Section 1 - Overview
English Lit: Edexcel IGCSE Of Mice & Men, topic 2.1.2
Section 1 Overview
In analysing Section 1, Steinbeck begins to hint towards Lennie's mental disability and George's protection of him.
Setting the scene
- The peaceful setting creates a tranquil atmosphere, and the area seems to be like a kind of sanctuary for the two main characters.
- This becomes significant when the scene is revisited at the end of the novel.
George protecting Lennie
- The way the two men walk, with George leading and Lennie following, reveals that George is the leader in this relationship. The description of the way Lennie gulps water from the unclean pool is one of the first clues that he has a mental disability.
- Later, when George tells Lennie not to say anything, Steinbeck shows that George is worried the Lennie will get them into trouble, ruining George’s plans.
Lennie's strength
- The fact that the mouse has died, presumably because of how Lennie has been petting it, is one of the first indications of his strength, and the fact that he might not be aware of just how strong he is.
- George making him throw the dead mouse away shows that he acts almost like a parent to Lennie.
Lennie and the mouse
- We learn that Lennie’s enjoyment of stroking soft things, first highlighted with the mouse incident, extends to women. This foreshadows (gives clues about) future trouble.
The American Dream
- The farm that the two men aspire to own is George and Lennie’s American Dream, while the fact that they imagine their future together shows how significant their friendship is.
Atmosphere created by the end of the section
- Despite the positive end to this section of the novel, George’s suggestion that Lennie could get them into serious trouble because of his mental disability creates a tense atmosphere.
Test yourself on Section 1 - Overview
What type of atmosphere does the peaceful setting create?
Who is the leader out of George and Lennie?
What does the shared dream show?