Of MIce and Men Naturalism - 867 Words

John Steinbeck s novel Of Mice and Men is a famous Naturalist work in American literature. Various elements of Naturalism is exhibited in this novel through its character types and story plot. Charles Darwin, an English Naturalist proposed a theory called natural selection, meaning that nature selects the best adapted varieties to survive and reproduce. Darwin also identified this theory as survival of the fittest. Steinbeck incorporated this belief of natural selection in many instances throughout Of Mice and Men using characters and their circumstances. One character named Candy has an injury and is old in age. They were leading factors in his fear of being unemployed. His dog’s old age and uselessness also resulted in its death.†¦show more content†¦Another example of Naturalism is the death of Candy s dog. Candy s dog was old and sick with rheumatism. All the men recommended to shoot the dog because it would not be beneficial to anybody. ‘He ain t no good to you, Candy. An he ain t no good to himself. Why n t you shoot him, Candy?...You wouldn t think it to look at him now, but he was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen’ (Steinbeck 44). Candy s dog was useful in the past when he was a sheep herder. He was young and energetic, but he started to age and was infected by disease. Candy s dog depicts natural selection because as his effectiveness on the ranch declines, the need for him decreases as well, resulting in a different dog to take his place. Candy’s dog was not able to endure the competition because he did not have the best adapted varieties to survive. In this novel, Darwin s speculation of natural selection is demonstrated through Lennie s mental condition. His condition was a catalyst for all the predicaments he caused for himself and George. Although Lennie has an abundance of physical power, he lacks knowledge and common sense. ’Maybe he ain’t bright, but I never seen such a worker. He damn near killed his partner buckin’ barley. There ain’t nobody can keep up with him...Sure he’s jes’ like a kid. There ain’t no more harm in him than a kid neither, except he’s so strong’ (Steinbeck 39-43). Lennie being mentally handicapped illustrates survival of the fittest becauseShow MoreRelatedOf Mice and Men: Naturalism716 Words   |  2 PagesNaturalism is a very intense style of literature that an author can use. With naturalism, the author is trying to convey knowledge acquired through the senses and experiences they them selves have been through. In the novel of Mice and M en, by John Steinbeck, he portrays elements of naturalism through his very own sights and experiences. During the depression John Steinbeck got a first hand dose of what it meant to deal with sordid aspects of life. Just like his book, he portrays his accounts usingRead More Life Of John Steinbeck Essays1314 Words   |  6 Pages John Steinbeck was a writer who used naturalism in his works to to bring awareness about problems in society that he dealt with in his own life. He frequently dealt with the economic and social problems of migrant workers in California and how they dealt with everyday life. He wrote through his fiction about what he knew and what affected him personally. Specifically, he wrote a novella entitled, Of Mice and Men, about two California migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, who are tryingRead MoreWhat Influenced John Steinbeck?. What Exactly Influenced884 Words   |  4 Pagescome from California. John Steinbeck was born and raised in Salinas, California, a town well known for farming and being poor. Its thought that his many conversations with the migrant workers of the area inspired a lot of his work, such as â€Å"Of Mice and Men†, a story he particularly wrote about some migrant workers. Or, â€Å"The Grapes Of Wrath† a story he wrote about a family suffering in the dust bowl as they worked their way around California. Migrant workers obviously had a large impact of his workingsRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s The Grapes Of Wrath 1594 Words   |  7 Pagesproblems of labor. After the humorous Tortilla Flat, Steinbeck decided to write a more serious novel, In Dubious Battle, in 1936. It deals with the strikes of the migratory fruit pickers on California plantations. Then in 1937 Of Mice and Men was published. Later, The Long Valley, was published in 1938. In 1939 The Grapes of Wrath was published, the story of Oklahoma tenant farmers who couldn’t earn enough money for a living, so they moved to California and became migratory workersRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1659 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men Olivia Settlemires John Steinbeck - John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, in 1902. In 1919 he went to Stanford University, where he enrolled in literature and writing courses until he left in 1925 without a degree.For the next five years he supported himself as a laborer and journalist, as well as working on his first novel, Cup of Gold (1929). After his first marriage, He published many books, such as The Pastures of Heaven (1932), The Red Pony (1933),Read MoreMice of Men Dreams of Commitment2273 Words   |  10 PagesOf Mice and Mein The Dream of Commitment. Louis Owens The Eden myth looms large in Of Mice and Men (1937), the playnovella set along the Salinas River a few miles south of Soledad (Of Mice and Men, p. 1). And, as in all of Steinbecks Califomia fiction, setting plays a central role in determining the major themes of this work. The fact that the setting for OfMice and Men is a Califomia valley dictates, according to the symbolism of Steinbecks landscapes, that this story will take place in a fallenRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men 2778 Words   |  12 Pageswell renowned American writer. A compassionate understanding of the world s disinherited was to be Steinbeck s hallmark. The novel In Dubious Battle (1936) defends striking migrant agricultural workers in the California fields. In the novel Of Mice and Men(1937; later made into a play), Steinbeck again utilizes the hardships of migrant workers, but this time in terms of human worth and integrity. With the country struggling to recover the collapse of the economy and a second world war, the peopleRead MoreSalinger s The Catcher Of The Rye2057 Words   |  9 Pagesglimpse into the dark enigma that is Holden’s mind, and as he continues his adventure, he lets more details slip as he slowly loses his grip on his sanity. But, what really ties the idea of Holden’s insanity together is naturalism. Salinger was particularly fond of the naturalism movement; throughout the book, Holden has already accepted his fate and understands the consequences of his actions. He merely delays the inevitable by roaming around NYC. When the time finally comes, and the truth is revealedRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House2136 Words   |  9 Pagesprotagonists entrapment in A Doll s House. The set in A Doll s House proves to be an effective construct in the entrapment of Nora, as an exhibition of the problems of the bourgeois family is assembled in the form of the living room. In naturalism emphasis is placed on the importance of walking and immersing oneself in nature in order to remove limitations and control destiny. Yet we are shown a room that seems to engulf and limit Nora just as her husband does. our attention is directed toRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesareas of interest. Remember, your statement should mention a specific program and perhaps even target a subdivision or an area within that program—not American literature but the 19th century American novel with an emphasis in American Realism and Naturalism. Learn about the professors in the program and familiarize yourself with their research; in other words, read some of their scholarly works—reviews, articles, monographs, and books. Learn about campus and program r esources, such as research facilities