The Deception of First Impressions
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a character driven novella in which things are not as they seem. Reflective of real life, Steinbeck shows that a first impression may not reflect a person’s true character. The misconceptions about characters such as Lennie, Curly’s wife, and Crooks leads to trouble abroad and drama in the air. Appearance vs. reality in the novella enhances characters’ depth and ultimately leads to disorder.
Lennie the big, strong, and seemingly threatening man, is actually an innocent and kind-hearted soul, but is mistaken for someone to pick a fight with. Lennie is described physically as a, “huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders”(2). Due to his size he is automatically seen as a threat to Curly, the son of the boss. When George is telling him to look out for Curly, “Lennie’s eyes were frightened. ‘I don’t want no trouble,’ he said plaintively. ‘Don’t let him sock me, George’”(29). This quote is significant because it makes it very clear that Lennie is a very peaceful man who has no interest in fighting. A fight does occur; in fact, Lennie is the one who emerges victorious. Lennie is very hesitant to take a swing and refuses to pick a fight despite his physical advantages; furthermore, he expresses his wish of being friends rather than enemies. When talking to Curly’s wife about rabbits, “Curley’s wife laughed at him. ‘You’re nuts,’ she said. ‘But you’re a kinda nice fella. Jus’ like a big baby’”(90). Lennie is innocent and acts as though he is a young child, quite contrary to his appearance. Both reader and character can find the complexities in Lennie’s character. It is obvious that once someone gets to know Lennie, they understand that they have judged him wrongly based on physical appearance.
Curly’s wife is always assumed to have the wrong intentions, when her actions are interpreted to be something they are not. Curly’s wife is a beautiful woman, never lacking her perfect makeup and curled hair. She will often approach men, not including her husband, which starts speculation over her intentions. To George she is described as, “Well—she got the eye” (28). Additionally, when Lennie admires her, George told him, “Don’t you even take a look at that bitch. I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ‘em poison before, but I ain’t never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her” (32). The workers on the ranch assume that she wants to seduce them and betray her husband; consequently, they avoid her at all costs thinking that she is a no-good woman trying to get them into trouble. When she converses with Lennie, “‘I get lonely,’ she said. ‘You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?’” (87) Curly’s wife confesses that she does not love Curly and that she regrets all the opportunities she missed out on. In reality, Curly’s wife is a vulnerable and lonely creature only lacking friendship. By the end of the book Curly’s wife has become a new person because the reader and Lennie have realized that she was not a deceitful woman, but a depressed soul looking for a new beginning.
Crooks, the stable manager, is portrayed as a stubborn and spiteful black man during a time of strong racism, when in actuality he has a softer side. Crooks could be described as, “a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs” (67). It is obvious that Crooks does not want to interact with any of the white workers on the ranch. When Lennie approaches him in his room, Crooks exclaimed, “You got no right to come into my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me” (68). To a blind eye, Crooks may seem like a withered old man with a cruel and demanding personality. Eventually, Crooks gives in to Lennie’s persistence and invites him inside, and tells Lenny, “‘There wasn’t another colored family for miles around. And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s jus’ one family in Soledad.’ He laughed. ‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it’”(70). Soon after Lennie is invited in, Candy arrives, “‘Come on in. If everybody’s comin’ in, you might just as well.’ It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger” (75). This quote is important because it shows that Crooks acts with spite to deny his lack of companionship. He is elated to have Lennie and Candy to talk to, but wants to keep up a tough guy appearance because he must have dignity as a black man in a white man’s world. Crooks is successful in his attempt to hide his feelings from other characters; nonetheless, a reader is able to recognize and sympathize with Crooks’ situation. The way Crooks acts is a shield against the world around him, which prevents others from acknowledging the personable and kind nature Crooks possesses.
Steinbeck utilizes appearance vs. reality in many aspects in Of Mice and Men making the characters more complex and captivating, as well as creating drama, for both readers and characters, in finding out their initial assumptions were misconstrued. Understanding how first appearances are deceptive in this story is helpful to see the plot in a broader perspective and notice the intricacies and flaws in everyone. Much like real life, people have the ability to surprise acquaintances with their true nature and personality. The fallacies that are often conceived with first impressions can be changed; indeed, people everywhere are confronted with the conflict of appearance vs. reality in society today.
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a character driven novella in which things are not as they seem. Reflective of real life, Steinbeck shows that a first impression may not reflect a person’s true character. The misconceptions about characters such as Lennie, Curly’s wife, and Crooks leads to trouble abroad and drama in the air. Appearance vs. reality in the novella enhances characters’ depth and ultimately leads to disorder.
Lennie the big, strong, and seemingly threatening man, is actually an innocent and kind-hearted soul, but is mistaken for someone to pick a fight with. Lennie is described physically as a, “huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders”(2). Due to his size he is automatically seen as a threat to Curly, the son of the boss. When George is telling him to look out for Curly, “Lennie’s eyes were frightened. ‘I don’t want no trouble,’ he said plaintively. ‘Don’t let him sock me, George’”(29). This quote is significant because it makes it very clear that Lennie is a very peaceful man who has no interest in fighting. A fight does occur; in fact, Lennie is the one who emerges victorious. Lennie is very hesitant to take a swing and refuses to pick a fight despite his physical advantages; furthermore, he expresses his wish of being friends rather than enemies. When talking to Curly’s wife about rabbits, “Curley’s wife laughed at him. ‘You’re nuts,’ she said. ‘But you’re a kinda nice fella. Jus’ like a big baby’”(90). Lennie is innocent and acts as though he is a young child, quite contrary to his appearance. Both reader and character can find the complexities in Lennie’s character. It is obvious that once someone gets to know Lennie, they understand that they have judged him wrongly based on physical appearance.
Curly’s wife is always assumed to have the wrong intentions, when her actions are interpreted to be something they are not. Curly’s wife is a beautiful woman, never lacking her perfect makeup and curled hair. She will often approach men, not including her husband, which starts speculation over her intentions. To George she is described as, “Well—she got the eye” (28). Additionally, when Lennie admires her, George told him, “Don’t you even take a look at that bitch. I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ‘em poison before, but I ain’t never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her” (32). The workers on the ranch assume that she wants to seduce them and betray her husband; consequently, they avoid her at all costs thinking that she is a no-good woman trying to get them into trouble. When she converses with Lennie, “‘I get lonely,’ she said. ‘You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?’” (87) Curly’s wife confesses that she does not love Curly and that she regrets all the opportunities she missed out on. In reality, Curly’s wife is a vulnerable and lonely creature only lacking friendship. By the end of the book Curly’s wife has become a new person because the reader and Lennie have realized that she was not a deceitful woman, but a depressed soul looking for a new beginning.
Crooks, the stable manager, is portrayed as a stubborn and spiteful black man during a time of strong racism, when in actuality he has a softer side. Crooks could be described as, “a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs” (67). It is obvious that Crooks does not want to interact with any of the white workers on the ranch. When Lennie approaches him in his room, Crooks exclaimed, “You got no right to come into my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me” (68). To a blind eye, Crooks may seem like a withered old man with a cruel and demanding personality. Eventually, Crooks gives in to Lennie’s persistence and invites him inside, and tells Lenny, “‘There wasn’t another colored family for miles around. And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s jus’ one family in Soledad.’ He laughed. ‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it’”(70). Soon after Lennie is invited in, Candy arrives, “‘Come on in. If everybody’s comin’ in, you might just as well.’ It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger” (75). This quote is important because it shows that Crooks acts with spite to deny his lack of companionship. He is elated to have Lennie and Candy to talk to, but wants to keep up a tough guy appearance because he must have dignity as a black man in a white man’s world. Crooks is successful in his attempt to hide his feelings from other characters; nonetheless, a reader is able to recognize and sympathize with Crooks’ situation. The way Crooks acts is a shield against the world around him, which prevents others from acknowledging the personable and kind nature Crooks possesses.
Steinbeck utilizes appearance vs. reality in many aspects in Of Mice and Men making the characters more complex and captivating, as well as creating drama, for both readers and characters, in finding out their initial assumptions were misconstrued. Understanding how first appearances are deceptive in this story is helpful to see the plot in a broader perspective and notice the intricacies and flaws in everyone. Much like real life, people have the ability to surprise acquaintances with their true nature and personality. The fallacies that are often conceived with first impressions can be changed; indeed, people everywhere are confronted with the conflict of appearance vs. reality in society today.