Of Mice and Men free essay sample

Of Mice and Men chooses to add and remove scenes to emphasize particular themes. He uses cinema graphic techniques to replace the objective third person narrator but maintains the dialogue to effectively confront the responder with Steinbeck’s concern relating to the need for companionship and understanding. Sinise uses imagery development in the novel to explore friendship, loneliness, and sacrifice in the context of the 1930’s rural California during the Great Depression. Garry Sinise interprets the novel version of Mice and Men through his choice to add and remove scenes. This emphasizes the movie so that the audience will feel emotionally attached to the character and creating a deeper understanding of the plot. A critical scene that has been added to the film is the long shot of candy all alone sweeping the ground in overcast skies after his dog was shot. The overcast sky symbolizes the loneliness of candy and his feelings of loss. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Mice and Men or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This gives a sense of foreboding to the views of his sadness and that maybe something will go wrong. Also the ending long shot of Lenny and George down at the river, after George kills Lenny. In the novella Steinbeck writes that â€Å"the boys† come down to the river to find them however in the film it’s simply George alone. The removal of this scene portrays the shooting being more of a personal matter between George and Lenny. The audience also reflects back to the comment made by candy where he said he should have put his dog down and not left it for someone else to do. The audition and removal of this scene creates a dramatic feeling in the film and allows us to see the close bond George and Lenny shared. However Sinise’s specific film techniques and camera angles show dramatic emphasis on certain sections of the film. Sinise chooses to use a point of view camera angle in the opening scene of the film to create a feeling for the viewers so the audience sees is what the character sees. Close up shots are used to allow the audience to feel the emotions of the character and the close bond they share. For example when George and Lenny are at the river during the start of the film and also whenever they where fighting it was a close up shot of both their heads together. This symbolizes their bond when together and their differences when fighting and apart. The audience gets a hint into the loneliness that migrant workers feel and how most men traveled alone. Sinise’s use of film techniques and camera angles creates a deeper understanding of each character and there life led during the great depression of the 1930’s. Also Sinise uses available imagery of film to create a well thought out foreshadowing and contrast of the characters. When Lenny kills the white puppy, Curley’s wife is wearing a white dress, which is the only time in the film she wears white. This foreshadows that Curley’s wife is represented as a larger puppy to Lenny. This symbolizes they both have the same fate. In the same scene when Lenny kills Curley’s wife a white bird flies out of the barn, this symbolizes they are going to heaven. Lenny runs away and will soon go to heaven too. Through Sinise’s imagery the audience is preparing for the death of Lenny to come and gain an understanding of what is to come. Therefore Sinise’s interpretation of John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men Garry to visually confront the responder with both the possiblitities offered by human understanding and the sorrow of its loss. However the films final shots of Lennie and George walking down the road lessens the tradedy of Steinbeck’s ending. Of Mice and Men free essay sample The American Dream is a dream of a land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller and with opportunity for each. It is a dream of social order in which each man and woman should be able to achieve the fullest rank of which they are capable of, and be recognized for what they are, regardless of the circumstances of birth or position. Of Mice and Men takes place in the 1930s of America during the Great Depression. The American dream is a significant motif in Steinbecks Of Mice and Men both Lennie and George stay optimistic about achieving the dream, ‘We’d have plenty of rabbits. George says this to Lennie to keep his spirits up for the future. George says ‘We’d’ which is future tense and the future tense gives him the motivation to attain the dream. . Nevertheless, the dream is never fulfilled, and the characters who have counted on it are the ones who are the most devastated. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Mice and Men or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Slims comfort at the end You hadda George, indicates the sad truth that one has to surrender ones dreams in order to survive. The characters with the highest status and power don’t seem to rely on the American dream as much as the characters with a lower status. From the descriptions of the characters, we see from the start who has a higher status and who would be valued more on the ranch. When slim is first mentioned to George and Lennie Candy talks very highly of him. â€Å"Hell of a nice fella. Slim don’t need to wear no high-heeled boots on a grain team† This being said about Slim from someone who works under him, shows that Slim is respected. He doesn’t have to wear â€Å"high-heeled boots† in order to get authority. He already has it, and the respect of the men. The second physical description of Slim is the first time George and Lennie see him. Tall man stood in the doorway. He held a crushed Stetson hat under his arm while he combed his long, black, damp hair straight back. . . .When he had finished combing his hair he moved into the room, and he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen. He was a jerkline skinner, the prince of the ranch’ His height is mentioned which can b e a representation of his status on the ranch. ‘He combed his long, black, damp hair straight back’ this shows that he is well groomed and cares about his outer appearance. This also gives the reader a sense of what he looks like. Steinbeck says ‘he moved with a majesty†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ this shows that he moves with the experience of a skilled worker. Slim doesn’t demand respect but is given it this is different in another one of the high ranking character. Curley, the boss son, is an evil character in Steinbecks world. Even Lennie feels the sense of menace when Curley first comes into the bunkhouse. ‘Like the boss he wore high-heeled boots’ this gives Curley more power because since he is the boss’ son he can’t be fired. Curley always has to pick on people who seem weaker than him so he can have the upper-hand. He is very wary of people and will quickly pick out the weakest. When approaching Lennie ‘Curley stepped gingerly close to him. ’ Curley is cautious but seems to miss out on important details because of his obsession with fighting. Steinbeck shows the power and status of some of the characters by what other characters think about them. Candy is the first to inform us of some of the members on the ranch, he warns George and Lennie about Curley. Candy says ‘He’s done quite a bit in the ring. ’ Candy says this as a warning about Curley’s potential violence. Steinbeck may have been telling the reader from the start that Curley was going to be looking for a fight. Obviously Candy was trying to advise them to stay away from Curley perhaps from past experiences. Curley never wants to play fair ‘Curley don’t take chances, he always wins’ he doesn’t play by the rules and will go to whatever lengths to get what he wants. He believes that because he is the boss’ son he is untouchable. When speaking to George and Lennie he addresses Lennie but Lennie was told not to speak by George and George steps in to answer for him. Curley then says ‘he’s got to talk when he’s spoke to. ’ Curley sees this as a sign of disrespect and he believes because of the power he has he can demand that kind of respect he thinks he deserves. Curley’s own wife says he’s ‘not a nice fella. ’ This shows that there is probably own 1 person on the ranch that likes him and that is the boss. Slim is a man who is gifted with charm and a god-like persona. Candy talks about him with great admiration ‘Slim’s a jerkline skinner. Hell of a nice fella’ His fellow workers seem to have a good relationship with him and seem to idolise him. The physical and personality characteristics of Slim epitomize an ideal leader. However Slim is very mysterious he is talked about with so much worship but we never really get to know him. ‘No one knows what Slim can do’ this means like the god-like figure he is portrayed to be nobody knows where his powers reach and what he is capable of. Curley and Slim are 2 important characters who are very different. Slim has an acquired status. He has gained his power by how he acts and the hard work he does. The other works on the ranch look up to him. They see him as their leader. When Candy informs George and Lennie about him he talks about the fact that Slim doesn’t ‘need’ or want to wear expensive or trendy clothes to show people how remarkable he is. Slim works hard and that is what separates him from the boss, who doesn’t work and wears the expensive items. In the sad situation of Candy’s dog having to be shot by Carlson, Slim takes charge. Even though Carlson was the one who was adamant about the idea he still allowed Slim to lead the operation. Steinbeck highlights the point by saying ‘Carlson stepped back and let Slim precede him’ this shows the relationship between Slim and Carlson. Carlson knows hi place on the ranch. All of this goes back to the God-like description of Slim and he lived up to his expectations. Slim has a lot of power and influences the ranch workers in a big way but he sets good examples as a leader. Even Curley doesn’t want to get on Slim’s bad side ‘Well I didn’t mean nothing, Slim. I just ast you’ It seems like Curley doesn’t want Slim to be angry at him and seems to beg for forgiveness. Curley is the opposite of Slim in a lot of ways. Curley didn’t earn his power he was given his power because he is the bosses son. Curley wears one work glove which is filled with Vaseline. Steinbeck uses the work glove to suggest that Curley may be in 2 worlds. He is out all day like the work men but not necessarily doing any work. He is mostly out chasing his wife. He has created a reputation for himself, spreading like secret about the ‘Glove fulla Vaseline’ which shows disrespect for his by believing he can do what he wants with her and then gossip about It later. What Candy has told George about Curley has set him up for very low expectations. It is said ‘Curley is cockier’n ever since he got married. ’ This shows that he thinks he is better than everyone just because he has a woman. He see’s woman as objects like trophies to be won and shown off. He is a very egotistical and aggressive man. Lennie laughs (unintentionally) when Curley is angry and Curley instantly has to get aggressive. He is worried about his reputation being harmed by Lennie laughing at him ‘No son-of a bitch is gonna laugh at me’ so he resorted to violence as to not harm his ego. Of Mice and Men free essay sample In the novella ‘of mice and men’ by John Steinbeck written in 1973, seats in the era of human history known as the Great depression in the 1930’s when Black Americans are marginalized by the white which make them have difficulties in getting jobs. Crooks, the only black American in the group is being disregarded because of his skin color â€Å"Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed little that leaned off the wall of the barn† (Steinbeck, 67). In this novel, Crooks words to Lennie about loneliness reinforces two themes within the novel which is discrimination and racism. There is a lot of racial prejudice shown in Of Mice and Men towards Crooks, â€Å"the black and crippled stable buck† (Steinbeck, 66-67). The author, John Steinbeck illustrates racism by the punitive words of Curley’s wife when she states, â€Å"Listen Nigger, she said. You know what I can do to you if you open your trap? Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew to himself. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Mice and Men or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She closed on him. You know what I could do? Crooks seemed to grow smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. Yes, ma’am. Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny. †(Steinbeck 80-81) The loneliest person on the ranch is Crooks, he suffers from extreme loneliness because of his race, black. He lives alone because none of the men want to make friends with him. He does not take part in any of the social activities in the ranch and he is left out completely. In order to give pictures to Lennie of how unfortunate and miserable his life has been, he gives Lennie a little heartfelt speech. â€Å"Spose you didnt have nobody. Spose you couldnt go into the bunk house and play rummy cause you was black. Howd you like that? Spose you had to sit out here an read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books aint no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. Dont make no difference who the guy is, longs hes with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick† (Steinbeck, 72) . This shows that he really is desperate and he needs someone to be his friend. He is at a point where he is emotionally torture and really sick of it . He desperately needs someone to talk to and also for company. When Lennie comes over into his room, he doesn’t even care if Lennie listens to him he just eventually talks about his feelings. In a conclusion, Crooks contributes to the central theme of racism and discrimination in this short novella Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck illustrates the loneliness of ranch life in the 1930 and show how Black American are driven to try and fight for friendship in order to escape from loneliness. â€Å"Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me† (Steinbeck, 68) Crooks wants Lennie to notice that the separation from the other men because of his race is painful. He also wants Lennie to know that people treat him unfairly just because of his skin color is black. Crooks words on loneliness eventually reinforces two themes within the novel, discrimination and racism. Of Mice and Men free essay sample The novella also explores many social attitudes during this era. One of the workers on the ranch in the novella is Slim who is a jerkline skinner. Steinbeck uses Slim’s character in many different ways. â€Å"He is the god like and moved with majesty† people admire him. Lots of people respect him, more than Curley. Curley is given a high social status as he is the boss’s son. Slim is a jerkline skinner. Yet he still has a higher social status due to his personality. In this way Steinbeck uses him as a voice to portray the futile idea of aristocracy and the influence it has over society. Slim wins our hearts with her personality in which Steinbeck a bestowed on him. â€Å"There was a gravity in his manner†¦ all talk stopped when he spoke. † The use of the word gravity implies Slims significance on the ranch. Gravity is the strong force that keeps all the planets together. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Mice and Men or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This contrasts to Slims good relationship with the members on the ranch and his importance. Yet Curley is given the power, but even he listens to Slim after his fight. He connotes the cruel, harsh, injustice world where money creates the foundation of your image in society not the personality. Steinbeck also uses Slim as a symbol of the theme of masculinity in society. The reputation of 1920s America men was built upon the superficial idea of physical strength and ability. Steinbeck presents Curley with the ideal physical strength required in every stereotypical man. â€Å"He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with the big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at ‘em because he ain’t a big guy†. The introduction to Curley emphasises on his short temper and ability to fight. Immediately we are suspicious of Curley’s actions as the plot progresses. This suspicion is proved when Curley wants to shot Lennie after his wife’s death. â€Å"Curley’s gonna wanna shoot ‘him†. We know he will be the downfall of our protagonists George and Lennie. By making Curley the antagonist, Steinbeck is questioning whether society should base personality on these petty stereotypes. When Curley fights with Lennie, he does not tell anyone to protect with dignity. This contrast to Slim: â€Å"His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer. The simile of the temple dancer ontrasts with the size of his hands. By a comparison with a slightly feminine quality despite his talents, Steinbeck shows how vain the idea of masculinity was. Both Slim and Curley has the masculine side, however as the reader we respect Slim more not because of his masculine strength but through his way treating others and his idyllic personality. If masculinity was more significant, Curley would not be the antagonist. Slim also breaks the social boundaries of 1930s America through his treatment of others and inability to follow the prejudice and injustice emphasised in the novella. One way in which this is shown is through is through his relationship with Crooks. Racism was one of the main social issues in 1930s America and Steinbeck also portrays it as a theme in the novella. Due to racism, Crooks is isolated from the rest of the ranch workers who are white. He lives with the horses and is bitter also â€Å"proud and aloof† due to him being a social outcast. We articulate this from his tone when he is talking to Lennie: â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me†. This tone is also used when speaking to Curley’s wife and Candy. However when he speaks to Slim it is completely juxtaposed: â€Å"‘Mr Slim. ’ Slim took his eyes away from old Candy. ‘Huh? Oh! Hello Crooks. What’s a matter? † The effect of using â€Å"Mr† infers politeness, something Crooks only uses to address Slim. Slim is the only person to refer to Crooks by his name rather than â€Å"Stable Buck† or the offensive term of â€Å"nigger†. This shows that Slim has a good moral which creates good relationships with the ranch workers. Slim’s good nature towards Crooks causes Crooks to respect Slim. This shows that what Crooks dreams of is very simple; respect and rights. Steinbeck shows how treatment of others influences everyday life and personality. By avoiding society’s social sterotypes, Slim’s character is accentuated o the reader. Slim is still highly respected despite avoiding stereotypes. Due to Slim’s good treatment of others and good morals, this causes him to interact with George and Lennie easily and resulting in him understanding the tragedy at the end. â€Å"You wouldn’t tell? No, ‘course you wouldn† George wastes no time into trusting Slim’s good character. He tells Slim of the incident in Weed and of Lennie’s character. He risks losing his job by confiding in Slim, knowing if Slim tells it would be sacked due to Lennie. Jobs were very rare in the Great Depression and they staked their lives for it. Despite this risk, Slim understands George and instead of telling and putting them at risk, he gives Lennie a puppy keeping him happy and joyful. The rest of the ranch workers are hostile towards Lennie due his child-like personality and not fulfilling the stereotypical man. When George shoots Lennie, Slim says: â€Å"You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me. George shoots Lennie out of an act of mercy; Lennie’s death is a paradox of being cruel to be kind. Slim’s confrontation and ability to understand people means he understands Lennie’s weakness. He therefore understands why George did it. â€Å"But Curley’s gonna wanna shoot ‘im. Curley’s still made about his hand. An’ suppose they lock him up an’ strap him down and put him in a cag e†. Slim knows that Lennie won’t survive prison. George kills Lennie out of mercy killing whereas Curley would kill him out of spite and revenge. Both Slim and George know that Lennie doesn’t deserve a cruel death. This event links with the death of the extra puppies and Candy’s dog. Slims knows that the dog was a liability and would be better off dead than suffering and the puppies would die out of hunger anyway. This shows his ability to think practically as well as understanding. In conclusion, despite Slim being the idyllic character due to his kind nature and personality, Steinbeck also shows that even Slim lives a harsh life. !930s America and the depression were cruel times. The dangers of farm work are shown from Candy and Crooks’s disability, this harsh life is also shown through his practical understanding in the novella.