Literary Techniques In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Steinbeck uses many literary techniques in the novella ‘Of Mice and Men’. An example of a commonly used technique is the use of foreshadowing where he uses different scenes to hint or create an idea of a character's involvement in the future of the story. One character that Steinbeck constantly foreshadows is Lennie Small who is a tall, childlike man with an intellectual disability. He creates different scenes to paint a picture of Lennie’s future and the troubles to come. Using these three scenes from the novella Steinbeck creates an idea in the reader’s mind, on what the future of this character might be.
Steinbeck uses different scenes to foreshadow the future of Lennie. One would be of Lennie not understanding …show more content…
I want you to come right here aonn’ hide in the brush” (pg. 17) this extract shows that George knows the likely possibility that Lennie is going to get into a lot of trouble. He tells Lennie to hide here so they are able to get away from the farm - like they had done in their previous job in ‘Weed’, where Lennie was accused of raping a girl which was later said that he only wanted to touch her soft red dress, the confronting encounter with the girl led to Lennie and George having to hide in a ditch before leaving their job. This extract portrays that no matter where Lennie goes trouble will come. The effect of foreshadowing this had on the reader was that it became an important place of where it would be the place where George murdered …show more content…
45) readers might not first understand this scene as they read it, but coming towards that end of the story they understand how it links to Lennie’s death. Previously Carlson said to candy to put the old dog down because he is no good to himself to candy and the other workers, killing him out of mercy. This links to Lennie and George and how that Lennie is no good to himself or others, that he Is a burden to George and putting him down will be better for everyone. The extract also links to the death of Lennie due to it being where George shoots Lennie also a mercy killing. This scene also links to society during the time this story was based on, the weak and disabled have no use to society, giving others the right to kill what is not of great importance.

The use of Foreshadowing as a literary device is significant as it tells the reader on what is to come in the future of the novella. Foreshadowing is constantly used to hint the future of Lennie Small a character constantly being foreshadowed. Steinbeck uses many scenes and negative habits to hint his future involvement in the novella’s plot, Scenes such as the killing of candy’s dog, the death of Curley’s wife, his uncontrollable strength, his obsession and his intellectual disability for soft things were just a few of the scenes that were used to foreshadow what ultimately led to