Of Mice and Men Essay vers 2

8/8/2019 Of Mice and Men Essay vers 2

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Heck 1

Will Heck

Ms. Bonanno

Survey of Composition and Lit

19 October 2010

The Thorns of Cruelty in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men

Bang! The crash of the gun echoed throughout the meadows as George kills Lennie.

In John Steinbecks, Of Mice and Men, cruelty is one of the greatest, most common acts

committed in this book. Of Mice and Men is a novel about two friends, George and Lennie, who

travel together to a ranch in Soledad to buck barley. At the ranch, they meet many people with

differing personalities. George, a skinny man, has a tendency to bully Lennie and push him

around when frustrated. On the other hand, Lennie, a big guy that is mentally slow, has a

tendency to kill or severely injure things without meaning to do so when he feels threatened.

The stable buck, a black man named Crooks, tortures Lennie with the idea of loneliness and how

George might someday abandon Lennie. Curleys wife, in defense against Crookss insults,

makes dire threats of lynching. From the beginning to the end, loneliness, frustration, and

defense of ones self leads the characters of John Steinbecks novel to commit great acts of

cruelty.

Loneliness, be it from isolation or exclusion, wears down the soul and makes one more

susceptible to anger and cruelty. Crooks is the only black man on the farm and is discriminated

and excluded by the white ranchers. When Lennie walks into Crooks room, Crooks yells at

Lennie to keep him from entering the room. Crooks said sharply, You got no right to come into


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my room. This heres my room. Nobody got any right in here, but me. (66). Loneliness has

embittered Crooks so much that he lashes out at Lennie. He is cruel to Lennie when he implies

that Lennies best friend, George, might abandon him. Crooks has been persecuted nearly his

entire life because he is black and he feels like this is a perfect opportunity to make Lennie feel

as powerless as he is. Loneliness can also cause people to be cruel to their loved ones to fit in.

Candy does not want to kill his dog, but Carlson does. Carlson says that the dog smells and is

too old. Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him

none. At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, awright-take im. (48). Candy, in order to fit

in the group, allows Carlson to kill his dog. Candy is lonely and wants acceptance more than

keeping his companion (the dog) alive. Loneliness is common amongst ranch workers. They do

not have anybody to be friends with them because they go from job to job. Early in the book,

while George and Lennie set up camp, George tells Lennies favorite story. Guys like us that

work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They dont belong to

no place . . . . (13). George, in the beginning of the story, sums up the essence of loneliness

throughout the book. When people are lonely, they tend to have no empathy, sympathy, or

understanding of what a relationship really means to a person because they have never been able

to develop a good relationship with others. When people are unable to understand friendship and

be in a stable relationship, then they can become hostile and cruel.

When someone is frustrated they become more irrational and ready to lash out at anyone.

After being kicked off the bus, George and Lennie reach a pond. Lennie decides to take a drink,

and after drinking his fill, takes something out of his pocket. It is a dead mouse that Lennie

wants to pet, even though it broke its neck when it tried to bite him. George, half disgusted and

half frustrated, yells, Give it here! (8). Georges frustration at the bus driver kicking them off


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defense, Lennie breaks every bone in Curleys hand. This cruelty was brought upon Curley only

because Curley put Lennie in a situation in which Lennie had to defend himself. Cruel words are

used by people to defend themselves. After Curley is shipped off to the doctor, Lennie goes to

pet the puppies. He ends up entering Crooks room where he is immediately shouted at by

Crooks. Crooks begins to torment Lennie. After Crook torments Lennie with thoughts of how

George might not come back, Candy comes in. While Crooks, Lennie, and Candy are talking,

Curleys wife comes in. After a series of rebukes at her, Crooks decides to insult her. In

retaliation, Curleys wife snaps, Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you

strung up on a tree so easy it aint even funny (81). Curleys wife, in response to Crooks angry

outburst, defends herself by tormenting Crooks with thoughts of being lynched, preying on

Crooks feelings of powerlessness. Self-preservation also leads people to be cruel to others.

Earlier in the book, George and Lennie make it to the ranch. Soon the boss comes in, asks their

names, and asks if they can buck barley. The boss thinks George, as he is speaking for Lennie, is

taking Lennies pay from him. In quick succession, George makes an excuse and lies about

Lennies condition. He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was a kid (22). George, in

order to get Lennie and him the job on the ranch, is cruel to Lennie by exposing Lennies mental

deficiencies in order to defend himself from the bosss prying eyes and keep his job. Ironically,

George would be pushed to the ultimate act of cruelty, when he murders Lennie to keep his job

on the ranch. Whether it is from physical defense, mental defense, or self preservation, people

sometimes are cruel to people who make them feel powerless and worthless. In order to defend

themselves, Lennie, Curleys wife, and George are forced to commit acts of cruelty on others.

Throughout the book, loneliness, frustration, and defense of ones self leads the diverse

characters down the dark, thorn covered road that is cruelty. Cruelty is the leading cause of


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human suffering, and it is nearly impossible for the human race to not be cruel to each other. In

Steinbecks novel, cruelty has many guises in the form of murder or even just simply bullying.

John Steinbeck uses his book Of Mice and Men to explore his view of the causes of human

suffering and cruelty. Humans have a tendency to be provoked by certain emotions that differs

from person to person. These emotions cause all sorts of decisions that lead a person to commit

good or bad acts. Loneliness, frustration and self preservation taken to the extreme can lead to

the inhumane treatment of others and sometimes death. Society must remain self-conscious that

making others feel lonely, frustrated or defenseless can lead that person to commit cruel and

despicable violent acts.

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Of Mice and Men Essay vers 2