Depicting a Communist Revolution in Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck, an American communist author during the 1900s, wrote many novels and novellas including Of Mice and Men. During the Great Depression, many people converted from the ideals of capitalism to communism, which is when all people are living equally. The American dream was too far out of reach, but a truly communist society has never been achieved before. Taking place during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men follows the story of Lennie and George. Being cognitively impaired, Lennie travels with and is cared for by his best friend George. As migrant workers in the Salinas River Valley, they try to earn enough money to fulfill their American dream of having their own farm. John
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George is a sharp-minded man who is Lennie’s “keeper” as they work as laborers. At the beginning of Of Mice and Men, the two men are walking to their new job on a ranch when George notices Lennie hiding a dead mouse. As Lennie denies having the mouse, George gets angry and Steinbeck states, “ Lennie held his closed hand away from George’s direction… ‘Give it here!’ Lennie’s closed hand slowly obeyed.” (Steinbeck 5-6). Obeying the command, this shows that George guides and persuades Lennie, like a vanguard urges the working class to rebel. Furthermore, the two friends are working on Curley’s father’s farm. Curley has a Napoleon complex and believes himself to be superior to all of the farm workers. When the workers start making fun of him, he targets Lennie for laughing and then starts a fight. Seeing that Lennie will not fight back unless encouraged, George yells, “ ‘I said get him.’ Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it.” (Steinbeck 63). Only when George pushes Lennie does he obey, therefore, the altercation shows George as a vanguard. Heeding to all of George’s orders, Lennie is representing the proletariat, follows the vanguard’s demand for an uprising contributing to George’s role in a communist …show more content…
Lennie is cognitively impaired, therefore, he has the mind of a child which contradicts his tremendous size. Migrating to their new jobs, Lennie finds a mouse to pet because he likes soft things. George notices that the mouse is dead and Lennie apologetically explains, “I’d pet ‘em and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead.” (Steinbeck 10). Lennie does not know his own strength, therefore, he kills the mouse on account of his huge size and strength. Portrayed as the proletariat, this represents the working class being able to crush the bourgeoisie only they do not know they can until motivated. Furthermore, when Lennie and George start working, the boss’s son Curley starts causing trouble. For example, when the farmhands are joking about Curley and Lennie joins in, Curley automatically sizes him up and attacks. Lennie being told by George to stand up against an assaulting Curley does and grabs his fist. As Lennie crushes his fist, Steinbeck explains, “ The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his closed fist was lost in Lennie’s big hand.” (Steinbeck 63). Lennie is huge, thus, representing the large size of the working class. Finally, he rises against the bourgeoisie and crushes it, bringing upon the revolution. Lennie as the proletariat does not know his own strength and his large size,
George is a sharp-minded man who is Lennie’s “keeper” as they work as laborers. At the beginning of Of Mice and Men, the two men are walking to their new job on a ranch when George notices Lennie hiding a dead mouse. As Lennie denies having the mouse, George gets angry and Steinbeck states, “ Lennie held his closed hand away from George’s direction… ‘Give it here!’ Lennie’s closed hand slowly obeyed.” (Steinbeck 5-6). Obeying the command, this shows that George guides and persuades Lennie, like a vanguard urges the working class to rebel. Furthermore, the two friends are working on Curley’s father’s farm. Curley has a Napoleon complex and believes himself to be superior to all of the farm workers. When the workers start making fun of him, he targets Lennie for laughing and then starts a fight. Seeing that Lennie will not fight back unless encouraged, George yells, “ ‘I said get him.’ Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it.” (Steinbeck 63). Only when George pushes Lennie does he obey, therefore, the altercation shows George as a vanguard. Heeding to all of George’s orders, Lennie is representing the proletariat, follows the vanguard’s demand for an uprising contributing to George’s role in a communist …show more content…
Lennie is cognitively impaired, therefore, he has the mind of a child which contradicts his tremendous size. Migrating to their new jobs, Lennie finds a mouse to pet because he likes soft things. George notices that the mouse is dead and Lennie apologetically explains, “I’d pet ‘em and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead.” (Steinbeck 10). Lennie does not know his own strength, therefore, he kills the mouse on account of his huge size and strength. Portrayed as the proletariat, this represents the working class being able to crush the bourgeoisie only they do not know they can until motivated. Furthermore, when Lennie and George start working, the boss’s son Curley starts causing trouble. For example, when the farmhands are joking about Curley and Lennie joins in, Curley automatically sizes him up and attacks. Lennie being told by George to stand up against an assaulting Curley does and grabs his fist. As Lennie crushes his fist, Steinbeck explains, “ The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his closed fist was lost in Lennie’s big hand.” (Steinbeck 63). Lennie is huge, thus, representing the large size of the working class. Finally, he rises against the bourgeoisie and crushes it, bringing upon the revolution. Lennie as the proletariat does not know his own strength and his large size,