6.2.2

Light - Quotations

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Light - Quotations

In the more descriptive sections of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck makes lots of significant references to light.

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Description of the bunkhouse

  • "Although there was evening brightness showing through the windows of the bunkhouse, inside it was dusk.” (Section 2).
    • Creates a gloomy atmosphere.
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Description of Crooks' barn

  • "In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meagre yellow light.” (Section 4).
    • Indicates the atmosphere in the barn is dark.
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Description of Curley's wife's death

  • “The sun streaks climbed up the wall” (Section 5) before she is killed.
  • “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.
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Description of Lennie's death

  • “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.

Jump to other topics

1Context & Overview

2Plot

3Key Characters

4Themes

5Authorial Method

6Recap: Main Quotes

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