Allegories in of Mice and Men - 1686 Words

In the novel, ‘Of mice and Men’, John Steinbeck uses allegory to represent different themes and messages. An allegory is a story, poem or a picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning. While reading Steinbeck’s book I noticed different metaphors such as the usage of animals and Curley’s wife. Throughout the whole book the reader can notice many animals mentioned such as rabbits, mice, the puppy and the old dog. Curley’s wife is also a sort of symbol. She represents the way in which the women were treated and looked upon in those days. The animals and Curley’s wife all symbolize different things in life in the 1930’s USA. They all symbolize the hopes and the dreams that the characters share which motivates and drives them†¦show more content†¦Saying that the rabbits should be furry, fluffy and colorful makes their life even more padded and warm, which protects them from the tough world at that time. The animals a re a great way to show and symbolize different things. To find the allegorical meaning you only have to look in between the lines to find a different meaning to the words and sayings. This can be seen in the case of Curley’s wife. By looking more closely at the story, one can see that Curley’s wife is also a metaphor which symbolizes the way which other people looked upon women in the society of the 1930’s. Curley’s wife represents a whole marginalized group in the American society at that time. In the novel, characters are never fully developed, but instead appear as outlines or symbols of real people. Candy, Crooks, and Curleys wife represent the discriminated groups of age, race, and sex. Curley’s wife has been given an overall picture in the eyes of George and Lennie before they even meet her, by Candy. The picture Candy paints about her hints at how she tends to give all the men on the ranch ‘the eye’. Nobody really knows Curley’s wife because nobody ever talks to her and listens to what she really has to say. Curley’s wife wants attention. She wants people to notice her. She is the only woman on the ranch out of all the men. She wears fancy clothes and nice make up to make her look beautiful andShow MoreRelatedOf Mice and Men Essay770 Words   |  4 PagesYour mom B6 January 13, 2010 Of Mice and Men essay An allegory is a work where characters are symbols of ideas. They may symbolize anything from honesty to sadness. In an allegorical novel these characters and the ideas they represent form together to suggest a moral. The novel, Of Mice and Men is one of these allegorical novels. Its theme or moral is about friendship: the friendship of George and Lennie. The actions of the characters that represent ideas in the story bring about the chanceRead MoreThe Novel Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1211 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel Of Mice and Men, Arthur John Steinbeck successfully creates a timeless literary novel. 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