Symbolism In "Of Mice and Men"

John Stieneback’s novel "Of Mice and Men" concerns two migrate farm workers during the 1930’s in California, who had a dream of owning their own ranch. Throughout the novel Steineback uses the technique of symbolism. This is clearly seen in George and Liennie’s farm, Curly’s wife,
and candy’s dog.

To begin with symbolism is seen in George and Lennie’s farm. It represents hopes and dreams, power, and hard work. The farm with rabbits for Lennie and work for George, is what they hope to get with there hard work. They talk about it frequently; they must work hard to save money to buy it. Candy also wants part of the dream. He offers them the money he has saved. The farm is also a symbol of power for George. When they own it, he won’t have to work for anyone else; therefore the farm is a symbol of many things.

Symbolism is also shown in curly’s wife. She wanted to be an actress. This is a symbolism of hopes and dreams. Instead she married a farmer’s son. She never gets to talk to anyone cause curly wont let her, she is lonely, curly is always somewhere else around the farm and she is always at the house. She could have had a wonderful life, but she thinks her mom threw out the letter from some acting job.

The third symbol is in Candy’s Dog, that’s a symbol of weakness. His dog got shot by Carlson because it was old and miserable, he thought of it as pitting it out of its misery. Candy was sad and he loved that dog. The dog was his friend and his companion.

Thus Stienbacks novel, "Of Mice and Men" concerning two migrant farm workers. During the 1930’s in California, who had a dream of owning their own ranch, uses the technique of symbolism. George and lennie’s farm, Candy’s wife, and Candy’s dog clearly illiterates this technique. This writer learned that symbolism doesn’t just mean one thing, it means many things.