Steinbeck cleverly uses all three themes to bring his bright and realistic characters to life. Consequently the reader immediately builds up a dislike for Curley when he is portrayed (represent) as a small arrogant bully, always looking for a "scrap". Candy shows his contempt (disrespect) for Curley when he speaks to George immediately after Lennie's first meeting with Curley.
Candy warns George and Lennie of Curley's prejudice towards big people and of his eagerness (excitement) to pick "scraps” (bit and pieces) with anyone taller than himself. As a result the theme of prejudice is built upon by the author when he illustrates Curley's prejudice against Lennie, simply because he is taller. This is further highlighted when Curley bully's Lennie into fighting him:
"Come on, ya big bastard".
"No big son-of-a-bitch is goanna laugh at me".
The emotive language and also the harsh alliteration of the "b" sound used by the author show Curley's hatred for Lennie. This highlight the destroy, jealousy and hatred felt by Curley for people that are bigger than him.
On the other hand the reader initially has sympathy for Lennie, a huge man with the mind of a child, who is portrayed as a gentle giant. Steinbeck uses the character Slim to plea (appeal/request) to the reader that Lennie is a not an evil man.
Slim, known as the "leader" of the ranch, declares his feelings towards Lennie. Consequently the reader is left in no doubt that Lennie's actions are not deliberate. Despite this the reader is still intimidated(frightened) by Lennie as Steinbeck uses the image of a "big", strong man and compares his image to that of a large white bear when describing Lennie:
"A huge man...........with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders.........dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws The image of this large and potentially destructive creature imposes tension and helps the reader to visualise the commanding figure of Lennie.
In addition to these three themes Steinbeck uses the settings throughout the novel to reflect what is happening to the two main characters, George and Lennie. At the outset the writer conveys (communicate) a positive image through the setting: The long and descriptive sentences at the beginning and end of the novel are used by Steinbeck to portray the natural tranquillity (coolness) of the wilds. In contrast (distinguish) the settings used in the rest of the story are contained within the ranch and express a restrictive (uncertain) mood:
"The bunkhouse was a long rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small square windows, and in the forth a solid door with a wooden latch".
From the above the reader is shown the harsh sharpness of the bunkhouse by its description, "long rectangular building. …the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted". This is a combination with chapter one, with the long and detailed sentences of the first chapter a complete contrast to the short and simple sentences in chapter two. Steinbeck uses the two settings to illustrate what is about to happen to the main characters, George and Lennie. In chapters one and six George and Lennie are free in a beautiful setting. Whereas evil events happen while they are in the nasty setting of the ranch.
The story revolves around several main incidents, the first of which is the late arrival of George and Lennie at the ranch which gives the reader an early indication that things were not going to go well for them. This is when Curley arrives in the bunkhouse and stares angrily threateningly at George and Lennie:
"He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie
It is obvious from the above the Curley is looking for a "piece" and clearly does not like George and Lennie.
In contrast when George and Lennie meet Curley's wife for the first time Lennie immediately becomes interested in her:
"Lennie watched her, fascinated.
Steinbeck uses Lennie's interest for soft living creatures to build on Lennie's obsession for Curley's wife. This is a visionary image created by the author to warn of what is to come. As the tension between Curley and Lennie rises, Curley push Lennie into fighting him and only in an attempt to stop Curley punching him does Lennie grab hold of Curley's hand and crush it. Also the author brings together all the outsiders, including Curley's wife, in Crooks' room. As she stands talking to the ranch workers she shows her unfairness towards them: "Stand-in' here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs - a Niger an' a dum-dum and a lousy ol' sheep - an' liking it because they isn’t nobody else".
The author uses emotive language to illustrate that the outsiders accept being spoken to in a vital way, even by a fellow (guys) outsiders.
When Lennie accidentally kills the puppy the reader is aware to Lennie's wild strength. However, Lennie is still not learned of his strength and when he begins to shake Curley's wife he is unaware that he has killed her too until she fall down down:
"Her body flopped like a fish"...
Steinbeck uses an animal image to represent the weakness of Curley's wife.
As the novel comes to a best moment George kills Lennie to save him from the public humiliation that Curley would subject him to.
Reading this book has given me an insight into the way in which society treats some people as outsider. In my opinion this is the main reason that Steinbeck chose to write this novel.
Date: 15.12.2003
Complete by Zobaid kohestani
Year 11 purple houses
