Research on the Conflict Between Typical Characters in Of Mice and Men from the Perspective of Realism

Abstract

John Steinbecks novella Of Mice and Men is written in the context of the Great Depression and the prevailing American Dream. Of Mice and Men is not a typical work of realism, but the characteristics of realism can be seen throughout the novella. Therefore, this paper will be focused on the representations of realism in Of Mice and Men. There are three kinds of conflicts between characters that are presented in a realistic way and will be analyzed in this paper: the conflicts between different social classes (Curley and George&Lennie), genders (Curleys wife and the other workers), and races (Crooks and the whites). This paper will offer some background information on the Great Depression and the American Dream and, most importantly, address those conflicts between characters through realism, which emphasizes the true representation of the real world and real problems in society through the portrayal of realistic characters and plots.