5.1.3
Light
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Steinbeck's Use of Light
In the more descriptive sections of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck makes lots of significant references to light.
Description of the bunkhouse
- When describing the bunkhouse (the place where the workers live), Steinbeck says that “although there was evening brightness showing through the windows of the bunkhouse, inside it was dusk.” (Section 2).
- This reference to light, or the lack of light, in the bunkhouse helps to create a gloomy atmosphere.
Description of Crooks' barn
- When creating an image of Crooks’ barn, Steinbeck tells us that “in the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meagre yellow light.” (Section 4).
- Similar to the bunkhouse description, Steinbeck is pointing out the “meagre” light, telling us that the atmosphere in the barn is dark.
Description of Curley's wife's death
- There are also multiple references to light in the description of Curley’s wife’s death. Steinbeck describes how “the sun streaks climbed up the wall” (Section 5) before she is killed, and then says that “the sun streaks were high on the wall by now, and the light was growing soft in the barn” (Section 5) after Lennie has killed her.
- The idea here is that the light is leaving the room and the barn is becoming darker, just as the atmosphere is becoming darker.
Description of Lennie's death
- In the final section of the novel, just before George kills Lennie, Steinbeck describes how “the light climbed out of the valley.” (Section 6).
- Light could represent hope and happiness, so the light disappearing at this point could be Steinbeck’s way of telling us that hope is now lost.
1Context & Overview
1.1Context & Overview
2Plot
2.1Section 1 - Analysis
2.2Section 2 - Analysis
2.3Section 3 - Analysis
2.4Section 4 - Analysis
2.5Section 5 - Analysis
2.6Section 6 - Analysis
3Key Characters
3.1Main Characters
3.2Minor Characters
4Themes
5Authorial Method
6Recap: Main Quotes
6.1Quotes per Section
6.2Text Structure - Quotes
Jump to other topics
1Context & Overview
1.1Context & Overview
2Plot
2.1Section 1 - Analysis
2.2Section 2 - Analysis
2.3Section 3 - Analysis
2.4Section 4 - Analysis
2.5Section 5 - Analysis
2.6Section 6 - Analysis
3Key Characters
3.1Main Characters
3.2Minor Characters
4Themes
5Authorial Method
6Recap: Main Quotes
6.1Quotes per Section
6.2Text Structure - Quotes
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