Of Mice and Men and American Beauty Essay - 1435 Words

What insights into the American Dream are offered through the novella Of Mice and Men and the film American Beauty? In your essay you must consider the influences of context and the importance of techniques in shaping meaning. Of Mice and Men, a 1937 novella by John Steinbeck and American Beauty, a 1999 film directed by Sam Mendes, offer various insights into the American Dream and are both contextually driven. Both texts present the possibility of different pursuits of the American Dream and portray a multiplicity of challenges imposed by the societies of their contexts. In Of Mice and Men (OMM), through literary techniques, Steinbeck conveys the importance of the Dream of land ownership and companionship during the difficult times of†¦show more content†¦Meanwhile, in OMM Steinbeck recognises companionship as being an important aspect in the pursuit of the American Dream. The strength of friendship encourages George and Lennie to strive for their vision of land ownership and is what many characters in the novella desire. They ‘got a future ’due to their ‘fambly’ bond and the support they have for each other. This contrasts the isolation of other ranchers in the society alluded by the Spanish derivative of Soledad meaning ‘loneliness’. Candy, exploited by his boss, lacks security and hope, and the death of his dog symbolises his fate. However, having joined George and Lennie, his hopes in life are reignited and his change is depicted emotively by Steibeck as he becomes ‘keen’ and ‘excited’. Steinbeck, through emotive language and colloquialism, expresses Crooks inner feelings of loneliness and his need of friends as he describes that a person ‘gets sick’ and ‘goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody’ and reminisces the company of his siblings. Crooks enjoys talking to Lennie and in this way, Steinbeck portrays the importance of the Dream of companionship in providing hope and happiness to the minorities of the society. In AB, Mendes also emphasises the importance of relationship in the form of family cohesion as a part of the American Dream and satirises the dysfunctional families of his time. In a society driven by image and consumerism, family values are lost. This is portrayed in theShow MoreRelatedOf Mice and Men, American Beauty Essay examples1159 Words   |  5 PagesThrough the comparative study of â€Å"Of Mice and Men† written by John Steinbeck in 1937 and â€Å"American Beauty† directed by Sam Mendes in 1999, it is apparent that the concept of the American Dream is timeless and enduring. Mendes and Steinbeck use language techniques such as dramatic foreshadowing and filmic techniques to define the American Dream’s spiritual and materialistic aspects. However, from the context of the Great Depression explored in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† to the economic boom of 1999 which providesRead MoreOf Mice and Men Argumentative Essay1115 Words   |  5 PagesEssay Prompt: John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, has a controversial history. It has been repeatedly banned by school boards. Why might this book have been banned? Is such an action justified? In a five-paragraph essay, take a position for or against banning this novel. Use your three body paragraphs to develop each of three reasons for or against banning the novel. The Lost Portion of Human Society Right from the beginning of human civilization, books had become the vital flame that ignitedRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1004 Words   |  5 PagesBeauty Is Everywhere Can light shine in complete darkness? In other words, can something beautiful exist in the midst of malevolent influences? Most people would say no, that beauty can’t be found in the midst of these influences. 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In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck presents his opinions and outlook on American society through the use of what is known as a microcosm. The setting of the majority of the book, the ranch, is the key to understanding the microcosm and its placement in the novella. The ranch appears to be representative of America at the time of the story – the 1930s. In this essay, I aim to explore the themes of marginalisation and how Steinbeck attemptsRead MoreWas Walt Disney Racist Essay1623 Words   |  7 Pageswhen he grew up or in response to when the company began? Furthermore, is the Walt Disney Corporation still racist today? Or is this just one of those over-analytical, outrageous conspiracy theories? I plan to answer these questions throughout this essay. The Man Behind the MouseTM The genesis of the Disney Company began with one person’s imagination and determination and his ability to follow his dreams and make many of them come true (Stein 13).† Before we can examine whether Walt Disney wasRead More Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men has been described as a protest statement3416 Words   |  14 PagesSteinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men has been described as a protest statement Steinbeck’s novel, â€Å"Of Mice and Men† has been described as a protest statement. To what extent do you think that this is true? Steinbeck protest’s about the way that several different types of people were treated during the early nineteenth century. He protests against the treatment of the mentally retarded, cripples, African American people and the viewing of women as possessions. He does this by creating a characterRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men 2778 Words   |  12 PagesSteinbeck John Steinbeck, born in February 27, 1902, worked as a manual labor worker before achieving his success as a well 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 worthRead More John Steinbeck Essay1735 Words   |  7 Pagesworked along side Mexican, Japanese, and Fililpino men, all the time gathering material for his writings. He would even pay people to hear their stories. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;By 1925, Steinbeck had decided he had spent enough time in school. Steinbeck traveled by freighter to New York City,as all good writers did. Steinbeck worked as a brick layer in the construction of Madison Square Garden. John worked as a reporter for the New York American. He got fired because he couldn’t or wouldn’t reportRead Moreof Mice and Men. How Does Steinbeck Present Curley’s Wife to the Reader? What Is Her Importance in the Novel?1939 Words   |  8 PagesOf Mice and Men- Curley’s wife. How does Steinbeck present Curley’s wife to the reader? What is her importance in the novel? In order to discuss how Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife to the reader one would determine that many readers would interpret her character and importance in many diversified ways. In this essay, one must elaborate on Steinbeck’s true definition of the one and only female in the novel. First and foremost other females in the novel are mentioned but not greeted with a presence