An assessment of the first section of the 1992 film

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GCSE English Media Coursework: An assessment of the first section of the 1992 film “Of Mice and Men”, including some comparisons with part one of John Steinbeck’s novel

In section one of the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ written by John Steinbeck, begins with a description of the pool and its surroundings in order to familiarize us with the setting, using poetic imagery to describe the “golden foothill slopes” of the Salinas river valley and the pool on the bank of which “the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them”. Some rabbits sit in the sand. “There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores” leading to the sandy rivers edge. The description conveys an idyllic peace to the scene which is disturbed as the novels two main characters emerge from the woods. The rabbits scurry into the scrubs and a heron flies from the pool before George and Lennie enter the clearing.

George and Lennie are described as physical opposites, George being “small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features” while Lennie is described as a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders, and he walked heavily” but despite the difference in physical appearance John Steinbeck stresses the similarities of dress “Both were dressed in denim. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls”, this suggests that Lennie maybe trying to copy George as he looks up to him and wants to be like him, as also imitates George actions at the river bank.

In the following pages George and Lennie’s conversation and behaviour helps the reader learn that the two are migrant ranch workers, on their way to one job to another. They are going to work on a ranch in Soledad and George makes it clear he is to do all the talking when they arrive; George angrily discovers that Lennie has been concealing a dead mouse (“I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along”) This informs the reader that Lennie likes to pet soft things, which is to be carefully noted in light of future (and past) events, George has beans for dinner and when Lennie childishly sates he likes ketchup with his beans, George gets angry and muses on the life he could live if he wasn’t with Lennie: “I got you! You can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get. Jus’ keep me shovin’ all over the country all the time… You do bad things and I got to get you out”. Through George’s anger we learn about one of the “bad things” which occurred at their last job, in Weed, when Lennie wanted to pet the girls dress because it was pretty and held on when she tried to jerk away. The two had to flee the town in the night as the town people were looking for them, Lennie responds to George’s anger with self-pity and uses a guilt trip, sorrowfully saying that if George doesn’t want him around, he could go off and live in the hills by himself. This softens George into saying that he wants Lennie to stay, so we know these threats are not serious and that George does genuinely like Lennie as a friend. Lennie urges George to tell “about the rabbits”, this is when we are first introduced to the dream that George and Lennie share, that they will get their own piece of land and the money and means by which to live off of it. George describes how he and Lennie are different from other ranchers who drift from town to town, who “don’t belong no place”. Lennie and George are different according to George, because they have future and each other.  One day they will have enough money and “live off the fatta the land”. This shows the reader that George needs Lennie as a Friend so not to be lonely “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you” this shows the loyalty and friendship which exists between George and Lennie, and the dream of a better life. All though George does become angry with Lennie resulting in some tension during this section of the novel, the atmosphere at the end is very peaceful and pleasant leavening the reader to feel positive and happy; this is the same in both the film and the novel.

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The 1992 film version “Of Mice and Men” opens with white on black credits which are simple and stand out clearly. Gradually sound effects of a wagon/train are added and lighting effects are faded in slowly to show the inside of an old fashioned goods wagon. There is also background music which is very atmospheric, building tension. This is followed by a slow fade and a close up shot of a man’s face, which we later come to realize is George, played by Gary Sinise who is also the director. George pensively, sadly sits alone in a railway car, the shadows ...

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