Comparing Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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“I wish to go on living even after my death.” This line is from Anne Frank’s famous diary. She has certainly done so. Her spirit lives on as, decades later, her story continues to appeal to readers. It is definite that the books ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck and ‘Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl’ are classics that have stood the test of time. Of Mice and Men is definitely a classic because of its universal appeal, valid themes, understandable language, effective characters, and representation of the period in which it was written. Many of the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’ suffer from desperate isolation and loneliness. George confesses “Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world.” As the only black man in the ranch, Crooks is mistreated by other men in the barn. He spends most of his time in his room, with only books as companionship. Curley's wife; the only female on the ranch, is also lonely. Her husband has forbidden anyone to talk with her. She combats her loneliness and isolation by flirting with the men on the ranch. The themes of loneliness and isolation remain valid to modern readers and relate to the human condition, which makes ‘Of Mice and Men’ a classic. Another major theme in ‘Of Mice and Men’ is dreams. The characters overcome their troubles by…show more content…
Although she is living in unusual circumstances, her experiences are universal to teenagers today. She fights with the other people living in the annexe, contemplates changes in herself, feels misunderstood, feels mistreated, and falls in love. Anne writes “Sometimes I wonder if anyone will ever understand what I mean, if anyone will ever overlook my ingratitude and not worry about whether or not I’m Jewish and merely see me as a teenager badly in need of some good plain fun.” All readers can see a part of themselves in Anne. She’s just like all of us, even if she is hiding from the Nazis during her teen
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