Lucas Long
Ms. Dyrdal
Honors English 10-Literary Criticism Of Mice and Men CSA
February 13, 2016
The Will to Achieve
Why do people constantly reach for things that are unobtainable? This constant struggle toward achievement is so blatantly personified in John Steinbeck 's famous novella Of Mice and Men that the reader cannot help but sympathize for those who dire efforts in the direction of accomplishment are in vain. The two most iconic characters, George and Lennie, are not a typical dynamic seen in the setting of this work. Perhaps the most prominent reason as to why is their immense loyalty to each other. While there is an obvious theme of the unattainable "American Eden" (or the impossibility of the good life because of human …show more content…
Throughout the narrative Steinbeck portrays George and Lennie as unique in comparison to everyone else. According to Louis Owens in his article "The Dream of Commitment," "George and Lennie stand out sharply because they have each other or, as George says, 'We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. ' Cain 's question is the question again at the heart of this novel: 'Am I my brother 's keeper? ' And the answer found in the relationship between George and Lennie is an unmistakable confirmation," (Owens 146). It has been shown repeatedly that this, in fact, is the core of their devotion to each other. George and Lennie are not trying to look out for themselves, they are trying to look out for each other. One cares for the other more than he cares for …show more content…
"In the fallen world of the valley, where human commitment is the only realizable dream, the fact that in the end as in the beginning two men walk together causes Of Mice and Men to end on a strong note of hope--the crucial dream, the dream of man 's commitment to man, has not perished with Lennie," (Owens 149). As in many written works, the author puts the conclusion up to interpretation by the reader. However, most of the time the writer of the story does in fact, help to guide the reader 's thoughts. The seemingly unimportant walk that George takes with Slim is a physical and literal display of the underlying themes of this book all in one
Ms. Dyrdal
Honors English 10-Literary Criticism Of Mice and Men CSA
February 13, 2016
The Will to Achieve
Why do people constantly reach for things that are unobtainable? This constant struggle toward achievement is so blatantly personified in John Steinbeck 's famous novella Of Mice and Men that the reader cannot help but sympathize for those who dire efforts in the direction of accomplishment are in vain. The two most iconic characters, George and Lennie, are not a typical dynamic seen in the setting of this work. Perhaps the most prominent reason as to why is their immense loyalty to each other. While there is an obvious theme of the unattainable "American Eden" (or the impossibility of the good life because of human …show more content…
Throughout the narrative Steinbeck portrays George and Lennie as unique in comparison to everyone else. According to Louis Owens in his article "The Dream of Commitment," "George and Lennie stand out sharply because they have each other or, as George says, 'We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. ' Cain 's question is the question again at the heart of this novel: 'Am I my brother 's keeper? ' And the answer found in the relationship between George and Lennie is an unmistakable confirmation," (Owens 146). It has been shown repeatedly that this, in fact, is the core of their devotion to each other. George and Lennie are not trying to look out for themselves, they are trying to look out for each other. One cares for the other more than he cares for …show more content…
"In the fallen world of the valley, where human commitment is the only realizable dream, the fact that in the end as in the beginning two men walk together causes Of Mice and Men to end on a strong note of hope--the crucial dream, the dream of man 's commitment to man, has not perished with Lennie," (Owens 149). As in many written works, the author puts the conclusion up to interpretation by the reader. However, most of the time the writer of the story does in fact, help to guide the reader 's thoughts. The seemingly unimportant walk that George takes with Slim is a physical and literal display of the underlying themes of this book all in one