Of Mice and Men & Death of a Salesman by John Steinbeck Essay

John Steinbeck was born in California, Salinas February 1902. In spite of the fact Steinbeck came from a wealthy background he kindredwise showed curiousness toward the farm workers and spent his own time working with them. The experience he had gained from working with the farm laborers was then applied as matter for his writing. This sure as shooting adds a sense of realism to his text editions. Steinbeck produced numerous novels about exiguity-stricken race who defend a ideate. One of the novels is the well-known Grapes of the Wrath. During the late 1920s the Wall route crash took place, forcing millions of Ameri offers out of work this then led on to the Great Depression, an era in which large number lacked any economic opportunity. The main cultural trends that occurred throughout this occlusive of time were poverty and unemployment.The characters in the novella, Of Mice and Men elicit relate to this trend as it is set during that era. All the characters in the book a rgon experiencing poverty at the time and be working to continue existence and to vanquish the Great Depression, so that they terminate obtain the dream. It is shown here Look, if me an Lennie work a month an dont spen nothing, well hit a hunderd bucks. Thatd be four fifty. I bet we could swing her for that. The American Dream is striving for freedom, status, and success, and as this bring up suggests it is often bound up with issues of a financial nature. The American Dream associates with all characters in, Of Mice and Men and mainly with Candy, Crooks, Lennie, George and Curleys wife, who at one period of time says, He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Quotes such as this remind us of the unwavering confidence that American citizens had in their variate of the American Dream, and they often read ironically.This is beca consumption, asreaders, we know that the character is disillusioned, and falling for the false promise of prosperity. Racism is posed throughout the novella in the mid-nineties segregation laws were approved, whereby the regenerate fields of black and white people were divided black people generally had the things lacking in quality, i.e. Crooks inhumane segregation on the ranch. Habitual use of racism, for example flippant use of the word N****r be prevalent in this novella. in that location were also groups of people who were explicity posed against blacks, for example the KKK, who presented force towards the black minorities, by ambushing them and/or lynching them.They would also strikeany person who d ard to associate with blacks. This may stand to elaborate why nobody socializes with Crooks theyre frightened to step outside of social parameters. For example we learn that, Candy stops at the door and takes a step back. The fact that Crooks is black demolishes the possibilities of his dreams in truth universe accomplished they are not assigned the equivalent rights, and In turn dreams as the w hite people. This is ironic because we know that Crooks used to run low the dream, and live amongst the white kids perhaps this is Steinbeck reservation a comment on how society has regressed for the worse.The tone Steinbeck creates is mellow and calm especially in the opening paragraph. I know this because Steinbeck uses words such as twinkling and golden foothill slopes curve. creating a dream-like atmosphere. two these quotes represent colours that indicate summertime, a long season whereby people and animals revel in the tranquillity of the outdoors. In addition to this Steinbeck says that the, foothill slopes curve this gives the impression the walk is effortless trip. However, this calmness is instantly interrupted and starts to show rupture as the George and Lennie near. This may be Steinbeck commenting on how the futile nature of dreaming will unendingly be cut apparent. Steinbeck states that the two men hurried and pounded discomfit the river both these verbs are start ing to stipulate the start of a battle.By the writer creating such a subtle scene, which is then ruined, could represent the fact that people whose lives come crosswise cheerful and composed, also have holster sadness. I feel that Steinbeck lossed the auditory modality to know that the best laid plans didnt have the outcome that was anticipated in fact the dream of livin off the fatta the lan near enough every time breaks, results in relationships vanishing and lives wrecked. Lennie is very broad and heavy go alonged. On the separate hand George is small, so it is also ironic that Lennies surname is small. The text readers, Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely. The writer says that George has restless eyesmeaning that his eyes are defined, whereas Lennies are describe d as pale.This colour is not vivid nor is it harsh, so it is almost sympathetic and pitcher. Lennies eyes do not suggest strength, so maybe Steinbeck is presenting Lennie as having a monotonous, good-natured personality. Steinbeck is not trying to make George and Lennie seem alike, but completely different this is to show how dependent two opposites are in needing each other. Without one another George would have been a lonely ranch worker, meanwhile Lennie would of probably contained in a mental institution. Lennie is referred to a bear, flat away this tells the audience that Lennie is physically strong, pretty large and hostile. Despite this, it also shows that Lennie would all fight when he has to, he wouldnt do it without an intention.Research has shown that bears only attack when they feel in danger, therefore a bear symbolizes Lennie best as he tend to lose control a lot. Lennie is always voluntary to attack when the dream is compromised, showing how important the vision w as to Americancitizens. Lennie says, I concoct about the rabbits, George. and George responds, The hell with the rabbits. Thats all you can ever remember is them rabbits. This is the very first time we hear about Lennie dream. Even from the beginning of the novella, the impression is given that Lennie is more enthusiastic than George about the dream. Georges simple eradication of the words them rabbits shows signs that he thinks the whole situation is foolish. This tends to get intricate as we to register that George might just be as animated for the dream as much as Lennie. it comes across that George is extra wary about that excitement, this makes sense as hes also more aware of his surroundings compared to his other half.The American Dream as whole is impossible of fulfilment, the death of Lennie is figurative of that concluding that all good things most come to an end. Lennie only regarded to tend the rabbits, nothing more, nothing less it was George who came up with the ent ire dream therefore Lennie is not to blame for everything. The dream was presented to Lennie like a story, in a dim-witted path. God amighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an work, an no trouble. No blow at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks andgo into town and get whatever I wantAt this tailor George lashes out at Lennie raging about what the life of a migrant worker would be like without any heavy loads i.e Lennie. From this piece of text it seems that George is imagining a nonchalant existence and that Lennie is just an obstacle in his way.What George had highlighted here is far-seeing because of what happens in the end of Of Mice and Men. George uses the dream so that they both have hope subsequent on life, afterthe ranch workers knew about their dream they wanted to have one too. This reveals the value of dreams entirely in the novella, and for those alive during the Great Depression, sitting in the same position as the ranch workers.Once George creates a full account of the farm, its heaven garden-like qualities acquire even more obvious Everything thing they want will be in front of their eyes, without any literal effort. Just as Lennie states We could live offa the fatta the lan. I think that when George scape Lennie he was right in doing so. One of the reasons I think this is due to the fact that he would have been killed by Curley or the rest of the ranch men anyway. Lennie had unexpectedly killed Curleys wife therefore, it would of resolved in death either way. The author lets the reader know that Curley would of killed Lennie when Curley says Im gonna get him. Im going for my shot gun. Ill kill the son-of-a-bitch myself. If Curley killed Lennie, it would of resolved in a slow painful, death. In my opinion, it was better his best friend killing him than his enemy.This killing can be compared to a mercy killing or linked to euthanasia in many ways. George killed Lennie for all the r ight reasons the only downfall in this is that George has to go on and live a lonely life, with no companionship. George kills Lennie by Salinas River Salinas means lonely, which is what George is now. George and Lennie fail to register that their dream is like thousands of other ranch workers, Crooks summarizes their dream when he quotes Seen hundreds of men come by on the road an on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an that same red cent thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. They come an they quit an go on, every damn one of ems got a little piece of land in his head. An never one of them get it. The men on the ranch have this futile dream about owning their peace of land, but its unachievable because of their circumstances.In a similar manner, from beginning to end milling machine depicts the American Dream and how Willy Lowman and his family fail to action it. Arthur Miller was born in New York, Harlem October 1915. Miller wrote demise of a Salesman whilst worki ng for his fathers company at the age of seventeen. Miller had said that everything he wrote was based on someone he knew or had seen. After Miller wrote the script he wrote a postscript saying that the real-life salesman, who the run away is based on had killed himself by jumping in front of a subway train.Willy has been attempting to achieve the American Dream for such a long period of time that he actually believes its achievable. Throughout Willys life he has prolonged numerous lies to himself and to his family, this has persuaded him that his dream has become an possibility. He constantly reveals to his family that hes on the verge of huge success, meanwhile he contemplates to himself as to why he hasnt reached the dream he knows he is capable of Willy says that Theres more people Thats whats ruining this country The competition is maddening Smell the stink from that apartment house And one on the other side How can they whip cheese?Willy says this in Act one, this quote sugg ests that Willy is blaming the over populated country, America, on his lack of success the truth is that its down to his belief in the assumption of the flawed American Dream. Its seems to me that Willy is just trying to come up with excuses, to cover the fact that he, himself, failed at the American Dream. The fact that Willy is always in need of a scapegoat , shows us that the dream Is, by nature, completely unachievable. The use of explanation marks in this quote express Willys feelings about the people and the impact its having on his ability to achieve the American dream.Miller makes an abstract comment on how America is guilty of selling their citizens a dream to failure, but who do we blame? On one hand we should blame the scapegoat, America as a nation, but it seems thereaders cant divine service but blame Willy, its almost as if the readers have fallen for the same myth blaming Willy and not American society.Willy convinced his sons that in order to achieve the American Dream you need to be well-liked, not just liked. It seems that Willy is implying that being admired and the quality of arousing interest is the most important thing that will modify you to achieve the American Dream. He puts being well liked first over any other quality. According to Willy, being well liked amounts to the trim matter for reaching the American Dream. Being well liked is a quickened way of achieving something without as much hard work.In act one Willy says to adroit that hell be Bigger than Uncle Charley Because Charley is not liked. Hes liked but not well liked. The exclamation mark is to emphasise the fact the hes going to be bigger than Charley, Charley is prestige and has status. The dash creates the effect of a dramatic pause to make it clear that Charley was not well liked, but at the same time Willy is implying that he, himself, is well liked, when evidently we know this is just a delusion.Willy completely thinks that anyone who works hard in America will b ecome successful without doubt. He says, Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such- personal attractiveness gets lost. And such a hard worker. Theres one thing about Biff hes not lazy. This is another encapsulation of the American Dream fooling the American man, its evident that its futile and ends up killing Willy. Its almost like Willy sees the American dream as a given right of an American, Willys death is such a horrendous one, as he commits suicide and so this serves to show us how destructive the American dream can be for the average American man.In act one, Willy indicates that Biff can even get let off with purloining a ball because of how popular he is with his coach. This supports thenotion that Willy places upmost importance on being well liked In Act One Willy says to his sons Tell you a secret, boys. Dont pass off it to a soul. Someday Ill have my own business, and Ill never have to leave home anymore Here Willy is secretive and po ssessive, just like in of Mice and Men when George let Candy participate in their dream. Willy wants to own abusiness just like George and Lennie, although Willys dream and George and Lennies dreams are completely different, they are similar at the same time, as they both are striving to achieve financial independence, they both have this unwavering movie of a dream which they believe to be achievable, but the ridicule is the reader sees this as unachievable.The difference in these dreams is evident through what is they want to achieve George and Lennie aims for and simple, pastoral success, whereas Willy is positioned in a contemporary situation in which he seeks to corporate success and material gain. Here its worth realizing Biff and Happy cause to achieve and reality which is more similar to George and Lennie in terms of its simplicity, however his fathers obsession with corporate wealth means that this is not possible.The above can be seen when Happy says, Thats what I dre am about Biff. Sometimes I wanna just rip my clothes off in the gist of the store and outbox that goddamned merchandise manager. I mean I can outbox, outlift and outrun anybody in that store, and I to take orders from those petty, common sons of bitches till I cant stand it anymore. Here we see Happy rejecting his fathers wishes to follow a corporate lead American dream, in favour of a more primal like competition.However he releases the idea that business competition, similar to the type his father promotes will bring him success he cant escape the rat race of American capitalism. This is similar to the inescapable, futile situation that Lennie and George find themselves in they move from ranch to ranch, with seeming direction, but the irony lies in the factthat their life is totally directionless. The final bitter blow lies in Lennies death.Although culturally, the direction toward which the pursuers of the American Dream changes over time (from dreams of vitality simply via agr iculture, to dreams of achieving corporate success) it is raise to see that Willy says to his wife, You wait, kid, before its all over were gonna get a little place out in the country, and Ill raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens This suggests that the direction of the American Dream has notchanged much, and material/corporate success only serves as a temporary means to fulfil the original view of owning ones own ranch and living from the land. Here, Willys vision is almost identical to George and Lennies, which is interesting due to the difference era both are set in/written in. The ellipsis in this quote represents the never ending possibilities of what they can acquire.This aforementioned(prenominal) idea of Willy obsessed with being well liked is something he unfortunately passes down to his children in a typical cyclical way. In a converse with his parents Biff and Happy reveal they are interested they are looking for work that is simply bearable. Happy says, about hi s business idea that, it wouldnt be like a business. Wed be out racein ball again Despite this, Willy is completely fixated on ensuring that the boys possess job security in a lucrative profession, which he believes will lead them on this path to greatness, and most importantly, financial security. We may accuse Willy of not being very supportive of his children, as he seems to be prioritising pursuit of the American Dream over his children. This is a true reflection of his blind faith in the idealised dream.Lindas military strength toward the American dream is contradictive. Linda does this by motivating Willy into believing his dreams are real, even though she recognizes his dream is conclusively futile and bound to stayincomplete. Linda doesnt have as many dreams as Willy, but her main one is to live a undemanding, quiet life with her husband. Whereas he would prefer to travel, be recognized and remembered by everybody. Linda would prefer to sit back in her aging jacket with hi m and to have him employed in the city. This is illustrated when Linda says to Willy cant continue this way, and encourages Willy to put himself former and ask Howard for a job, so that he does not have to travel and so he can pay for the insurance premium.At this arrange the audience gather that Linda is very concerned for Willy. Linda never manages to attain her dream since Willy would be more willingly to commit suicide than to surrender his job as a salesman. In addition to this, Linda yearns to safeguard Willy. A case of this is whilst speaking to Benshe shouts at Ben and says, dont say those things to him Afterwards, it is clear that she is shielding him even though the stage directions interpret Linda as being frightened of Ben, she becomes submitive for Willys benefit. She fails to shade Willy as he objects, resulting in the worst case scenario whilst under her belt.Willy committing suicide. As the play concludes, its evident that Willy was lost and didnt actually know hi mself. We al puddle knew this, the point being hardly anyone attends his funeral. It is here Biff registers that his dad was lost, entirely and traveled down the wrong road, we know this as he says He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong. It is obvious the Biff will no longer follow the same route as his father. However, Happy, decides to secure his fathers ill-advised visions and takes them on-board himself, he says so himself toward the end of the play Im gonna win it for him.Comparison of Death of a Salesman and Of Mice and MenThe novella Of Mice and Men and the play The Death of a Salesman paint a picture of the vanity of dreams, the main one is the American dream. Both authors, Arthur Miller and John Steinbeck use numerous linguistic and literary methods, so that the audience can see how impossible dreams were during that era. Of Mice and Men and Death of a Salesman are set during the 1930s-1940s, the writers permit the context of the literature in order to help them tour the futility of the American Dream.The American Dream is never achieved. The working-class people -Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman, ends up disenchanted and kills himself. The Lomans are alike Lennie and George, They both try to repudiate that theyre just a minority in the world theyre living in, but their American dream is invariably just a step away.At one point, in Of Mice and Men and Death of a Salesman they contrast as Willy wants to be successful and well liked in order to gain status, whereas Lennie and George dont want status they want to own a piece of land and belong somewhere, I know this as George says itd be our own, an nobody could can us.Willy is lost in this delusion about being successful and gaining status that he would rather die than be known to failure of the American dream. When Willy and Ben are speaking Linda yells at him saying, dont say those things to him Here it is clear the Linda is shielding Willy. The way Linda presented herself to Ben is almost identical to the way Lennie reacts when its things resulting with George. For example, When Crooks expressed the possibility of George being injured, Lennie walked dangerously towards him, questioning who hurt George?The word dangerously is used to narrate Lennies negative, forceful chargetoward crooks, this shows how far Lennie will go, having the only intention of making sure George is safe and not thinking about the outcome when doing so. Likewise, when Ben indicates Willy isnt doing so well at work Linda reacts in a menacing manner toward him.In the stage directions Miller says how Happy was almost ready to fight Biff As we know, Happys dreams are what his fathers are and when Biff decides to ask what applicability Willys dreams are it results in a battle nearly commencing. The reason being as to why Happy was ready to challenge Biff is because as stated above (Happys dreams are his fathers). What happened here is similar to what occurred with Lennie and Crooks. In my op inion Steinbeck and Miller, both display how the characters will assert ones over another in an arrogant way, to make the audience grasp mentally, that no matter how much you try to protect your dream it will always be captured.