John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men: A Literary Analysis

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Into the Rabbit Hole; A Literary Analysis on John Steinbeck and His Novel, Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck is a world renowned author with over 30 books that have inspired many through his realistic and truthful characters. With more than thousands of copies sold, John Steinbeck is truly an honored and well known author. Of Mice and Men, one of his books, brings attention to our own moralities and social sins through the tough and heartbreaking story of George and Lennie, two men who struggle to survive their cruel reality, which in the end, swallows them whole. Through the influence of his experiences and childhood, John Steinbeck exposes light onto the harsh realities and conflicting morals of the world through the characters and setting…show more content…
was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. He was born into a family of five consisting of his father, mother, and his three sisters. His father, John Ernst Steinbeck, tried his hand at several different jobs to keep his family fed: He owned a feed-and-grain store, managed a flour plant, and served as treasurer of Monterey County. His mother, Olive Hamilton Steinbeck, was a former schoolteacher. For the most part, Steinbeck—who grew up with three sisters—had a happy childhood. He was shy, but smart, and formed an early appreciation for the land, and in particular California's Salinas Valley ("John Steinbeck."). "I think I would like to write the story of this whole valley, of all the little towns and all the farms and ranches in the wilder hills." (National Steinbeck Center."). According to accounts, Steinbeck decided to become a writer at the age of 14, often locking himself in his bedroom to write poems and stories ("John Steinbeck."). "I used to sit in that little room," Steinbeck said during an interview, "and write little stories...and send them out to magazines under a fake name and I never put a return address...I wonder what I was thinking of? I was scared to death to get a rejection slip, but more, to get acceptance." (Valjean,…show more content…
He intentionally used a documentary style for The Grapes of Wrath, the fabular for The Pearl, the picaresque for Tortilla Flat, and so on. Half of Steinbeck's writings present ethnic characters whose identity is in crisis because of the conflict between cultures. Realism, Steinbeck once noted, is the surface form for his interest in psychology and philosophy("John Steinbeck (1902-1968).). Perhaps that's why Steinbeck chose such dynamic characters in Of Mice and Men. The most controversy happens to occur in the last scene if the book where George kills his companion, Lennie, after Lennie had killed a woman only known as "Curley's wife". John Steinbeck often relates back to his own life experiences and, especially, memories to contribute to his books. Much like George, Steinbeck saw men—hundreds of them—following their American dream to a place where they hoped to find a little plot of land, a little piece of paradise to call their own. But instead of paradise, they found themselves breaking their backs and growing old before their time, all so they could earn a few dollars a week at the hands of unrelenting masters. And Steinbeck saw the way their dreams became more hazy, more unrealistic with each passing day (60secondrecap). The problem that George has, is his companion himself. Lennie's mental capability is often debated, as Steinbeck never truly clarified whether Lennie was mentally handicapped or not, though it is heavily
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