, and it is up to the character in every circumstance. Each character decides how they feel after any
Regardless of the attitudes …show more content…
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Candy lives with the loss of a hand, loses a dog, and finds Curley 's dead wife; in these occurrences, Candy tends to see the bad side. In the past, Candy lost his hand, "… out of the sleeve came a stick-like wrist, but no hand" (Steinbeck 18). Instead of trying to get over his disability or moving on, Candy seems to cling to it like a fresh wound. This shows that while Candy has he option to move on, he seems to have a negative attitude. Another example is when his dog is shot (Steinbeck 48). He does not shoot it, and so he is upset that he did not kill it and some "stranger", or at least to the dog, shot him. He could have just been happy that his dog was out of its pain; instead, he keeps a narrow mind and loses part of himself. A counter example might have been when Lennie Killed Curley 's wife; instead of being happy that Lennie is going to leave the ranch, he helps George out and looks for the brighter outcome for the situation (Steinbeck 79). These examples show that in bad situations, Candy had the option to see it as good or bad, and it is up to the character in every circumstance. Each character decides how they feel after any