Mice and Men Analysis.

The first page of Of Mice and Men cleverly disguises the foreshadowing of its end with descriptive but seemingly insignificant sentences, that when overanalyzed to the extreme, do produce some fascinating information. For example..

"the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green" is a description of George and Lenny.
Green represents fresh abundance. Deep suggests strength of the river. The river is healthy, full of life. George runs deep and Lenny is green. A river symbolizes an economy as it provides transportation, jobs, life, food, aka life.


"slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains" is a description of George and Lenny.
Rocky represents rough and treacherous area. The rocks are a bad, sharp, jagged, dangerous, unstable foundation. Lenny is physically strong. George is mentally strong, more stable. Lenny's foundation is rough, unstable.

"under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp" is the relationship between George and Lenny.
Trees represent stability. Under trees is a location that represents protection, safety, the home of the leaves protected by the trees. The leaves lying deep represents that they are wedged and dependant upon their location. The leaves are crisp, representing freshness, or youth or innocence. George is like the trees because he is stable and protects Lenny, who depends upon his relationship with George because his mind is "young" with ignorance.


"a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway" is the future of George and Lenny.
A path beaten hard represents a rocky, difficult hazard. It was beaten by boys coming from ranches which suggests ignorance being the cause of the difficult danger. And the boys swam which represents their freedom, the freeness, the fluidness, of prevailing ignorance. And the tramps who beat the path were also ignorance causing the hazard. The path is the future of George and Lenny and it is a dangerous path because of ignorance.


"the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it" is the American dream.
A worn smooth limb represents a sitting place, a comfortable position worn by others. It is a comfortable place because of others. George and Lenny strive for the American dream via their goal to live off the fat of the land. This dream, like a comfortable position, has come about from other men.


Ah, the book need not be read past the first couple pages. (But it's still recommended that you do so, because this novel really is much better than its beginning.)

ANALYSIS OF POINT OF VIEW:

In the novel, George's character is displayed by his quotations. They show George is loyal and honest. For example, when speaking of Lennie, he says, "Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie aint no fighter, but Lennie's srong and quick and Lennie don't know no rules." This portrays George's loyalty to Lennie as well as his trustworthiness and that he is willing to be courageous enough to take stands for Lennie. George obviously cares greatly about his companion. George also says, "This guy Curley sounds like a son-of-a-bitch to me. I don't like mean guys." George's honesty is apparent as well as his refusal to try and make any stupid effort to gain the praise of everyone including those he does not like. George is honest when honesty is harsh.

ANALYSIS OF TONE:
Of Mice And Men is a novel whose words point to a tone both of inspiration and despair. The inspiration is apparent in quotes such as "The afternoon sun sliced in through the cracks of the barn walls and lay in bright lines on the hay." This is a very pleasant image as light represents goodness. The vision we imagine from it is quite inspiring. Another quote is "But in the barn it was quiet and humming and lazy and warm." Such an atmosphere is of warmth and happiness and thus inspiration. Despair, however, is revealed in quotes too such as "He went on sorrowfully.....Suddenly his anger rose." This refers to Lennie after accidently killing a pup. These details are very depressing. Lennie then says, "God damn you. Why do you got to get killed? You aint so little as mice." This brutal quote is also very depressing.

THEME:

I am my brother's keeper. True or false?
Whether the above statement is true or false can obviously not be determined from the insight of a single fictional story as no evidence whatsoever in support of it depends upon this story. However, the story does contain such a theme. Lennis is dependant on George in their unfortunate relationship. I say unfortunate for Lennie determines George's fate for his great dependancy upon him and George, of course, controls Lennie's as he is the intelligent and thus seemingly independant one. However, neither can possibly be independant because both at least emotionally are mutualistically dependant. Were it not for Lennie's handicapp, Lennie and George could seperate and spend their individual lives however they desired. But Lennie is unable to function without George's help. George, in turn, depends on Lennie as he is attached to him and feels the need to protect him. This mutualistic dependancy is the very definition of control, or keeping one another.


THEME: