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Comparison Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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John Steinbeck, a highly skilled and thoughtful writer, crafts each of his stories in an individualized way to best convey his profound messages. He writes each story with a different purpose in mind, and thus manipulates the literary elements to construct a powerful tale, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. Both Travels with Charley and Of Mice and Men share some striking similarities, including the power dynamics between a dominant leader and his submissive follower, but ultimately Steinbeck utilizes a unique narrative structure for both works to fulfill his message, giving Of Mice and Men a structure designed for a work of fiction to analyze the nature of human interactions and giving Travels with Charley a structure designed for …show more content…

Of Mice and Men is a piece of fiction set during the dust bowl, and through a very somber tone, examines humans interactions, the effects of loneliness, and the ethics of euthanasia. The setting completely differs from the one found in Travels with Charley; “a few miles south of Soledad” (Of Mice and Men 1), or solitude or loneliness in English, George and Lenny attempt to achieve their dreams of owning “a little place” with “a house an’ a garden and a place for the rabbits” (Of Mice and Men 89), until Lenny tragically and accidentally strangles Curley’s wife and George must euthanize Lenny in order to preserve his innocence and to save him from the humiliation and agony of facing the wrath of Curley. Telling the reader in the very first sentence of the novel that the story takes place near Soledad immediately sets the tone of the novel and foreshadows impending conflict. Steinbeck ends Of Mice and Men similar to how starts the story; the novel begins in a tranquil and undisturbed natural haven until George scolds Lenny for drinking too much water while the novel ends in an equally serene “deep green pool” (Of Mice and Men 99) near the Salinas River until George euthanizes Lenny for killing Curley’s wife. The parallel setting provides a sense of closure to the novel and allows Steinbeck to fully convey his

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