5.1.5
Symbolism
Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
Steinbecks Use of Symbolism
Symbolism is when a writer uses characters, objects or, in the case of Of Mice and Men, animals, to represent deeper meanings.
Rabbits
- Lennie dreams of being able to one day “tend the rabbits”. The rabbits symbolise Lennie’s childlike innocence, because he loves them for their soft, fluffy fur.
- They also symbolise hope: specifically Lennie’s hope for a better life one day.
Dream farm
- Another symbol of hope is the dream farm that George and Lennie often talk about, pictured as an idyllic place where they can “live off the fatta the lan’”.
- This symbol of hope is so powerful that Candy and, for a time, Crooks are also drawn into it.
- When Lennie kills Curley’s wife, all hope is gone, hence George’s admission that he “knowed we’d never do her.” (George, Section 5).
The pool by the Salinas River
- The “narrow pool” (Section 1) by the Salinas River is a symbol of sanctuary and security. It is described as a “pleasant” (Section 6) environment and, to Lennie, represents safety as this is where George has told him to hide if he ever gets into trouble.
Candy's dog
- Companionship:
- Candy has had the dog “since he was a pup” (Candy, Section 2), and therefore keeps him from feeling lonely and isolated.
- Weakness:
- Secondly, the dog symbolises what happens to the weak and helpless in society: Carlson decides the dog is of no use anymore, and so decides “to take him out and shoot him right in the back of the head” (Carlson, Section 2).
- This event mirrors what happens to Lennie later on, and both Candy’s dog and Lennie can be seen as innocent, powerless and doomed.
Archetypes
- Some characters are archetypes. Meaning that they symbolise a particular group of people in society.
- Lennie symbolises those who are mistreated because of mental disabilities.
- Crooks is symbolic of people who are discriminated against because of their race: “They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black.” (Crooks, Section 4).
- Curley’s wife is symbolic of women who are oppressed by sexism: “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.” (Curley’s wife, Section 5).
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
Practice questions on Symbolism
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1What do the rabbits symbolise for Lennie?Multiple choice
- 2The pool by the Salinas River:True / false
Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium
Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions
Mini-mock exams based on your study history
Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books