Of Mice and Men- Symbols (GRADE THIS)

Dream of a better life. Your life in those dreams dies. Death. Lingering grieve, lose, unfulfillment. All these are elements in Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, were we meet an old men, Candy, who owns a dog. Candy has had this dog for years since the dog was a puppy, and was very reluctant to shoot the dog, unfortunately the men have already decided that the dog is too old and is shot. Now, I bet, you’re wondering how is that a symbol? It is a symbol of the grieve of losing a friend, the death that now lingers in Candy’s mind, and the end of old dreams that were not filled.

One way this is a symbol is it shows how Candy grieved the loss of his dog. Candy and his dog were very good friends, when the dog was shot, Candy did not let anyone see the tears he shed. He also grieved by becoming a recluse and sticking to himself.

Without death you cannot have grief. After the death of his dog, Candy realizes that if that is want they do to a dog, then what is stopping them from "canning" him? If they fire him where would he go? What would he do, he has one hand. Who would a one hand man? Candy knows he is old and he is going to be fired one day and soon afterward would die. This terrifies him. Death, to Candy, isn't far away.

When Candy's dog is shot he realizes, that the dreams he had when he was young went unfulfilled. He gets new dreams when George and Lennie, promise to let him in the farm with them, even while the promise of living on a farm raised his spirits, his dreams were gone. Unfortunately, when George shots Lennie those dreams are taken away and despair settles in.

Ending this essay, I would like to say this: All dreams are not fulfilled. All hopes can be dashed, and although not many think about it, Death is there. It lingerings in grief, in ones own thoughts. It lingerings in the feeling of loss, it's always there.