Essay about Social Conditions in Of Mice and Men by John...

Social Conditions in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Of Mice and Men is set in California, America in the 1930s. As a result of the First World War and the Wall Street Crash of the late 1920s, America had been propelled into a state of Economic Depression. John Steinbeck successfully shows the impact the change in economy had on peoples lives, through the various characters in the novel Of Mice and Men and especially the lives of George and Lennie. The Great Depression altered the existence of the majority of the working population of America. Many men would travel long distances to obtain work, and John Steinbeck illustrates this through the characters of George and Lennie. George and†¦show more content†¦However, George does have Lennie, a companion and through all the burdens that George gains from Lennie, he appreciates his company. George and Lennie share a dream that infects others with its idealistic setting and self-sufficiency. Their dream of a small farm and living off the fatta the lan calms Lennie in times when he is unsure. Lennie also needs constant reassurance that he will be able to tend the rabbits when they save enough money to buy their farm. Candy is old and vulnerable and George and Lennies dream inspires him to keep dreaming and he asks to join their quest to own something more secure. George hesitates before allowing Candy to join them as their dream has been a sacred secret to George and Lennie, but he liked Candy sufficiently to want him to join the dream as well. The impact of life in 1930s America required a dream to install the idea of hope in peoples lives. Life without a dream for Candy would lead him to a life of worry and lack of security, as he is old and a cripple, when he can no longer perform his job properly it is likely he will have nowhere to go. Theyll can me purty soon is how John Steinbeck briefly illustrates through the character of Candy, that the Boss can fire Candy easily,Show MoreRelatedJohn Steinbeck: An American Writer During the Great Depression1315 Words   |  6 Pagesthe difficult situations, American writers turned their focus to social problems and issues. They were motivated to arouse sympathy for the suffering of common people, especially those at the very bottom of the society. (Wang, 2012) John Steinbeck (1902-1968), born in Salinas, California, is one of the most significant and representative American writers in that era. He is the winner of the Noble Prize for Literature in 1962. John Steinbeck’s living experience in California had a great influenceRead MoreUnderstanding Steinbeck, His Work, And The Criticism. Many1693 Words   |  7 PagesUnderstanding Steinbeck, His Work, and The Criticism Many writers throughout history have endured both positive and negative criticism of their works. 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