Honors english 10 Mr. Hollister

Of mice and men & the pearl by John Steinbeck

I

Introduction

Have you ever compared two completely different stories? Here we have two stories. Both by one author. One story is about idealized relationships between the people living on a farm and how each person depends on another to comfort their thoughts.

The other story is about how a simple poor man came acrossed a treasure. He soon began to live off the thoughts of his new possession and the wealth it'll bring. Due to this he forgot about why really mattered, not money, but his family. But while him and the town was wrapped around this pearl, he lost the most valuable thing. His family, because that possession and wealth will not bring happiness without his family, he will become drained.

These two stories deal with each other due to both main characters have a companion. Whether it is Kino’s wife, or Curley’s best friend Lennie. Both main characters set out to find comfort. Kino found his comfort in helping his family find wealth. Lennie felt comfort in his “imaginary” farm. But due to this it drives them both to insanity, Kino turns into a criminal as he chases wealth. Lennie turns into a criminal as he kills Curley’s wife. George killing Lennie for freedom to have his own life. The pearl is destructive to Kino and his family. Lennie is destructive to George’s life and everyone else on the farm. Lennie destroyed Curley’s family, just like Kino and his pearl.

Characters

Both characters aren’t wealthy, they both strive for food and live in poverty. Kino and George both searched for money to help support them  and another person. George had to support Lennie due to his disability, and Kino had to take care of his family.

 The pearl

Kino is the main character, during his job as a fisherman he discovers the pearl and sets out to bring his family wealth. Juana is his wife, also the mother of his kids .Coyotito is their son. He later dies in the story. Thomas, The doctor tries to make profit Kino’s wealth, The attackers Kino, in spite of the pearl and his wealth.  The tracker seek out to find them in the mountains, later on accidentally shooting and the bullet ricocheted and hit Coyotito The pearl buyers are where Kino would begin his journey to success, they set out to but the pearl.  Kino’s neighbors thought he was foolish, as they thought he'd never get the amount of money. The priest talked to Kino and gave him advice on his new acquired wealth. The dark attacker attacked Kino, they are also the trackers.

Of Mice And Men

Curley is Candy’s son, he has constant worries of his wife committing adultery. Curley’s wife stays on the farm, she also flirts with all the other men. She later gets killed by Lennie. Lennie isn't all the way there, his caretaker is George, who also later kills Lennie for killing everything from mice to people due to him being overly large. George who blames Lennie for constantly causing him to abandoned every life he has. Even though that was his best friend. He thought it was the best thing to do. Slim is Candy is Curley’s dad. Him, Lennie, and George planned to run away. He lost one of his making it difficult for him to distribute to the farm. Candy’s dog is the parallel the relationship of George and Lennie. Like Candy's dog, Lennie depends on George to take care of him and show him what to do. Crook got his name due to his crooked back, he takes care of the horses and livestock. He is the only black man on the farm. Curley's wife puts Crooks "in his place" by telling him that a word from her will have him lynched.

Setting

These stories take place in the 1900’s and the Eastern hemisphere.

Of Mice and Men

The clearing in the woods is where Lennie and George adventure begins. It's where they find safety and a get away from society. This is where Lennie’s fantasies end, along with his life.

 The bunkhouse is where most of the conflict happened. There was cruelty, jealousy and violence taken place here

 Candy’s dog is the parallel the relationship of George and Lennie. They equally depend on each other.

 The dream farm is built around Lennie and George’s friendship. It is the thing that ties them together and keeps them working, even when times are hard.

The barn is a supposedly safe place where animals can find shelter and warmth. It is a place where humans take care of animals, which is symbolically ironic because it is where Lennie kills his puppy and Curley’s wife.

The Pearl

The mountains represent where their family was destroyed. Where their son was brutally taken away from them.

Town represents where the bidding took place.

The beach is where Kino was attacked.

 Theme

They both have something pushing them beyond their breaking points. Both men, Kino and George turn to the life of criminals, after both men killing another individual for their freedom.

Of Mice and Men

This story teaches a lesson about the nature of human existence. Nearly all of the characters, including George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, admit, at one time or another, to having a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. They all use each other for comfort during the Great Depression and the struggles they face everyday

The Pearl

The pearl demonstrated a symbol of human destruction and how greed is the root of evil. Kino faced temptation of wealth. Which completely changed him into basically ripping apart his family over a wild fantasy. The pearl was a gift at first, but longed to be evil. Something destructive, overwhelming and blinding to someone. All because of “wealth.” Which really doesn't matter without him having his family.

Symbolism

Of Mice and Men

Of mice and men deal with predatory nature of human existence; the importance of fraternity and idealized relationships between men. It shows the impossibility of the American Dream, and even the destructive imbalance of social power structures in American society.

The Pearl

Kino’s investment of spiritual value in a pearl, an object of material wealth, may be misguided from the start. Juana and  Tomás both suspect that Kino is wrong to try to get more for the pearl than the dealer's offer, and Juana tries several times to get rid of the pearl, believing it to be the source of her family’s troubles. This interprets the pearl as a symbol of destruction and corruption rather than purity.

Plot

Of mice and men

George was just a man, his aunt died leaving him to take care of a family friend named Lennie. Lennie killed and disobeyed many things. Causing people to see him as a criminal, as he was just not all there. George let go his life and had nothing but Lennie, because of Lennie’s actions George can't have a normal life. Lennie pushed George to the edge killing him. This represented his freedom.

The Pear

In the pearl, Kino was just a fisherman. He needed money to support him and his family. As in reality, the pearl was just evil. Showing how the world revolves around money, how  people will attack and even kill for wealth. It even turned him into a criminal.

Conclusion ;

In conclusion, both of these stories both have a meaning. Whether it's about how materialistic items such as money, can damage a person and completely change their life. Also be about how men depends on one another, and how everything might not seem how it is. Lennie wasn't a cold blooded killer, he was just simply a mentally impaired.