of mice and men essay. could anyone grade it please?

The novel is set in the 1920’s in the Salinas in California. The book “of mice and men” was written by john Steinbeck who was born on February 27th, 1902 in t he Salinas, California.

The main characters of the book are called George and Lennie. Within the novel it is discussed about the unlikely friendship George and Lennie have with each other. They are both the opposite of each other and are very different characters. They also don’t always treat each other like friends. Lennie is a dumb, forgetful character that also seems to take the blame for everything and told he can do nothing quite right. “You jus’ stand there and don’t say nothing.” When George said this to Lennie it implied that he can’t be trusted to do anything so therefore he is told instead of making himself useful to just stand there. “If he finds out what a crazy *** you are, we won’t get nowhere.” This shows that Lennie is so crazy that if he does anything none of them will get the job and they will be back in the same position as they started, whereas if Lennie doesn’t do anything or speak they will never find out what Lennie is really like until they have already got the job. “If he see’s ya work before ya talk we’re set.” This suggests Lennie is a very good quality and hard worker but when he starts to talk he doesn’t give a good impression.

George and Lennie are like brothers almost. George could’ve gave himself a much better life without Lennie because he did have the choice to just run away but because of the closeness and the brother- like relationship he has with Lennie, he didn’t want to leave him with authorities. The novel shows how much they care for each other when George helps Lennie escape and stays with Lennie even after all of the unintelligent things he had done. George also relies on Lennie because of Lennie’s innocence and George respects his innocence. Lennie relies on George a lot too though because George makes sure that Lennie doesn’t get himself into trouble and Lennie is childlike and this is another reason Lennie relies on George. Without each other they would be lost because they are so close and rely on each other so much.

Candy is an old ranch worker, known as “An old swamper” we know this because after must things Candy says it says “said the old swamper”. Candy has lost one of his hands “out of the sleeve came a round stick-like wrist, but no hand” in an accident on the farm. Candy must feel quite lonely since her accident is implied by her only friend is a dog. “He is an old man who only has one true friend…A dog”. Candy’s relationship with her dog is a very close relationship and is a resemblance to candy as his dog has also become useless and unable to work because it is old. Candy cannot get her head round shooting her own dog as she would be broken. Candy can’t stand up for himself and wouldn’t be able to stand up for his dog either. Candy likes George and Lennie’s idea and thinks that this is a way to come out of her loneliness and uselessness.

We are introduced to the character “crooks” at the start of section two. We first get introduced to him by the novel saying “a tall, stooped- shouldered old man”. Crooks gets his named for his crooked back. He works with the ranch horses with candy although he has two hands. He is the only black man on the ranch. Crooks seems lonely because although he was born in California he still feels like an “outsider” even in his home state “s’pose you didn’t have nobody” other people also knew he was alone and knew he didn’t have nobody to talk to, but he is glad to see other people suffer from loneliness. Crooks always had a dream of a farm, it was only a small dream but it meant a lot to him but once Curleys wife had her say, her nasty comments destroyed crooks’ dream. Crooks didn’t feel like he had any right to be there because of spiteful comments other people made just because he was the only black man. “Maybe you guys better go. I ain't sure I want you in here no more. A coloured man got to have some rights even if he don't like 'em" This quote is showing crooks standing up to his own rights.

Curley’s wife is a character you wouldn’t really like to meet. The book emphasises Curley’s wife’s personality and how lonely she is because nobody is friends with her and thinks her personality is disgraceful. “I think Curley’s married… a tart”. This shows that candy doesn’t like her much because she looks and acts like a tart and think Curley has made the wrong decision to marry her. “Jesus what a tramp” This quote is said by George. These quotes are implying that all of the characters in “of mice and men” aren’t very keen on the woman.

In my findings I found out that most of the characters in “of mice and men” are all linked with loneliness within their friendships and relationships.