Theme Analysis

In last week's blog response, I asked you to select a theme that "hit home" with you the most.  Now that you have set your sights on a theme you would most like work with some more, it is time to test your skills of analysis.  Scan through the last chapter (6) in Of Mice and Men and see if you can pull out a moment from the text that, upon close reading, says something about your selected theme.

        Chapter 6 was a very sad and emotional chapter. It was a very confusing chapter as well, in the sense of themes. For last weeks prompt I had chosen the theme of Friendship. I explained how Lennie and George's relationship was very special in their lives, and how they needed each other for many reasons. I explained how they were both very close and they have been together for a while. "George shook himself again. No, he said. I want you to stay with me here" (104). I chose this quote to show that George and Lennie are always gonna be together. They had a long journey in their lives together, but there are some risks needed to be taken. Lennie had told George that if he didn't want Lennie to be around, he could go off on by himself and live in a cage. But with the knowledge that George had, he knew that Lennie would never go off, and he wouldn't allow him to do that either; there was a responsibility. George could've said anything back to Lennie telling him how he couldn't live without him, but he chose to comfort Lennie in his time of despair. George understood that Lennie was to much trouble to handle and that it would've been better  to just finish his life and not allow him to suffer all the pain he would've suffered staying alive. Though Lennie had to be taken away, George and Lennie would always be together in spirit and in heart.  


The Dream