Friendship, Life, and Nature: Of Mice and Men Essay -- literary Analys

John Steinbeck is an author that creates an illusion of life in animalistic terms. Throughout the course of the novella, animal characteristics are given to the character Lennie. The author compares the character to an animal along with explaining the physicality and interactive movement of the character. â€Å"These are made acceptable and indeed moving because of the genuine sweetness on feels in Steinbeck’s nature and because he sees these human beings as being at least as dignified as animals† (Allen 325). Human beings have instincts and behaviors that are similar to animals. Steinbeck’s personal interest of humans portray under the living qualities of animals. â€Å"Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Steinbeck 3). Steinbeck compares Lennie to a large animal in physical terms. Lennie’s hand represents the paw of the large animal. Overall, Steinbeck’s style of writing illustrates the lives of two men during the Great Depressi on and the strong connection of friendship they share through a struggle of life and the nature of being human. Protection of a friend depicts the American theme of two male counterparts. George watches over Lennie in protection of his safety and innocence. Taking the role of caring for Lennie after his Aunt Clara, George has to lead both himself and Lennie to their future destination. â€Å"†Hide till I come for you. Don’t let nobody see you. Hide in the brush by the river†Ã¢â‚¬  (Steinbeck 30). Consequently, George needs to monitor Lennie and keep him safe from peril. The George’ words reflect his feelings of dominance and protection over Lennie. George also protects Lennie from losing opportunities in the work force. â€Å"† Then why don’t you let him answer? What you trying to put over?†Ã¢â‚¬  (Steinbeck 22). George will a... ...he bond between George and Lennie, which goes back many years, is different† (â€Å"Themes and Construction: Of Mice and Men.† Exploring Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center- Gold. Web. 26 Apr. 2010). Loneliness, class conflicts and Lennie’s mental disability describes the obstacles one may come across in life. Moreover, the nature of human instinct and behavior creates the backbone of the Steinbeck’s form of writing. â€Å" The novel is replete with references to traps and entrapment, and the frequent use of animal imagery serves as a point of comparison for understanding the emotional states of human characters within the work† (Beachman 3024). Survival of the fittest is influenced by both animal and human. John Steinbeck displays the role of a man’s life during the Great Depression and how extraordinary traits can lead to adverse event of what is to come.