AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MONICA DIAN SANDITAMA
Student Number: 034214015
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MONICA DIAN SANDITAMA
Student Number: 034214015
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
beloved family: Papi & Mami, Om To, Mas Jondhet & Mba Udit, Mba Mega &
Mas Ishar, Mba Galih & Mas Dhadhang, and Damar for the never ending love and
support.
My chief debt goes to Sarwoto. P, S.S., M.A., my advisor, who has
willingly spent his precious time to read and correct this thesis; and who has
patiently encouraged and supported me in improving this thesis with his advice;
from ‘nothing’ into a piece of this little work. My deepest gratitude also goes to
Maria Ananta Tri Suryandari, S.S., M. Ed., my co-advisor, who has devoted her
valuable time to read and give corrections and also suggestions to make this thesis
better. I would like also say thank you to Dr. Hary Susanto, S.J., for the discussion
and encouragement to finish the thesis.
I thank all my friends from the English Letters Study Program, especially
those from class A. I also thank to Mba Poet, Ella, and Icad for the great
friendship. Thank you to Jo for reminding me to learn more from a lot of the small
things. Thank you to my beloved friends “eks-stembayo”: Mba Pt, Mb Fiet, Mba
Rieh, Mba Aniek, Mba U’an, Mba Andar, Mba Desy, and Herlin. I would like
also say thank to Mba Iyus, Mas Lilik and Mas Wahyu for all the advices and
references.
APPROVAL PAGE... ii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION... 1
A. Background of the Study... 1
B. Problem Formulation... 4
C. Objectives of the Study ... 4
D. Definition of Term ... 5
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW... 6
A. Review of Related Studies ... 6
B. Review of Related Theories ... 8
1. Theory on Character and Characterization ... 8
2. Theory on Conflict ... 10
A. The Elaboration of the Characters Presented in the Novel ... 30
1. The Characterization of Major Characters ... 31
a. George ... 34
b. Lennie ... 33
2. The Characterization of Minor Characters... 37
a. Candy ... 38
b. Crooks ... 39
c. Curley’s wife ... 40
d. Curley... 42
B. The Elaboration of the Conflicts ... 44
1. Major Characters’ Conflicts... 45
a. George ... 45
b. Lennie... 50
2. Minor Characters’ Conflicts... 52
1. Major Characters... 64
a. George ... 64
b. Lennie... 68
2. Minor Characters... 72
a. Candy ... 72
b. Crooks ... 75
c. Curley’s Wife ... 78
d. Curley... 81
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 85
BIBLIOGRAPHY... 88
APPENDIX... 90
Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
Of Mice and Men is a novel that tells about friendship between George and Lennie. Both of them dream about their beautiful future as the other workers who lived during the Great Depression of the 1930s in America. This novel depicts a tragedy within human’s life. A portrayal on the futility of human’s effort is revealed through the two major characters in this novel. The major characters’ hopelessness which is strengthened by the minor characters’ conflicts asserts Camus’ philosophical idea that is absurdity, revealed in this work.
The characterization of both of the major and minor characters in the novel is the first point discussed in this study. Second, the description of the conflicts experienced by each character becomes the main supporter to convey the third problem that is about the concept of absurdity in the novel.
Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.
Of Mice and Men adalah sebuah novel tentang persahabatan George dan
Lennie. Keduanya bermimpi tentang masa depan yang indah layaknya manusia-manusia kelas pekerja yang hidup pada masa Great Depression 1930 di Amerika. Novel tersebut menggambarkan tragedi dalam kehidupan manusia. Gambaran kesia-siaan usaha manusia terungkap melalui kedua tokoh utama. Keputusasaan tokoh utama yang diperkuat oleh konflik tokoh pembantu mempertegas ide filosofis Camus, yakni absurditas, yang terungkap dalam karya ini.
Penokohan dari dua tokoh utama dan tokoh-tokoh pembantu dalam novel ini merupakan hal pertama yang dibahas dalam studi ini. Kedua, gambaran konflik yang dialami oleh masing-masing karakter menjadi pendukung utama untuk memaparkan permasalahan ketiga tentang konsep absurditas dalam novel ini.
Melalui gambaran tentang kehidupan manusia pada umumnya di masa itu,
novel ini mengungkapkan gagasan mendalam atas kondisi tersebut kepada pembaca. Oleh karena itu, pendekatan moral-filosofis, terutama berkaitan dengan ide absurditas yang diungkapkan oleh Camus diterapkan dalam studi ini. Metode yang digunakan adalah studi pustaka, meliputi tahap pengumpulan data, membaca data, menganalisis data, dan menyusun kesimpulan.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literary works in particular are not only considered as a part of culture.
Moreover it is used as the medium through which the author, consciously or
unconsciously, reveal a certain phenomenon in society. Somehow many issues,
regardless whether it is the ordinary one or the sophisticated one, are often
reflected, represented, and revealed in literary works. This can be seen from the
various themes found in literary works that might be related to a matter of
sociology, psychology, philosophy, and so on.
A literary work plays its role as a tool through which the author
communicates his ideas toward the reader. Since the literary work is regarded as
the medium, then it is closely related to the reader as the user, in which they do
the interpretation upon the literary works as they consume it. The reader makes
the interpretation through many aspects provided in the literary works, though
sometimes a certain aspect is considered as the one which is more important rather
than the others. Therefore it then becomes the focus of the source of the
interpretation. Thus, the interpretation made by the reader might be different from
the first meaning intended by the author. It is similar to what is meant by the
writer in analyzing Steinbeck’s novel, entitled Of Mice and Men in which
Steinbeck clearly depicts the life of imigrant labourer on a California ranch. This
company-owned ranches. On the analysis toward this famous work, the writer does not only
find the potrayal of the workers in that era, more than that, the writer can also find
the profound meaning revealed through it.
Of Mice and Men, a well known novel written by John Steinbeck and
published in 1937, is found to have a philosophical idea. The way human being
live with their problems and how they deal with their problems are some points
presented in Steinbeck’s novel. In particular, the novel tells about the bitter reality
of the American dream. All of the characters are told as human beings with their
own hopes to have their ideal dreams. Those are the points which are drawn from
particular aspects of the novel, that is the characters and their problems, through
which the writer tries to define the philosophical idea revealed in it.
Discussing about the human beings’ condition and their problems, it is
related to what is called existentialism, a branch of philosophy which is very
interesting since it offers the discussion about the way people seek the meaning of
their life among both of good and bad reality that they have in their life. This is
the first point on which the writer is interested in analyzing Steinbeck’s Of Mice
and Men. The novel reflects the way each of human being possesses his problem
and figures out the meaning of his life, without exception, even from those who
are considered as the one with the ideal image with his wisdom in viewing life in
this world.
People may conceive his life in this world as a journey, a mystery, and so
forth. People live within their daily activities. They are often trapped in their
neglect the spiritual side of human being because of the physical matter surround
him that occupies his life. ” Materialistic rules” (Marcel in Gould and Truit,
1973:151), for contemporary people becomes a very familiar thing for their life.
However, it is undeniable that human being also often questions the meaning of
his life, the meaning of his existence in the world, whether directly or indirectly.
Somehow the futility of the human effort in seeking the meaning of their
life is depicted in Steinbeck’s novel. A tragedy seems to be a part of the American
workers’ life. This is elaborated in each character presented in this work. The
struggle of each character in dealing with the problems in their life that looks like
an ordinary case of the imigrant workers in America rises the deep issue about the
way people try to stand in the world, to “exist”, in this unpredictable world that
might be fascinating and troublesome at the same time.
Although Of Mice and Men is not an absurd novel, through the portrayal
of the reality of human life that seems so tragic and futile presented in it, it opens
the discussion on the matter of absurdity as the subject introduced by Albert
Camus, one of the famous proponent of Existentialism. This assumption is
considered to be reliable enough as Abrams stated that “literature of the absurd is
applied to a number of works which reveal the sense that human condition is
essentially and ineradicably absurd” (Abrams, 1981: 1). Thus, the thesis concerns
more on the idea of absurdity revealed through the content of the novel. It does
not start from the notion of the particular form for the literature of the absurd i.e.
absurd by “rejecting the realistic settings, logical reasoning and a consistenly
stated,”Before encountering the absurd, the everyday man lives with aims, a
concern for the future or for justification” (Camus in Gould and Truit, 1973: 86).
Furthermore, this thesis will attempt to discover John Steinbeck’s concept of
existentialism revealed through the novel, especially the concept of absurdity
mentioned above.
B. Problem Formulation
The followings are the problems that will be discussed on the research
toward John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men :
1. How does the novel present the major and minor characters?
2. How is the conflict presented in the novel?
3. How do the conflict and characterization represent the concept of absurdity
revealed in the novel?
C. Objectives of the Study
Finding how the characters are presented in the novel is the first objective
of the study. As the characterization and conflict are binding together then
conflicts occur in the novel need to be figured out. Therefore, the second objective
is elaborating the conflicts depicted in the novel. Furthermore, the way the author
presents the conflict and characterization are prominent to understand the concept
of absurdity as the theme revealed in the novel. Thus, the last objective is gained
D. Definition of Term
Absurdity means the absence of meaning in human life and begins with
the idea that life is not worth living, “that this world is peopled with such
irrationals”(Camus, 1955: 20). The monotonous life is one of what is called as
irrationals in which people see this as uselesss since death will end everything.
Even it is continued by the notion of suicide as the rest of the recognition about
“the absence of any profound reason for living”(Camus in Gould and Truit, 1973:
A. Review of Related Studies
The impression of a literary work that is created directly or indirectly by the
author is always possible to lead into what is called as criticism. The criticism may
take many forms such as disagreement, serious examination, judgment, or comment
on argument of the literary work. Once published in 1937, Of Mice and Men
successfully brought John Steinbeck to be recognized nationally as a writer.
Beginning with his first novel, Cup Of Gold, John Ernst Steinbeck explored his great
talent in writing until he produced his other novels: To God Unknown (1929), The
Pasture of Heaven (1932), Tortilla Flat (1935), In Dubious Battle (1936)), The
Grapes of Wrath (1939), and many others of Steinbeck’s works that mostly known by
their themes which concerns more on social issue and humanity.
Toward Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck himself regarded this novel as the
potential one to be performed in a play. This fact then led him to perform the novel in
a stage version with George Kaufman, who directed the play on Broadway in New
York City on November 23, 1937. By the publication of the novel both by printing
media and by its visualization through play, many critical responses were directed to
this Steinbeck’s tragic-story. Most of the critics commented on this novel as the
relationship with others, which was completed by the description on a deep meaning
of friendship. Meanwhile, some others criticized on the rough earthiness of the
characters and their lives provided in the novel.
Of Mice and Men is said as the portrayal of two men in facing the world,
which is fully described in petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and
callousness. Those are quoted from the statement of Penguin Highbridge publisher in
its review toward the novel (http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/steinbeck/mice.html).
However, most of critics see a matter of friendship and a shared dream as the theme
revealed in Of Mice and Men. A tragic friendship as the theme revealed through the
characterization of Lennie and George is one criticism stated by Jill Karson in
Reading on Of Mice and Men (http://catalog.stcharles.lib.la.w:800/ipac20/ipac).
Another critic said that Steinbeck has shown the way he affirms “the natural bond
between life and productive property, the need that man has of a bit earth to give him
sustenance and dignity” (Gardiner, 1952: 223). Gardiner said that this fact is strongly
supported by the elaboration of the characters’ obsession about their own land as it is
described in Of Mice and Men.
Claudia Durst Johnson, in “Understanding of Mice and Men, The red Pony,
and The Pearl”, Greenwood press, stated that Steinbeck’s works are the window of
the history of times and places portrayed in each of them
(http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/GR9966.aspx). In addition, Charlotte Hadella
said that Of Mice and Men clearly portrayed the American dream of individual
(http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/4803813/used/of%20Mice%20&%20M
en:%20A%20kinship%20of%20powerlesness-96k-).
However, the study on Of Mice and Men may lead the readers into various
interpretations. The brief and solid story about the ordinary men, the powerful
technique used by Steinbeck in performing his idea through Of Mice and Men has
challenged the writer to get a deeper understanding on the philosophical value
contained in the novel. The concept of absurdity proposed by one of the most
influential existentialist, Albert Camus, is the point that has become the concern of
the writer in interpreting this challenging work.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Character is one of the main elements of a novel. The characters are created
in such a way that leads the readers to possess their own imagination. Sometimes, the
characters described in novel become the first reference for the readers to stand in the
story. It means that the readers are, while consuming the work since at the beginning,
unconsciously drawn into the situation told in the story by imagining themselves as if
they were the agents of the story.
Character can be simply considered as a person who has a role in a story.
Abrams explains that the person presented in a story is called the character. He adds
that the character is interpreted by the reader as having certain characteristic in the
Another aspect that may not be separated from the former is what they do or their
action for it also signifies the qualities of the character (Abrams, 1981: 20).
Two sources upon which an author can and must draw for his work are his
own creative imagination and actual life (Laar, 1957:165). The author has his own
experience in his actual life about a certain character and he also has his own
imagination that helps him in recreating the character of the novel. Therefore, the
profile exists in the novel is never the exact character replicas of the actual human
beings.
Making the characters real is one thing done by the author to build an
interesting character because an author has no business to create uninteresting
characters (Laar, 1957:166). To make the characters interpreted as the actual human
beings is a strategy to make the characters interesting. However, to make the
characters differ and greatly differ from them also posses the same proportion as the
former. One example of how the author makes the characters real is by making them
‘act in character’. It means that the characters are never allowed to act in which they
are not suited. A wise man never acted foolishly, or in other words, a certain
character is never described in such a contrast way unless there is a particular reason
why the character acts thus.
In discussing about the definition of character, Robert Henkle defines about
major and minor characters consist in novel. First thing that distinguishes the two is
the frequency of their appearance in the story. Major characters are the characters
normally give these characters their fullest attention since the focal experiences of the
novel is possibly delivered by such characters. Another function of major characters
is its performance as the key for the structural form of the story. Meaning to say that
the profound idea proposed in the novel would be successfully presented by the way
the major characters explore their ability in expressing and dramatizing the human
issues in the novel through its most convincing presentation (1977: 92).
Meanwhile, minor characters perform less function in the novel. Henkle
mentions about three various ways which are necessary in discussing the secondary
characters. First, minor characters are like an element of society. They make up the
human context in which the author is trying to establish in his story. Second, they
play as average or normal points of reference. Third, they play as foils to major
characters or they can be symbols of aspects of the governing state of being (1977:
94-100).
2. Theory on Conflict
This theory is needed due to the analysis on the conflict of both major and
minor characters. Conflict is the prominent part of a novel. Conflict creates the
possibility of the real impact toward the readers; it is the part that lead the readers to
get involve more on the story as if they possess the same situation as what is told in
the novel. The conflict described in the story might be the portrait of the real situation
of the human being, which is recreated by the author. Moreover, it might also the
“The conflict might be a contest between opposing two forces such as man
against man, man against nature, and also man against fate (Pooley, 1964: 9). A
conflict may take its form in an internal one that is the opposing parts of a man’s
personality. The first and the second example are included as the external conflict,
between man and his surrounding. The later might be quite special since it could be
included as the external conflict, and also the internal one.
According to Stanton, it is said that conflict is the basic elements created in
order to establish a set of events in forming the story, especially to create the major
structure of the story. A story may contain more than one conflict of forces, but
usually only the central conflict fully accounts for the events of the plot (1965:16).
Stanton says the specific conflicts which are mentioned by Pooley above, “are in turn
subordinate to the central conflict, i.e. the conflict between the fundamental and
contrasting qualities or forces, such as honesty and hypocrisy, etc”. Stanton adds that
central conflict is applied properly for “a pair of forces” in which each of them is
“attempting to conquer the other or resisting being conquered by it” (1965: 16).
Furthermore, conflict is also stated as a clash of actions, ideas, or wills (Perrine in
Koesnosubroto, 1988: 43). Supported by those definitions, the writer tries to reveal
how the novel presents its central conflict that later on clarifies the issue.
A conflict might be considered as the tool for the author to reveal his idea
and his point of view. Somehow it is also possible that the conflict presented in the
novel is built based on another’s idea, point of view, and experience. The way the
strong point to attract the readers (Pooley, 1964: 9). However, the sequences of the
action or plot that arranges the conflict might also built in particular way using
fragmentation without considering the common pattern using the idea of climax,
resolution, etc
Laar and Schooenderwoerd state a definition of plot (Dutch:
verhaalgegeven) in An Approach to English Literature that refers to the idea of what
happens; the events, actions and things that happen, are done or suffered (1957: 163).
In details, plot is defined as an organized story, and through this definition, a further
explanation to distinguish the difference between stories and plot is needed then.
The term story is understood more by its relation to time sequence arranged
in the novel; that one thing happens after another thing (Laar, 1957:164). Plot is
different from story in which it is more about the order of causality. A story is said as
the answer that satisfies the readers’ curiosity. Plot plays a broader role for it requires
readers’ intelligence and memory in order that he or she may see the connection
between it and what happen later and thus the comprehension on cause-effect that
relate both (Laar, 1957:164).
3. Theory on Absurdity
Due to its interrelatedness with existentialism, the details about the concept
of absurdity may begin with the basic idea shared among the existentialists that is
questioning the existence of human. Most of us is said to “lose our sense of what it
“have thrown away their freedom, become passive automatons, and overlooked the
deeper”. Those conditions have supported the existential in owning its purpose “to
describe what may be broadly conceived as the human condition” (Woodhouse, 1994:
26-27). In existentialism, it is stated that unlike other entities, human are the only
creatures that are conscious about their existence in which it determines their
superiority compared with other creatures. However, the term existentialism itself is
not easily defined in a single fixed meaning because each thinker has their own
theory based on their particular perspectives (Hasan, 1967: 7).
Among various perspectives on existentialism, there is an assumption that
“existence precedes essence”, which is understood as the basic assumption in dealing
with the discussion on the existence of human. Sartre said that “at the very first time
man is nothing, then, the essence is defined by the time man makes decisions upon
his life through his total freedom” (Sartre in Gould and Truit, 1973: 30). Beginning
by the previous discussion on the superiority between man and other creatures, every
man is understood that he firstly “exists”; as the subject, who define the later of what
he is through his attitude, his way of thinking, etc that particularly leads him
indirectly to decide what sort of man he chose to be after all, how he takes a position
upon any situation he has in his life, and in particular how he defines his own life in
this world. In other words, every man creates his own life. He himself is the only one
who is wholly responsible for what he makes of himself.
According to Sartre, there is no higher value and authority that determines
leads to the man’s complete freedom to define himself since man is alone in the
universe and is responsible for his own condition. Furthermore, it is said that man’s
life is absurd. Human beings do exist but they have been thrown in a meaningless
world without their permission. The next thing left is “the question” on the meaning
of the existence of human in the world. Thus, according to Sartre, nothingness is the
only answer revealed as human being demand the clarification about their life in the
world (Sartre in Palmer, 1988: 366). Somehow, within the absurd, man has freedom
to create his own life. Life is said as something that has no value or meaning except
that which man gives to it.
In some way, some similarities are found between Sartre and Camus as
Sartre stated that all man’s acts are ultimately futile within their absurd existence in
the world. Besides, it is also futile since at the end the death will be the only reality
faced by man. However, the authentic man knows that and he chooses to persevere
(Sartre in Palmer, 1988: 374).
Albert Camus, a French philosophical novelist and essayist who was born
and raised in Algeria is also the most well known person who proposed his idea about
absurdity. Camus’ life experience as a fatherless, tubercular youth, a young
playwright, and a journalist in Algiers, and later in the anti German resistance in Paris
during World-War II, was said as the most influential thing in relation with his works
in literature, in which the notion of “the absurd” is also one of the most significant
ideas discussed by philosophers. Although Camus’ works were very famous with its
absurdity. In 19th century, Soren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher, already
introduced this concept (Gould and Truitt, 1973: 67).
A quotation stated in The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy explains
Camus’ notion of “the absurd” as the confrontation between ourselves- with our
demand for the rationality and justice- and an “indifferent universe" (Audi,
1995:116). Furthermore, in his Myth of Sisyphus, Camus mentioned that human being
is said to be in “his longing for happiness and reason”, the point in which “the absurd
is born by the confrontation between human need and the unreasonable silence of the
world” (Camus, 1955:21). Thus, absurdity, as a concept born in the movement of the
existentialism or the philosophy of existence, is stated as a confrontation, an
opposition, a conflict, or a “divorce” between two ideals.
The two ideals proposed by Camus are the condition in which human beings
possess their question about the meaning of life, while on the contrary the world itself
provides no explanation for them. In details, it is elaborated in the fundamental
existence of suffering and monotonous life faced by human being that somehow has
stimulated them in questioning what is behind those and expecting this life to be
filled with happiness and such a meaning that is understandable for them. Seldom
people question about their life, especially within their monotonous activities, but
when then the question comes, men hardly get the answer upon the reality that they
have within their life.
While having their awareness as human being who is essentially and
people questioning the purpose of this life, on why do they appear in this world
within one or two thing that we have since we were born and that seems to be unable
to be changed, i.e. as Sartre said the “facticitiy” in existence (Sartre in Palmer, 1988:
371). The question that seems to be futile since the death is the only thing emerges as
reality for this life. This is even definitely shown by the awareness of all human being
that none of them will encounter the eternal life in this world. Those explain the
notion on the existence and the irrational, and last, the absurd that in a certain degree
may link both of them for questioning and demanding the clarifications upon the
inexplicable situation that people have signifies his awareness of being exist as an
individual. Means, people are aware of their existence in which they themselves who
create the meaning of their life. On the other side, the appearance of the final reality
that is the death refers to the irrational for it means there is no answer upon people’s
question about their life. Thus, people feel disappointed by the absurd; by the absence
of the concord between both of people’s desire and reality proposed by the world.
In a simple way, the irrational may be defined as the quality of being
beyond human’s capability to understand its logical thought. On the other hand,
people may naturally tend to define his surrounding rationally. Furthermore, it may
also refers to the quality of being unreasonable which can be seen as much as various
matters that seem to be occur or exist in such a way; transcendental. That formerly
people live within their purpose and plan; the matter of death has suddenly emerged
and replace the hope. Thus, according to Camus, the irrational later on refers to the
leads the people to recognize the existence of suffering that seems to be useless
before the death.
The world itself is not absurd, but rather the relationship between man and the world is an absurd one for it prompts certain types of question from man but makes no provisions for answer. The absurd relationship is to be found in that divorce between the mind, the desires, and the world, which disappoints (Camus in Gould and Truitt, 1973: 67).
Those may refer to many people’s experiences, for instance; the existence
of suffering, evil and so on that somehow insist them to find the sufficient reason
behind it. Then, it may refer also to the condition of human being who pursues the
eternal happiness in which the world cannot satisfy him because every man will die at
the end. By the final reality, that is the presence of the death, the uselessness of
suffering has surely indicated the absurd of human condition. In addition, the fact that
man lives within his freedom to think and to desire can be probably considered as the
indicator of the absence of the concord between this world and him; between his
reality and his mind. Once he reached a particular level, he may desire the more.
Thus, the divorce between both of desire and reality is continuously born.
Through their every day, people look into the way they repeat their days,
their everyday business, their longing for the more till they come to feel weary of
those denseness. Thus, it is not merely about such an eternal repetition occur within
their life, it is also about the later thought on people’s effort to make such a solution
to deal with that matter. Being aware of their condition, people make such a trial to
break from their routine. They are longing for their better condition. Thus, a hope
comparison, and hope are explored by Camus in dealing with his idea about the
absurd condition that refers to human’s life. By the existence of desire, the matter of
time which will actually reach its limit and the disagreement between both that
ultimately ruin the hope, a link of which the notion of the absurd can be described are
proposed.
Surely, by having his own desire upon whatever condition that has already
existed surround them, people may find his unlimited mind and desire. That is how
the desire shows the tendency to compare which then signifies the absence of the
unity between people’s mind and his reality. As Camus says that “the absurd springs
from a comparison” and “in between an action and the world that transcends it”
(Camus, 1955: 22). Thus, the absurd revealed through the character’s scheme and the
objective situation that he has.
Nonetheless, man lives within his awareness of the matter of time. He realizes
his getting old, his future, and precisely on his ultimate reality that is his death. Thus,
it makes all things that have been desired before become nothing as Sartre says about
the “facticity”, that somehow signifies the absurd of human being’s life. The fact that
every effort done is going to be nothing for the death is the last thing left for them. It
is a kind of certainty that will definitely be experienced by all human being and
uncertainty, that, in fact it is something unpredictable when and how it will come to
man.
Feeling worry about his future precisely illustrates the way man belongs to
But simultaneously he situates himself in relation to time. He takes his place in it. He admits that he stands at a certain point on a curve that he acknowledges having to travel to its end (Camus, 1955: 10-11).
By this phase, man is unconsciously directed by time. He begins to define
his ‘tomorrow’ and making such an effort that may make sure his ‘business’ be as he
expects it to be. Here, people indirectly conceive their life as a matter of passing by
the time. They know that somehow everything they do will have to be stopped
someday. It surely implies their awareness of death within people’s life in this world.
Before encountering the absurd, the everyday man lives with aims, a concern for the future or for justification. He weighs his chances, he counts on “someday”, his retirement or the labor of his sons. He still thinks that something in his life can be directed. In truth, he acts as if he were free, even if all the facts make a point on contradicting that liberty. (Camus, 1955: 42).
Those are the real portrayal of people’s life in this world. They realize that
every situation they have, both of good and hard times, will lead them into their
tomorrow. It may be understood that people here are aware of their being exist as the
subject, the determiner of what their own life are going to be. As Sartre said that this
is the first principle of existentialism i.e. “subjectivity” (Sartre in Gould and Truitt,
1973: 30). Meanwhile, within the absurd, while people are struggling in conceiving
their being exist in this world, they are at the same time finding themselves before the
universe that somehow seems to be the ignorant of their condition. Thus, the
awareness of the irrational is begun for so many things exist in their life beyond
between people’s desire to get the clarification from the universe and the inexplicable
condition proposed before them as Camus states below:
But what is absurd is the confrontation between this irrational and the wild longing for clarity whose call echoes in the man heart. The absurd depends as much on man as on the world. For the moment it is all that links them together. (Camus, 1955: 16)
Much as they conceive their own frame i.e. in term of the rationale, people
keeps demanding such an explanation upon their condition in the world. It is briefly
defined then as the conflict between people’s desire and the reality. In between both,
people find the disagreement that later on brings them into the feeling disappointed as
Camus states about the syndrome of absurdity below:
In a universe suddenly divested of illusions and lights, man feels alien, a stranger. His exile is without remedy since he is deprived of the memory of the lost home or the hope of a promised land. This divorce between man and his life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity. (Camus, 1955: 5)
Referring to the absence of God, the quotation indicates the time when people
stands alone before this universe and ultimately receives the fact that there is neither
guidance nor purpose given to him. Thus he feels the absurd; the meaninglessness
upon his life for he knows his being apart from the world.
Furthermore, in dealing with the irrationals, Camus reveals it in The Myth of
Sisyphus, in which he explores one example of it. This is addressed to the idea of
absurdity that “this world is peopled with such irrationals” (Camus, 1955: 20). The
monotonous life which is also called as the irrational is the aspect to which human
‘tomorrow’ (Camus, 1955: 10). Meanwhile, people see this as useless since death will
end everything. Camus proposed two notion i.e. suicide and hope in deals with the
absurd. The notion of suicide is then offered as the rest of the recognition about “the
absence of any profound reason for living” (Camus in Gould and Truitt, 1973: 86).
The discussion about suicide is mostly seen as the way in which people try
to run away from their problem, their unsatisfactory condition in this world. What
might be the details in this case is that before deciding to commit suicide, man lives
with his “criteria” about his own life, “what is supposed to be in his life”, “purpose”
and “hope” of his life and so on. Then it is followed with the absence of the “certain
pattern” that they might have in their mind about their life and as they see that there is
no possible way for them to get away from their unpleasant condition, therefore they
commit suicide. Those explain what Camus said that after the absurd, everything is
upset (Camus in Gould and Truit, 1973: 92). Meaning to say that as the failure has
come inevitably upon people’s life there is nothing except the disappointment.
On the other hand, Camus’ idea of absurdity considers hope as typical act of
eluding the reality (Camus, 1955: 7). The matter of hope may indicate the way people
cannot ‘go along’ with whatever they have in their life. Therefore they obsess for the
more; the different situation, in which they think they can find it satisfy. However,
people may hardly find the situation as what they expect it to be. They even seem to
be powerless upon their surrounding. As if nothing they can do more about it for it is
occur just in such a way that is out of their schemes. By this time, people is said to be
limits, it has to make a judgment and choose its conclusions” (Camus, 1955: 21). A
phase that refers to the way people deal with the absurd. There may be the notion of
hope, suicide and the matter of the absence of hope as Camus states below:
“A man devoid of hope and conscious of being so has ceased to belong to the future. That is natural but it is just as natural that he should strive to escape the universe of which he is the creator.” (Camus, 1955: 24).
It describes the condition in which people are fully aware that actually
nothing they can really do about their life, as if there is no further place for hope
(Camus, 1955: 20). Both within and without the notion of hope, people remain
struggle to live side by side with the absurd since he, however, cannot elude from his
being free to think and desire that then insist him to define his surrounding based on
his way of thinking; his rationale. Such a desire that signifies the futility when it is
confronted against the world that does not provide any explanation for them.
By having the absurdity that refers to the condition that is not
understandable, the discussion about God is omitted since God is not included as
something understandable. It is beyond the rationale defined in human terms. Camus
defines “concrete” things as the things that are understandable. Then they refer to the
things that can be touched, can be smelled, and also to the things that resist us.
Hence, there is no higher power upon man’s life. Man himself becomes the
master of his life, the player of his own “game”. Therefore, there is no idea of
escaping from world because man is free to play his roles in this world and in his life.
However, man realizes the absurdity, then, a matter of acceptance is the only choice
give the value upon it. A statement quoted from Camus’ myth of Sisyphus offers the
idea that people will always find his or her ‘burden’ again within his or her life. This
is surely understood as people are always in the process of “making” (Sartre in Gould
and Truitt, 1973: 39). Soon as one choice is taken, it will always be followed by the
other and so on and so forth.
According to the idea of absurdity, the longing of unity, harmony, eternal
happiness, pattern and purpose that have been recognized within people’s mind
however cannot be as fix as it appears in the world. Moreover, it is applicable as well
for so many irrational that has urged them in demanding the reason upon those. This
is then the core of the absurd that is the two opposed ideals between man’s question,
mind to figure out the meaning of their existence in the world and those realities in
front of them. It is represented by Camus’ concept on existential absurdity that says:
…existential absurdity lies in fact that there is always at best an imperfect fit between human reasoning and its intended objective, hence an impossibility of achieving certitude (Camus in Audi, 1995: 297).
C. Theoretical Framework
Supported by Abram and Stanton’s theory on character and characterization,
the analysis on the first problem formulation that is aimed to gain the deeper analysis
on each of the character presented in the novel will be able to be done. The main
points described on each of the characters can be read not merely from the author’s
comment on the characters but also from the speeches and actions performed by
However, as Stanton said that the conflict is provided by the author to create
the major structure of the story, the prominent idea conveyed in the novel can be
drawn through it (1965: 16). Moreover, the conflict described in the story might
portray the real situation of the human being in which it is directly or indirectly
maintained the issue revealed in the novel. Here, the theory of conflict is used in
conducting the analysis toward the novel due to Camus’ concept of absurdity as the
concept presented in the novel. The theory on absurdity, which is understood as one
of the most fundamental discussion about human being, will be the basic theory of
this study. This theory is applicable since the novel itself is said to be the portrayal of
human being‘s condition. Thus, the understanding on the characterization of each
character and conflicts occur in the story are valuable to gain the deeper analysis on
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
Of Mice and Men is a special novel in which it provides a profound
concern on what so-called as the absurd. This aspect is somehow clearly
recognized as part of human condition through the portrayal of ordinary men’s
life. This work was officially published by Penguin Book Publisher on
February 25, 1937 and selected for the Book of the Month Club, an honor that
made the work become a top seller throughout that year.
Of Mice and Men appears in a simple tragic text consisting of three
different scenes that is a secluded grove, a bunkhouse, and a barn. Each
chapter of the novel is pictured by a single space only taken from the three
scenes mentioned above. The title has been translated into a cynical statement
in modern English: “the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry”.
Thus, the presence of the title of Mice and Men which is quoted from Robert
Burn’s poem To a Mouse also shortly represents the idea conveyed in the
story that is about the absurd and undeniable condition of human being, which
is then become the object to analyze.
Of Mice and Men sets on a ranch in Salinas Valley, California,
during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. The story tells about the ordinary
life of the American migrant workers. Of Mice and Men presents two major
their problems that have to be faced in their life. Somehow, the dream about
future and better condition is also inseparable part for most of the characters’
life.
B. Approach of the Study
A quotation taken from Theory of Literature stated that there is a
special relation between literary work and philosophy. “Frequently literature is
a thought of as a form of philosophy, as ‘ideas’ wrapped in form; and it is
analyzed to yield ‘leading ideas’ (Wellek and Waren, 1956:110). In addition, a
literary work may reveal a philosophical issue even though the author is not a
philosopher. Philosophy itself discusses about basic ideas about human being
begun from the matter of human’s existence. The work may reveal this issue
as it is composed by the author in such a special way without direct influence
from particular background on philosophy which may or may not be
possessed by the author.
Despite the author’s imagination that creates the imaginative
atmosphere upon the work, any literary works may reveal the fact or reality of
the human being condition in this world. Any idea might be related to human
being condition, in fact, the way man deals with his problem may lead him to
the question about man’s life and everything that include within their
Among various approaches used in dealing with the analysis on
literature, a moral-philosophical approach is the one conducted in this study. A
quotation in A Handbook of critical Approaches to Literature states that “the
largest function of literature is to teach morality and to probe philosophical
issue” (Guerin, 1999: 29). Moreover, the previous statement is defined as the
basic position of the moral-philosophical approach. Through the philosophical
approach, the writer tries to reveal how the idea of absurdity, which is actually
a part of philosophy, is presented in the novel. This approach is reliable as the
novel is considered as a special work, which reveals philosophical idea
through its simple but solid conflict and characterization.
Particularly using theory on existentialism, the writer will reveal how
human being within their life in the world experiences the concept of
absurdity. The complexity of life might be different from one person to other.
However, at the very beginning a matter of defining and questioning all of the
inexplicable things exist in man’s life has emerged as the awareness of every
man. Therefore, the discussion on all of the characters presented in the novel
is reliable since no man might escape from many basic realities such as death,
choice, anxiety, freedom, etc, as the inseparable part of his existence in this
C. Method of the Study
Library research method was used to find as much as possible
information about the novel and the theories needed to analyze it. The writer
tried to collect books and other references form Internet about Of Mice and
Men itself as a primary data to analyze.
In this study, some steps were conducted to answer the questions stated
in the problem formulations. At the beginning, the writer tried to understand
better about the novel. The writer was interested in the novel because it
reveals something profound through the ordinary portrait of man’s life.
First, the writer observed each character presented in the novel in order
to get a deeper understanding on how they represent the ordinary human being
through the story. Theory on characterization was applicable in finding how
the author had his own particular pattern in presenting the characters. Thus,
the knowledge on how the characters were characterized has enabled the
writer in understanding the kind of person described in the novel. Second, the
identification of the conflicts experienced by the characters was important in
supporting the analysis on the concept revealed in the novel. By employing
the term conflict as “a pair of forces” and as the major supporter for the entire
structure of a story, the theory on conflict has helped the writer in
distinguishing the major issue established in the novel. Third, the writer tried
to see philosophical aspects of existentialism which are possible in its
relevancy with the novel. Then, the writer related the novel’s characters’
In conducting this study, many data and references were very
important in supporting statements in the analysis. The primary source used as
the main reference to answer all of the questions stated in problem formulation
was Of Mice and men, a novel written by John Steinbeck. The other
references, that is the secondary sources, such as Reading the Novel by Roger
B. Henkle, An Introduction to Fiction by Robert Stanton, A Glossary of
Literary Terms by Abram, Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus, Camus by
Conor Cruise O’brien, Existentialist Philosophy by Gould and Truitt, An
Approach to English Literature by Drs. E. Van De Laar and
DR.N.Schooderwoerd, Looking at Philosophy: The unbearable Heaviness of
Philosophy Made Lighten by Donald palmer, were very useful in supporting
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
Based on the study upon the novel, the writer divides this chapter into
three parts. The first parts discusses about the characters presented in the novel.
There are six characters in who are classified into two major categories namely
major and minor characters. Afterwards, the second part describes the conflict
occurs in the story as it is experienced by the characters.
The writer observes the existence of the conflict as a medium through
which the author revealed the idea of absurdity in the story. Here, the writer
employs the definition of conflict as “a pair of forces” in which each of them is
“attempting to conquer the other or resisting being conquered by it” (Stanton,
1965: 16). Stanton explains that the existence of internal and external conflicts in
fiction will then come to conclusion on what is called as a central conflict of the
work; “the fundamental and contrasting qualities or forces”. However, the study
focuses on the discussion of central conflict experienced by characters in novel. In
the third part of the analysis, the writer explixates Camus’ concept on absurdity as
the idea revealed in the novel.
A. Analysis on Characters Presented in the Novel
To begin with, two important aspects in interpreting the character
proposed by Abram i.e. the dialogue and the action are the main tool employed in
1. Major Characters
Based on Henkle’ categorization on the characters presented in the
novel, there are two characters included as those who are given the fullest
attention for they are likely to dominate in presenting the main issue revealed in
the novel, i.e. George Milton and Lennie Small. Both are given larger proportion
in term of characterization and conflict since at the beginning of the story till the
end. Not merely by their frequent appearance in each of the scenes, but also by
their being the focus of the story. It is indicated by anything related to these two
characters that have built the entire story.
a. George Milton
George Milton is an intelligent and careful person. Steinbeck puts him as
a protagonist in the novel, a companion of the mentally handicapped-Lennie
Small. At the beginning of the story, both are defined as unique characters since
they have such a close relationship that differentiates them from other guys in
ranch. Steinbeck provides a picture of loneliness as a common phenomenon for
the life of the workers. However, he tries to attract the readers through
togetherness between Lennie and George since the first part of the story. Below is
George’s physical description that slightly shows George’s inner capability as a
more intelligent man compared with Lennie.
George’s intelligence is also indicated by the way he reminds Lennie
about the water drunk by Lennie when they have a rest before they arrived in the
new ranch. On the contrary, Lennie will not even take any consideration about
that simple thing.
George unslung his bundle and dropped it gently on the bank. “I ain’t sure it’s a good water,” he said. “Looks kinda scummy.”
Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and come back again. Lennie watched them go. “Look,George. Look what I’ve done.”
George knelt beside the pool and drank from his hand with quick scoops. “Tastes all right,” he admitted. “Don’t really seem to be running, though. You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie, he said hopelessly (p.8-9).
As strong as his physical feature described in the novel, George is
created as an ordinary worker with a strong character. He is an assertive person. It
seems that he plays his role as decision maker upon Lennie’s life. One example
can be seen at the moment when George asks Lennie to keep himself from any
words whenever the boss may come and interview them.
George is in contrast with Lennie. Unlike Lennie who cannot keep himself save from his own carelessness, George can always manage many things
for Lennie. He seems to be Lennie’s protector. Being a protector for Lennie is a
character which is perhaps resulted from a combination of George’s intelligence
and carefulness. This can possibly be seen from George’s words that shows his
intention to protect Lennie if something terrible comes to him
“Course you did. Well, look. Lennie-if you jus’ happen to get trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush.”
“Hide in the brush till I come for you. Can you remember that?”(p.18)
George learns from his previous experience in Weed when Lennie made a
trouble that endangered not only Lennie but also him. Therefore, he tries really
carefully to keep Lennie stay away from any other trouble in their new ranch.
George starts this at the first day before they meet their boss. He tells Lennie not
to make any single mistake while they meet their boss.
“That ranch we’re goin to is right down there about a quarter-mile. We’re gonna go in an’ see the boss. Now, Look-I’ll give him the work tickets, but you ain’t gonna say a word. You just stand there and don’t say nothing. If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk, we’re set.”(p.11).
More than just a friend, George’s patience toward Lennie is showed by
the way he take care of Lennie. He often gets angry by Lennie’s stupid hobby that
is petting mice. Meanwhile, he knows he cannot let Lennie live alone. One time
Lennie makes George really angry, Lennie asks George if George may want him
to go. Lennie shows such a self-pity that later on wins George’s upset feeling on
Lennie.
“No-look! I was just foolin’, Lennie. Of course I want you to stay with me. Trouble with mice is you always kill ‘em.” He paused. “Tell you what I’ll do Lennie. First chance I’ll give you a pup. Maybe you wouldn’t kill it. That would be better than mice. And you could pet it harder.”(p.16)
However, George definitely realizes about any trouble that may come to
him because he has Lennie in his life. He cannot deny his feeling disappointed
about Lennie as a trouble maker. Somehow, still, he keeps Lennie beside him.
b. Lennie
Lennie is one of the two major characters provided by Steinbeck in Of
Mice and Men. Steinbeck gives a very different portrait about him compared with
the previous major character, George. At the beginning of the story, the author
describes his physical appearance as a big guy with a weak feature that can be
seen from his face.
Behind him walked an opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely and only moved because the heavy hands were pendula (p.8).
Since his first appearance in the novel, the readers can easily capture his
profile as a physically-strong man. Somehow, the author gives another clue about
him as a man who has a kind of imbalance feature within him as it is described
through the contrast between his body and his face description. In the story, the
author explores Lennie’s characters which are in contrast with George, not merely
through the differences of their physical description but also through every action
and speech performed by both which are simultaneously in contrast till the end of
the story.
The author creates Lennie as a character that is less intelligent compared
with George. Through the physical impression, mainly through his featureless
face and his pale eyes, the author shows Lennie’s low intelligence. In addition, the
author also states Lennie’s incapability compared with George’s capability.
Lennie has difficulty in memorize something except about his hobby to pet mice
“O.K.-O.K. I’ll tell ya again. I ain’t get nothing to do. Might jus’ as well spen’ all my time tellin’ you things and then you forget ‘em. And I tell you again”
“Tried and tried,” said Lennie, “But it didn’t do no good. I remember about the rabbits George”(p.9).
Steinbeck tells the readers about Lennie as a ranch-worker with his special
strength as well as the description on his physical appearance as a man with big
shape. The day when George and Lennie arrived for their new job, George tells
the boss about Lennie’s capability to work as a worker in that ranch. He said that
Lennie is not bright, but there is no doubt about his physical power that suit for
the job in ranch.
Meanwhile, Lennie never knows about his physical strength. Lennie likes
to pet mouse and he always has it killed in his hand. George always knows
whenever Lennie hides a mouse in his pocket and he finds it killed in Lennie’s
carelessness. On the other side, Lennie has never realized his physical strength
that often makes the mouse die. Lennie never knows what he is doing.
Lennie looked sadly up at him. “They was so little,” he said apologetically. “I’d pet ‘em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead because they was so little.”(p.13)
Lennie’s carelessness is also showed by George’s decision not to let
Lennie keep his work card and bus ticket at the time when they were going to the
new ranch for the new job. Up to this point, Steinbeck almost completely gives
main points of Lennie’s characters in first chapter of the novel. Lennie’s
dependence on George, makes him cannot stay alone as worker during the era of
the Great Depression of America. Lennie is like a kid with George as his
seem as a relation between friends only for each of them has something that
completes one another. Lennie’s speech about the way George and him look after
each other is one thing that indicates the special relationship experienced by both.
Lennie broke in. “But not us! An’ why? Because…because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” He laughed delightedly. “Go on now, George.” “You got it by heart. You can do it yourself” (p.17).
Furthermore, inside his big physical appearance, Lennie is childish. Even
Slim can recognize it since the first time he met Lennie as well as Curley’s wife
comment on Lennie’s character. Slim said that Lennie is just like a kid. He
observes the way Lennie beg to George so that George allows him to pet the
puppies.
Moreover, the way he responds George story about dream land also
indicates his frame of mind which is like a child. Lennie looks like a very
innocent fellow among other characters. His obsession for petting mice and
rabbits are what he has in his mind about his shared dream with George. Lennie
likes to ask George to tell him that story as a big baby expecting to listen for a
fairy tale. Within his complex characters as a childish and low intelligent worker,
Lennie cannot keep himself away from trouble as said by George below.
And Lennie’s face was drawn with terror. ”An’ whatta I got?’ George went on furiously. ‘I got you! You can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get. Jus keep me shovin’ all over the country all the time. An’ that ain’t the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I get to get you out“ (p.15).
Lennie also looks like an ignorant person towards his environment and his
hard life as a worker, but he has his obedience toward George. Along the story,
utterance to Curley’s wife that he is forbidden to speak with her. For several
times, Lennie repeats his words about George’s order. He speaks about the way he
should avoid her otherwise he will get in trouble again. However, there is one
obvious reason about Lennie’s willingness to obey George’s words that is his own
obsession to pet rabbits. It can be seen as Lennie mentions about rabbits and pet
nice things while he is talking about George’s pre-caution for him to behave.
2. Minor Characters
There are four characters discussed in this part, they are: Candy, Crooks,
Curley’s wife and Curley. Based on Henkle’s theory on the minor characters
(1977: 94-100), the writer sees how the story has been built through the
appearance of the fourth minor characters mentioned above. To begin with, the
fourth of them are described as the member of the worker class and live in a ranch
together. Thus, they have composed the social structure and the nature presented
in the story. In other words, they make up the human context establish in the story
as Henkle said about the first minor characters’ function within the story. At the
same time, they also have maintained their role as the normal points of reference
in the story since the major characters also give the sufficient description on their
personality that may enable us to recognize their being ordinary and therefore
having the perspective on things in a morality which is the standard one.
Moreover, the last function can be observed as well through the two of them:
Curley and Curley’s wife that appear as the foils to major characters. Both of them
a. Candy
Candy is an old one handed-swamper belongs to the ranch in which
George and Lennie come to. Candy is also the first guy with whom George and
Lennie meet in Soledad. He tries to be a friend of Lennie and George and shows
his welcome to them by being talkative.
Candy shows his being open by telling George about everyone in ranch
including their boss, Curley, and Curley’s wife. Candy seems to know everyone in
ranch very well. He does not like Curley. He warns George about Curley who is
“pretty handy”. His words assure George to keep Lennie away from Curley. He
also talks a lot about Curley’s wife whom he said as “tart”. However, he does not
like Curley’s wife as well.
“You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?” “Hell, no.”
“Well, you look over, mister. You see if she ain’t a tart.” He stepped out the door into the briliant sunshine (p.28).
The old lonely Candy is almost described as the loneliest guy in ranch.
Candy has an old dog as his companion. It is a half-blinded eyes dog with which
he tries to share his old age and loneliness in ranch. Unfortunately, Candy cannot
keep that old dog any longer with him since the dog is killed by a gunshot at the
first day George and Lennie arrived in ranch. Candy has his respect on Slim and
he thinks that Slim may save his dog. Meanwhile, Slim keeps offering his puppies
for Candy and decides to let the dog die.
Candy lives within his powerlessness as an old-lonely worker. That is one
Once George tells him about his shared dream with Lennie, Candy feels there is a
better future for him.
Candy interrupted him: “ I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing. You guys got any money? Maybe we could her right now?” (p.52)
b. Crooks
Crooks represents a black worker who lives within a hard life among
whites. His appearance plays the key on how the way black worker tries to deal
with the white oppression. Steinbeck depicts him as a nice character as said by
Candy.
“Yeah. Nice fella too. Got a crooked back where a horse kicked him. The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that. He reads a lot. Got books in his room (p.21).
As the only black man in ranch, Crooks has his own room separated from
others who are whites. Steinbeck mentions about his being proud and aloof man in
ranch. He realizes his powerlessness to live in such a racist culture and he tries to
keep himself in his place as a black by living in the distance between white people
and him. He can do nothing except opposing his situation by making the others
stay in their place as well and avoid any interruption from them.
Candy leaned against the wall beside the broken collar while he scratched the wrist stump. “I been here a long time,” he said. “An Crooks been here a long time. This’s the first time I ever been in his room.”
Crooks said darkly: “Guys don’t come into a coloured man’s room very much. Nobody been here but Slim. Slim and the boss.” (p.64)
Unlike George, Lennie, and Candy, Crooks has his own opinion about
having their own land, Crooks thinks that it is just something that will never be
realized. His feeling upset on his hard situation drives him to avoid such dream.
Crooks interrupted brutally. “You guys is just kiddin’ yourself. You’ll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you won’t get no land. You’ll be a swamper here till they take you out in a box. Hell, I seen too many guys. Lennie here’ll quit an’ be on the road in two, three weeks. Seems like ever’ guy got land in his head” (p.64).
Crook lives within his uneasy feeling, limited by bitter realities in his life
as a black worker. Once he fights the fact, his environment reminds him about his
helplessness. Nothing but bitterness is then the result of his feeling. The writer
finds this as the conversation between Crooks and Curley’s wife occurs.
Crooks stood up from his bunk and faced her. “I had enough,” he said ppcoldly. “You got no right comin’ in a coloured man’s room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus’ get out, an’ get out quick. If you don’t, I’m gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more.”
She turned to him in scorn. “Listen, Nigger,” she said.
“You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?” (p.68)
c. Curley’s wife
Curley’s wife is depicted as a nameless but pretty lady in ranch. Steinbek
picks her as a victim of Lennie’s carelessness as she dies at the end of the story by
Lennie’s hands. Steinbeck describes her with such a strong image of a woman
with such a strong physical appeal.
