Analysis of Of Mice and Men

Analysis Detail

From his first paragraph, John Steinbeck sets the scene in Of Mice and Men through his use of imagery as he describes the natural world as a parallel to later events in the novella."The Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green." Runs deep means strong solid foundation goes beyond. Green means young, fresh, healthy vegetation. Runs deep symbolizes George. Green symbolizes Lennie."Slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains." Strong means to have a strong foundation. Rocky means to have a shaky foundation. Mountains means obstacles. Strong symbolizes George. Rocky symbolizes Lennie. Mountains symbolize the obstacles Lennie and George will face."Under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp." Leaves lie deep means to have roots in. So crisp stands for new people coming in. Under trees means where an occurrence is. Leaves lie deep symbolizes Curley.So crisp symbolizes Lennie.Under trees symbolizes the safety that Curley feels because of the fight being where he has roots. "The limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it." Limb worn smooth means to wear something down until it breaks and smoothes. Who have sat on it means someone has pushed someone until they break.Limb worn smooth symbolizes the torture Lennie has endured because of Curley. Who have sat on it means Curley pushed Lennie until he broke. The author used detail to adequately symbolize and get his message across.

Analysis Of Point of View

The third-person objective point of view solidifies the solitary lives these men lead. "It was Saturday night. Through the open door...came the sound of moving horses, of feet stirring, of teeth champing on hay, of the rattle of halter chains."(pg. 67) This might indicate the troubles of the times and, the horses getting all worked up.This might foreshadow the events of Lennie petting Curley's wife and ending up killing her. "Crooks did not see him...on raising his eyes...a scowl came on his face." This might be because he keeps to himself and has no people friends.Crooks likes his privacy probably because he does not want to be viewed as weak and also because he is the only black person on the ranch."Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends." (pg.68) This might indicate that Lennie is lonely and wants to make friends that are people. Lennie wants friendship, this is hard for him because he hurts just about everyone he comes in contact with."Lennie was in a panic. His face contorted.She screamed then, and then Lennie's other hand closed over her mouth and nose." Lennie is in a panic due to the screaming of Curley's wife. Her reaction was to scream. Her screaming caused Lennie to use more force.Lennie would not have attacked Curley's wife most likely if she had not screamed. When she screamed that made his reaction worse."She struggled violently under his hands. Her feet battered on the hay and she writhed free; and from under Lennie's hand came a muffled screaming." (pg. 91)This may indicate that she struggled because of the pain of the attack. Also she was panicked because of Lennie smothering her.Curley's wife struggled because pf the attack she had endured by Lennie's hand. She struggled till she got free. She screamed from under his hand to be able to try to get help. The author used the previous quotes to reflect his point of view.
Analysis of Tone

The obligation and sorrow, tones in Steinbeck's passage reflect the troubles that are faced by the main characters, Lennie and George, in the book, Of Mice and Men. The tone word number one is obligation. "No-look! I was jus' foolin', Lennie.'Cause I want you to stay with me. Trouble with mice is you always kill 'em." He paused." Tell you what I'll do, Lennie. First chance I get I'll give you a pup. Maybe you won't kill it. That'd be better than mice. And you coulc pet it harder."(pg. 13)The quote, on page 13, shows George's obligation to Lennie because George tells Lennie he wants him to stay when Lennie makes the comment that he can go to a cave leave George. Also it shows that George cares for Lennie because he explains he will get Lennie a pup instead of a mouse to pet.'George stepped close."Couldn' we may bring him in an' they'll lock him up? He's nuts, Slim. He never done this to be mean."(pg.97)The quote, on page 97, show the obligation George has for Lennie because George feels like Lennie should be locked up and not killed, for killing Curley's wife.'George shook his head again. "No," he said."I want you to stay with me here."(pg.104)The quote, on page 104, shows the obligation George has for Lennie because he tells him he wants him to stay with him when Lennie offers to leave. The second tone word is sorrow. "Oh! Please don't do none of that,"Lennie begged. "George gonna say I done a bad thing. He ain't gonna let me tend the rabbits." (pg.91)The quote, on page 91, Lennie's sorrow because 'George gonna say I done a bad thing. He realized that now that he killed Curley's wife George would not let him tend the rabbits and that made him sad."I done a real bad thing," he said."I shouldn't of did that. George'll be mad. An'... he said... an' hide in the bushes till he come. He's gonna be mad. In the brush till he come. Tha's what he said."(pg.92)The quote, on page 92, show the sorrow felt by Lennie because he seems all frazzled about the bad thing he did and thought George would be mad at him. He also kept repeating that he should hide in the bushes and that George would be mad. It is easy to tell that he feels like he will make George mad because of his killing Curley's wife. The tone words obligation and sorrow are adequately represented in the above quotes.

Analysis of Theme

We are our brother's keeper. " I wisht I could put you in a cage with about a million mice an' let you have fun."(p.11) George said this to Lennie. When he said this he suddenly had no anger and he felt ashamed of hisself. This shows how George is Lennie's keeper because he cannot stay mad at Lennie and he wants what is best for Lennie."Lennie was jus' scairt," he explained. " He didn't know what to do. I told you nobody ought to never fight him. No, I guess it was Candy I told." (p.65) This proves that George is Lennie's keeper because he is defending George. When you are someone's keeper you defend them. This all proves that we are our brother's keeper.

Migrant Mother Photographs Reflection

The woman in the migrant mother photographs looks sad that she has to live that way. She seems to reflect all the horrible stories of what happened in the Great Depression. She seems a lot older than she actually is, maybe this is because of the stress she had to endure being homeless and having to raise small children. It seems almost as though she was trying to cling to all the belongings she had left during homelessness. The woman makes me sad, being that she does not have a home and is having to deal with raising small children on top of that. I honestly cannot understand how the woman, in the photographs, can stand to endure being homeless.

Fictional Acceptance Speech (OC)

Could it be plausible that such a boring article got me this award?I thought it was not, but apparently it was. Thanks for giving me the honor of receiving the Pulitzer Prize. I am going to tell you about the article I received the award for, what the award means to me, and how thankful I am to those who gave me the award.

First off, I am going to tell you about the article I received the award for. One day i was thinking about the elections and I thought, 'Oh I have the perfect idea for an article.' The article I wrote was about elections being like a divorce case of he said she said. One opponent will invent propaganda about the other opponent, sort of like a husband and wife that get divorced saying different things about the other to make the other sound bad. Well it is like a he said she said thing except the commercials air on the television.

Next, I am going to tell you what the award means to me. I never thought in a million years I would receive such an honor. I thought all my articles were garbage until this award. This award means that all my hardwork writing that article paid off. Also, it means that I have succeeded in getting my point across for my article. This artcle means that I have done something worth all the time and effort it spent on doing it.

Finally, I am to tell you how thankful I am to those who gave me the award. I am really happy that the committee chose me to win this award. I nefver thought that the committee would pick my article for such an honor.

Let's review. The three things I talked about were: the article I received the award for, what the award means to me, and how thankful I am to those who gave me the award. Apparently it was plausible that such a boring story could get me this award.

School Year 2009-10 (OC)

This school year has been full of interesting memories that I will cherish forever. Many acquaintances have been made. Acquaintances from other countries in the form of exchange students and immigrants. One of them will remain my friend, I hope even when she goes back to Germany. I have enjoyed the classes this year. Though, in some classes I have not agreed with everything. This year is the first year I have kept all A's. I have enjoyed the assignments and such at school this year. This was the first year my twin sister and I have had totally different schedules from each other. I came to the realization that it was okay to ask for help. I learned that a bus full of annoying kids is not the best thing to hear first thing in the morning. I learned that taking an ACT is not as bad as I thought. I also learned that sometimes I get carried away when I do certain things. I learned that you do not have to decide the rest of your life in the tenth grade, that it is okay not to know what you want to do with your life. One bad grade on an assignment, may seem like the end of the world, and parents may think this too, but I have come to the realization that one bad grade is not worth getting upset over. This year I also learned it is not as scary as I thought to ask teachers and the principal for recommendations for an application. This year I was glad that I had the opportunity to apply for ASMSA and got in. I learned at the orientation that what I thought difficult here will seem like a piece of cake compared to some of the stuff that they will teach there. I am so happy about going there, but I am not so happy about having to start the fourth of August, because my summer will be cut short. I learned that sometimes do your schoolwork pays off. I also learned that I am glad I came to Batesville because otherwise I would not have some of the friends I have now.

The Giver Book Review

In a community where there are no emotions, everything is good, right? Wrong, the memories of pain and suffering all have to be somewhere or with someone. Lois Lowry's The Giver astonished me with the lack of exicitement within the characters lives.

The characters are Jonas, Lily, the Giver, Jonas's mom and dad, and Gabriel. Jonas, a new twelve, was selected to be the receiver of memory. When a person turns twelve, the elders of the community chose their position in the community. Lily, Jonas's little sister, a new eight, was excited about starting her volunteer hours. The Giver, being the previous receiver of memory, transfers memories to Jonas as training. Jonas's mom and dad helped make up the rest of the family unit. Gabriel was the new child that needed extra nurturing from Jonas's dad, because he had trouble sleeping through the night.

I recommend this book to people who like utopia with a little bit of dystopia. I also recommend this book to Lois Lowery fans.

Last Exit to Normal Book Review

Life can be rough when you are a a kid with two dads, hair spikes, and a skateboard habit in a small town, but it can be harder when something terrible is going on next door. Michael Harmon's Last Exit to Normal interested me with struggles between Ben and the rest of the town.

The plot begins. When Ben was fourteen his father came out, his mother left, and his dad's boyfriend moved in. After a few years of trouble, Ben's dad and step dad, uproot him and they go to Rough Butte, Montana. They end up living with Edward's mom, Miss Mae. Ben starts learning physical work. He develops an attraction for Kimberly Johan a girl who lives four houses down from him. She invites him on a work date, baling hay. His stepfather takes him to by the right clothes for the job. Then he goes home and his father asks what on earth has happened to to my son, is he sick? His stepfather says no, just in love. They go on a date and get caught up in a terrible storm and have to save Kimberly's uncle Morgan. When Ben steals antlers from Mr. Hinks, the dad of Billy, he does it because no one seems to care for Billy. His dad does not talk to him when he is quote homophobic. When Hinks and Paul, Ben's dad, get into a fight, Ben attempts to make it right, because the fight was over him. Will the struggles in the town be fixed? Read the book and find out.

I recommend to people who enjoy stories about people coming into their own. I also think this book would be good for people to read who are having struggles with a parent.

Animal Farm's Use of Animals to Portray Utopia vs. Dystopia

In the book, Animal Farm, George Orwell uses animals to portray views of utopia versus dystopia. The animals adequately represent a way in which there are utopias, and there are also dystopia's mixed in.

The pigs are getting their version of a utopia. Throughout the novel the pigs are getting way getting it way bettter than the rest of the animals. The pigs seem to turn almost human throughout the course of the novel. When the rest o fthe animals rations are decreased, at seems as though the pigs rations are increased. The pigs are convincing the other animals of their ideas.

The other animals, besides the pigs, are experiencing a dystopia. The pigs utopia led to a dystopia for the rest of the animals. The animals have to work hard to build the windmill. These animals rations are cut down. These animals are going through a version of hell only Napoleon can give.

George Orwell artfully uses animals to portray his views of utopia versus dystopia. The animals portray utopia and dystopia intertwined.

Westside Story (OC)

Set in the 1950's the musical explores the rivalry of the sharks and the jets. They come from different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. The sharks are first generation Americans from Puerto Rico. The Jets are working-class white group wo consider themselves true Americans.
The young protagonist Tony ,of the Jets ,falls in love with Maria, sister of Bernando, leader of the Sharks. Maria and Tony begin to plan to runaway. The Sharks and Jets plan a rumble under the highway and whoever wins gains control of the streets. Maria sends Tony to stop it and it goes terribly wrong. Before the lovers know it tragedy strikes and doesn't stop until the end. Tony has killed Bernando. The tomboy anybodys who wishes she could be a Jet, tells Tony to flee the scene of the crime at the las minute. Chino brings the news that Tony has killed Bernando. She flings her fists hoping that he is mistaken. When Tony gets there she throws her fists at him and he calms her down and plans to runaway. Anybodys gets accepted into the Jets. She also falls in love with action. Anita gets killed going out a store. She had claimed that Chino was going to kill Maria in a jealous rage. Tony is shot and dies in Maria's arms. Maria takes the gun and threatens to shoot herself but collapses in her grief.