The Great Depression was a time of hardship for many Americans. Many historians agree that without the interference of World War II, we never would have gotten out of the depression. Many novelists, artists, and musicians have attempted to capture the spirit of these desolate and gloomy days, but perhaps no pieces of art are more successful at this goal than Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This novel was written in 1937 and follows the story of two migrant workers, Lennie and George, who arrive and begin work at a farm in Salinas Valley, California. Lennie has mental issues and George has cared for him for most of the giant’s life. Eventually, George shoots Lennie because he murdered a woman and there are men coming after him. The novel
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His language and word choice is relatively simple, making the book accessible to more people, but they are powerfully specific and very fitting to the story. These descriptive adjectives, nouns, and verbs help to better our comprehension of the entire story as well as specific elements such as the circular plot and foreshadowing. If you recall moments such as the beginning and end of the story with the peaceful tones of the words describing the scene, you will immediately see what I mean. The following quote comes from when Lennie crushes Curley’s hand. “Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror.” The first descriptive phrase, “huge paws,” creates an image of a huge bear, wild and dangerous, which Lennie definitely is. The second phrase, “bleated with terror,” creates the opposite image, one of an innocent, little lamb, scared of a huge monster. Therefore, this quote seems to create a paradox, but in the context of the story it makes perfect sense. Lennie is a monster and an innocent, frightened child at the same time. Physically, he closely resembles an NFL linebacker, but he has the mental age of a preschooler. Diction like this helps us to understand Steinbeck’s purpose in writing the novel, and especially enhances parts of the novel when Steinbeck stresses the hopelessness of Lennie and George’s American Dream, such as when Lennie kills Curley’s
His language and word choice is relatively simple, making the book accessible to more people, but they are powerfully specific and very fitting to the story. These descriptive adjectives, nouns, and verbs help to better our comprehension of the entire story as well as specific elements such as the circular plot and foreshadowing. If you recall moments such as the beginning and end of the story with the peaceful tones of the words describing the scene, you will immediately see what I mean. The following quote comes from when Lennie crushes Curley’s hand. “Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror.” The first descriptive phrase, “huge paws,” creates an image of a huge bear, wild and dangerous, which Lennie definitely is. The second phrase, “bleated with terror,” creates the opposite image, one of an innocent, little lamb, scared of a huge monster. Therefore, this quote seems to create a paradox, but in the context of the story it makes perfect sense. Lennie is a monster and an innocent, frightened child at the same time. Physically, he closely resembles an NFL linebacker, but he has the mental age of a preschooler. Diction like this helps us to understand Steinbeck’s purpose in writing the novel, and especially enhances parts of the novel when Steinbeck stresses the hopelessness of Lennie and George’s American Dream, such as when Lennie kills Curley’s