How Does John Steinbeck Present the Theme of Violence in...

How does Steinbeck present the theme of violence in ‘Of Mice and Men’? John Steinbeck’s short novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ presents the desolate nature of 1930s America, in particular Soledad, close to where Steinbeck himself grew up and worked during this time. Notably, Steinbeck focuses on the life of migrant workers who were forced to travel from ranch to ranch in search of work as a result of the simultaneous occurring disasters ‘The Great Depression’ and ‘The Dustbowl’. Due to the economic crisis, the percentage of unemployment rose and money became increasingly tight so violence became a cheap form of entertainment for the men of America, the mentality becoming very much ‘every man for himself’ which created a hostile environment,†¦show more content†¦Another poignant character for the theme of violence is Carlson who perhaps epitomises the violent men of 1930s America. He appears unconcerned about shooting Candy’s dog and even callously cleans his gun in front of Candy before s hooting the dog for him, ‘I’ll shoot him for you’ this gives the impression that Carlson is a sadist who takes pleasure in violence perhaps as a result of the monotonous life where entertainment was scarce . When he hears that Curley is looking for Slim he immediately jumps in ‘I’d like to see the fun if it kicks off’ giving the impression he is keen to join the violence. Furthermore, at the end of the novel he is excited by the thought of chasing Lennie down to kill him ‘I’ll get my Luger’ demonstrating how he sees killing as a game and does not care much for the consequences. During the novel we see two main types of violence, needless, intentional violence and unintentional violence. Whereas both Curley and Carlson contribute largely to intentional violence, Lennie possesses no self-control and undoubtedly is unintentional in any acts of violence. Throughout the climactic scene in the bunkhouse, Lennie does not even think to defend himself against Curley’s persistent attacks, ‘make ‘em stop George’ this suggests that although Lennie is the biggest and strongest of all the men on the ranch, he is mentally weak and perhaps is not at all a violent person, despite his appearance. It’s only when GeorgeShow MoreRelatedJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men2167 Words   |  9 Pagesjobs. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie Small wander through California in search of a new job that would help them make enough money to live their American dream on â€Å"the fatta the lan’†(Steinbeck 14). George and Lennie’s hard work and determination is not enough for them to live their dream. Lennie has a mental disability that slows the two friends down from living their dream; they have to run from job to job because of Lennie’s unintentional actions. Steinbeck incorporatesRead MoreExplore the Way the Writer Presents the Relationship Between George and Lennie in of Mice and Men3909 Words   |  16 Pageswriter presents the relationship between George and Lennie in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† Of Mice and Men was written in the 1937 by John Steinbeck, he other well know books as the Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, h also received a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. This book is set in the 1930s and set in California, his home region. During this time, the USA was suffering from a great depression, this meant that it was hard to find job because the economy was very weak, so to find job the men were disposedRead MoreSummary Of Of Mice And Men Essay2240 Words   |  9 Pages20 May 2016 Of Mice and Men Ap Book Report 1. Title of Work: Of Mice and Men 2. Author and Date Written: The book â€Å"Of Mice and Men† was written in 1937 by John Steinbeck, which was during the Great Depression in the 1930s. The Great Depression caused many to lose their jobs and their homes in a short period of time. Few were rich during this time and those who had no money starved. Approximately 25% of people during the Great Depression had no jobs. The time period that John Steinbeck grown up in wasRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1296 Words   |  6 Pages‘What freedom men and women could have, were they not constantly tricked and trapped and enslaved and tortured by their sexuality’ – John Steinbeck illustrated that in this male dominated society women were prevented to bring to the table that which would have benefited all. ‘Of Mice and Men’ written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck in 1937, was set around the time of The Great Depression; a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of theRead MoreHow Curleys wife is presented in Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck2118 Words   |  9 PagesExplore the ways one or two minor characters are presented in the text â€Å"Of Mice and Men† â€Å"I never get to talk to nobody† – Curley’s Wife Of mice and men is a novella set in the 1930s. It is based on the theme of dreams and how they are crushed, amongst others. This book also gives an insight into the lives of men and women on ranch in America during the depression. Women pot the right to vote in the late 1920s, but during the depression, people lost interest in the women’s rights. There was a