Symbolism in Of Mice and Men

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Mouse = George

G is mouse in title: mouse tries to build home for itself and family, only to be destroyed repeatedly by farmers

description is similar to mouse: "short, sharp features", "restless eyes" "small and quick"

Animal Imagery for Lennie

often compared to bear, great physical strength, dangerous: "the way a bear drags his paws" "dabbled his big paw" "curley's hand was lost in Lennie's paw"

drinks from pool "like a horse"

"strong as a bull"

Lennie is instinctively an animal

Candy's dog

candy's only companion

candy regrets not shooting his dog: "i shoulda shot that dog myself" which inspires G at end of novel: "I ain't gonna let them hurt Lennie"

The Dead Puppy

shows lennie's true nature: brute strength

foreshadows Curley's Wife's death

"buzz of flies in the air" - decay, sinister

Water snake

serpent in garden of eden

ominous: evil

The Brush

"green" "fresh" "golden"

edenic, idyllic: garden of eden

many men have led similar lives: "path beaten hard by boys", "limb is worn smooth", "ash pile"

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