Of Mice and Men Themes Analysis

Study Notes

The Dream Farm

Represents an idealized vision for George and Lennie, offering freedom and control.
Enables Lennie's love for animals to flourish, contrasting the harsh realities of their lives in the bunkhouse.
Symbolizes the illusion of the American Dream, diminishing as it approaches reality.

Bears

Lennie often likened to bears, highlighting his strength and primal instincts.
His physicality is underscored by descriptions of his 'paws' and lumbering gait.
Curley's wife's death mirrors a bear's hunt, as she 'flopped like a fish' after being killed, emphasizing Lennie's raw power and unrestrained nature.

Rabbits

Central to Lennie's aspirations on the dream farm, symbolizing innocence and desire.
Featured in the narrative's opening, rabbits flee from humans, hinting at Lennie's vulnerabilities.
Transforms into a surreal giant colored rabbit during Lennie's last moments, symbolizing trouble and lost dreams.

Card Games

George engages in card games as a means to pass time, representing randomness of life.
Illustrates themes of chance and the limits of human control over fate, reflecting Burns' "To A Mouse."
The unpredictability of events is highlighted, as seen when Curley’s wife interrupts the card game, showcasing intervening fate.

Horseshoe

Horseshoe game parallels the chance nature of life events, similar to card games.
Represents uncontrollable aspects of fate as Lennie’s tragic actions unfold shortly after the game.
Reflects Lennie's innocence loss linked to the sounds from the game juxtaposed with violence.

Hands

Laborers referred to as 'hands', stripping away their identities in the context of work.
Illustrates how violence manifests through hands, with pivotal confrontations involving Curley and Lennie.
Each character’s hands symbolize their essence, such as Curley's wife’s striking red nails and Slim’s delicate hands, contrasting strength and vulnerability.

Description

Explore the key themes in 'Of Mice and Men,' focusing on the dream farm, symbolism of bears and rabbits, and the significance of card games. Gain insights into how these elements portray Lennie's character and the broader American Dream. This quiz delves into the contrasts between dreams and harsh realities.