Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men Chapter 6 Quotations

the beak swallowed the little snake	The novel ends where it began, at the pool of the Salinas river. The SETTING seems like a natural paradise but, just like the beginning, there is mention of a snake. In ANIMAL IMAGERY, snakes often symbolise the presence of evil, in a Biblical allusion to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. This snake suggests Steinbeck’s message that a perfect world can never be achieved. The way the snake is eaten by the heron SYMBOLISES a world where the weak and vulnerable become victims of those with POWER.
You ain’t gonna leave me, are ya, George?	Lennie’s words show how dependent he is on George as his only COMPANION. George knows that he must take responsibility for Lennie’s life and death even though the mercy killing will leave him utterly LONELY.
Ain’t gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nobody nor steal from ’em	George tells Lennie about the dream ranch one last time to comfort him before he shoots him. Lennie still believes they can achieve the DREAM, but George knows that it was never really achievable. It now sounds like a fantasy of a perfect world, a kind of heaven, relating back to Crooks’ point that ‘Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land’.
Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?	Slim understands why George killed Lennie and how upset he is, but nobody else does. Carlson’s last words suggest a society in which everyone is LONELY because there is no real understanding and COMPANIONSHIP.
“Well, he’s sick of you,” said the rabbit	The rabbit is a meaner representation of George and Lennie imagines the worse however the reader knows it isn’t true and George actually needs Lennie for companionship.
she wore a huge gingham apron with pockets, and she was starched and clean.	Aunt Clara is the matriarchal figure and her starched and clean apron denote that.
Lennie begged, “Le’s do it now”	Lennie’s speech and unawareness is an example of dramatic irony as he doesn’t know George’s true intentions.
Slim said, “You hadda George”	Slim has empathy for George and understands the relationship he had with Lennie unlike the others which is why he tries to comfort him and reassure him.

Of Mice and Men Flashcards

Of mice and men chapter 2 study questions

Of Mice and Men – most information off of LitCharts