Sainas Riverbank Symbolism

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses symbolism in settings such as the Salinas Riverbank, Crooks’ room and the barn to foreshadow major conflicts in the story as well as to convey loneliness, isolation, dreams and discrimination.
Through the Salinas Riverbank, Steinbeck questions the viability of George and Lennie’s dream and shows how the Salinas Riverbank is free from loneliness in three key moments. The first key moment occurs when the Salinas Riverbank is first introduced. In this moment, Steinbeck uses symbolism in the name of the setting to show how the Salinas Riverbank is free from loneliness. Steinbeck writes, “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.” (18). The Salinas Riverbank being “a few miles south of …show more content…
The second key moment occurs when Steinbeck integrates descriptive language when describing the Salinas Riverbank. In this moment, Steinbeck mentions the Salinas Riverbank like a dream, a place with all the idyllic features one man can ever possess. Steinbeck writes, “The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees.” (18). The Salinas Riverbank being so like a dream under the “golden” hues of the sunset south of Soledad and with the deep water being “warm” and having to “slipped twinkling over the yellow sands”, it depicts the image of light and freedom, the fundamental aspect behind George and Lennie’s dream. The third key moment where the viability of the dream is questioned occurs when George and Lennie “emerge from the path” and enter the opening by the green pool. This moment indicates