“The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him”
This immediately shows us that George is in control of Lennie, which relates to nature as many creatures have power over others. This theme of power runs throughout the book, and we can see throughout that George is in charge of Lennie.
When Lennie and George are introduced to the story Steinbeck gives them many animals like characteristics, like “small and quick” “large pale eyes”, “wide sloping shoulders”. He may use this technique to show the audience that humans and animals are alike and are equal in nature. This relates to the theme of nature as Steinbeck used animal characteristics to illustrate the men.
Lennie seems to like nature and animals, as he talks about them a lot.
“I remember about the rabbits, George”
The shows the audience that lennie is very close the nature and respects it. Steinbeck may also want to show us that lennie is part of nature and is at one with nature. On the other hand he can’t help but destroy it.
Through many parts of the book Lennie unintentionally kills animals of nature.
“Uh-uh. Jus’ a dead mouse, George. I didn’ kill it. Honest! I found it dead”
This shows the audience that lennie cant help but disrupt nature. He starts of killing a mouse, then a puppy then a human. This growth of destruction grows throughout the book and may symbolise mans destruction to nature is growing. Steinbeck wants to show us that lennie doesn’t care that the mouse is dead; he just wants something to care for and love. This shows the audience Lennies feminine side, which relates to nature.
Lennie refers to being one at nature and he believes he can survive on his own.
“Well I could. I could go off in the hills there. Some place I’d find a cave”
This shows the audience that lennie believes he can be independent and survive on his own. This relates to nature, as animals have survival quality to be able to live. Lennie also seems Bear like as he talks about finding a cave. This creates an image to the audience of lennie living like a bear in the caves.
George has a fiery temper and often, lennie does get too much for him. He also swears a lot at lennie and refers to him as a “bastard” many times throughout the book.
“Jesus Christ, you’re a crazy bastard”
By showing that George has a short temper relates him to an animal, as he lashes out a lot. This relates to nature as George is given animal characteristics.
Lennie looks up to George a lot; Steinbeck shows the audience this through using phrases like “look, George. Look what I done” and “imitated George a lot”.
Contrasted to these two characters is Lennie, who almost seems a part of the natural world as he is described in animal terms.
Lennie and George almost seems part of the natural world as he is describes
Them in animal terms. In contrast to these 2 characters are Candy and Crooks are both deformed or unnatural in appearance
“being a stable buck and a cripple” ,“and out of the sleeve came a round stick-like wrist, but no hand.”
These two quotes are describing Crooks, as a cripple because of his broken spine, and Candy because he has no hand. This is significant as it shows that they are deformed which relates to nature, as they are unnatural. This shows the audience a broken theme. Crooks is a very good representation of a victim of one of the worst qualities in humans – racism. He also represents how some people may react to such mistreatment. He shows how the cruelty to victims can change them and cause them to feel lonely and sometimes angry in Crooks’ case. Racism relates to nature as it is unnatural as it makes people feel alienated and below others.
Candy is an old man with no hand, who works on the ranch. Candy’s dog is used to describe candy and his life.
“Got no teeth, damn near blind, can’t eat. Candy feeds him milk. He can’t chew nothing else”
Candy’s dog is used as a metaphor for candy, as he is seen as useless, and old. This relates to nature, as humans are very cruel and pick of the weaker animal, like a pack of wolves.
Steinbeck uses the character Slim to represent a man who has only the admirable qualities of human nature and seems to possess absolutely no unworthy traits whatsoever. John Steinbeck shows the ideal man who respects and is respected greatly in return. He is known as ‘the prince of the ranch’ suggesting that he has skill above all the other men in the ranch and able to do things others could not. He can ‘kill a fly on the wheeler’s butt with a bull whip without touching the mule.’ This shows his precision and skill on the ranch supporting his title as the ‘prince of the ranch’. Furthermore, John Steinbeck shows how Slim is a born leader.
Curley is used in the novel as the complete opposite to Slim. He is nearly everything bad a person could be. He is the character who represents some of the most horrible qualities in human nature. He shows how violent and difficult people can be. He deliberately causes trouble and tries to find any reason to be angry with anyone. Steinbeck uses him almost as the enemy of the story, he is full of fury and like a vicious animal.
“Then Curley’s rage exploded”
This shows he has a angry temper, and also is described as a “dirty little rat” when he fights as he is a dirty fighter, as he is being describes as a rat is significant as a rat is a rodent, who is a dirty and nasty creature just like Curley.
This links onto Curley’s wife. She is shown as Curley’s possession, and she is only known as “Curleys wife” throughout the novel.
“You mean Curleys wife
She is not seen as wife, but a possession, she is deprived of name and deprived of freedom. This is very unnatural as she is like a pet to Curley.
The men especially are very wary of her, when she introduced she’s described as having “full, roughed lips” and having “red fingernails. This shows the audience danger, as in nature the colour red is a sign of danger,
Ironically George describes her as a rattrap.
“Cause she’s a rat if I ever seen one”
This is ironic as her husband is described as a rat, this relates to nature, as it shows that Curley is her prey and she is a predator. But in fact I believe Lennie is also like a rat as she draws him in and traps him in to talk to her. This shows the audience that she is a untrustworthy character.
By using the characters and setting Steinbeck has successfully shown the theme of nature throughout the story.
By Sarah Dawson 11V4
