Of Mice and Men Key Themes

Study Notes

The Predatory Nature of Human Existence

Characters such as George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife exhibit deep feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Each character yearns for companionship but often settles for superficial interactions with strangers.
Curley's wife's admission of an unhappy marriage highlights her isolation, while Crooks emphasizes the necessity of companionship during vulnerable times.
Crooks, despite his own vulnerabilities, targets Lennie’s weaknesses by criticizing his dreams.

Fraternity and the Idealized Male Friendship

The tragic ending of George and Lennie's friendship signifies a loss of shared dreams and aspirations.
The dream of owning a farm captivates other characters, highlighting their desire for connection and belonging.
Brotherhood and mutual protection are central to the men's relationships, offering them hope in their harsh existence.

The Impossibility of the American Dream

Characters express dreams of a better life, with Curley’s wife wishing to be a movie star and others desiring land and autonomy.
Dreams represent a quintessentially American longing for happiness and self-determination.
George and Lennie’s farm dream symbolizes the aspiration for security in an unforgiving world, ultimately underscoring its unattainability.

Motifs

Motifs serve as recurring structures and literary devices that reinforce the novella's major themes.

The Corrupting Power of Woman

Women are portrayed in a negative light, primarily influencing men's actions through temptation and misunderstanding.
Lennie's troubles stem from an incident involving a woman, reinforcing George's belief that women cause chaos in men's lives.

Loneliness and Companionship

The life of a ranch-hand is depicted as isolating, with characters like George, Candy, and Crooks openly sharing their feelings of loneliness.
Confessions to strangers reveal the desperation for connection in a world where true friendship seems unreachable.
George’s isolation culminates in the loss of Lennie, leaving him to navigate life alone.

Strength and Weaknesses

Steinbeck explores both physical and emotional strength through characters.
Lennie’s uncontrollable physical strength leads to tragic outcomes, while Curley's aggressive nature exemplifies the use of power to intimidate.
Ultimately, predatory human tendencies reveal a deeper form of oppression that overpowers physical strength.

George and Lennie's Farm

The farm symbolizes hope, freedom, and self-reliance for the characters.
It represents a vision of an idyllic life that draws in not just George and Lennie, but also characters like Candy and Crooks.

Lennie's Puppy

Lennie's puppy symbolizes the dominance of the strong over the weak.
Lennie's inadvertent killing of the puppy parallels his own fate of vulnerability amidst powerful forces.

Candy's Dog

Candy's dog portrays the harsh truth of aging and obsolescence in the world of the novella.
The dog’s fate reflects a cruel reality where the strong discard the weak, a lesson Candy internalizes as he faces his own diminishing usefulness on the ranch.

Description

Explore the key themes in John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' with this set of flashcards. Delve into the predatory nature of human existence, exploring the deep sense of loneliness experienced by the characters. Perfect for students looking to understand the underlying messages of the novel.