OF MICE AND MEN

IN THE MARXIST LENS

Created By Corbin Fitzgerald

Featuring

George

And Lennie

And Rabbit

Who

Has

The

Power

GEORGE

George has mental power over Lennie because

Lennie has a psychological problem.

Lennie will do whatever George tells him to do. “Give it here!” Lennie’s closed hand

slowly obeyed.” (Steinbeck 6)

LENNIE

Lennie has a different kind of power. He is big and strong which makes it seem

like he has more ‘power’ than he actually does. He is actually compared to an

animal to show his strength. “Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water…” (Steinbeck

3).

He seems to be cursed with the hand of death to all soft things that he touches.“All the time he done bad things, but he never done

one of ‘em mean” (Steinbeck 95).

Like mice

And cuddly puppies

And even…

Pretty Wome

n!

“God awmighty I never seen

such a strong guy” [Slim]

(Steinbeck 39)

Throughout the book there are many other references that show different levels

of power.

Curley has power over all of the

workers because he is the boss’s son.

“This guy Curley sounds like a [S.O.B.] to me. I don’t like little

mean guys.” (Steinbeck 27)

Curley’s wife even has power over Crooks, a nice, educated, black

man. Which shows that there is still some racism in this time

period. “They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I

stink.” (Steinbeck 68)