Literary Elements

John Steinback writes the novel Of Mice and Men to enlighten others of struggles going on with their fellow citizens all working towards their own American Dream. During this time the American Dream differed because people worked towards gaining land and freedom which contrasts with the wants of materialistic items of today.

The author has a negative tone towards the novel because in the end his characters do not acquire their dreams which they were striving for. This relates to the harsh reality of the American Dreams today. Also, the characters in the novel all have a lot of conflict not only with others, but internally as well. They fight to achieve their personal goals, but in the end they end up failing because they were resistant towards accepting help.

While reading this novel, the reader may be shocked by the actions taken by George because of his inability to succeed and his murdering Lennie. It is difficult for the reader to comprehend such cruelty between friends. It is an uncomfortable story to read, but it is quite true because it is a life lesson because a lot of the time you have to watch out for yourself without the dependence of another.

The author uses improper language and syntax to express the characters and their situations. The specific syntax can be known as "southern" slang because this is the setting of the novel. Some examples are "ya", "Sat'day", and "coulda".

Steinbeck uses symbolism throughout the novel. One form of symbolism was the mouse that Lennie found and kept in his pocket, which he eventually crushed to death. The mouse can be seen as the dreams of the characters, small but always kept close by. Also like their dreams, they are destroyed in the end, just like the mouse itself.

There is also conflict found within Of Mice and Men, more specifically, the conflict of Man versus Society. Lennie and George fight against the way society has placed them, at the bottom with the worst jobs. The two want to rise above and defeat the stereotypical role they are suppose to play.

Vivid imagery is used as well, especially in the beginning of the novel where the setting is being described. For example it says, "...willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter's flooding..."(1). The imagery allows the readers to clearly see where the characters are and what is happening in the scene.