Symbolism in Of Mice and Men

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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