Chapter 1: Reflection

Steinbeck’s style includes starting a scene with descriptions of the setting. It also includes some dialogue and he lets the dialogue tell the story instead of the narrator. The dialogue is also full of dialect this and the fact that the dialogue tells the story makes the story more realistic. Steinbeck describes nature many times in this chapter. This is usually to establish the setting. His descriptions don’t only apply to one sense but many. His descriptions are also filled with symbology. Also, the descriptions set the mood for the scene. Before we even really meet George and Lennie Steinbeck tells us a bit about them. I am referring to the third paragraph on page two. This paragraph starts off with: “They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open on stayed behind the other”. We later find out that the man who stayed behind the other was Lennie. This symbolizes and shows how Lennie follows George throughout life and that without George he would be lost. The paragraph goes on to describe their similarities (their clothes) and their differences (physical appearance). And when Steinbeck describes their physical appearances it is obvious they are opposites which represents their opposite personalities. But despite the difference in their physical appearance (their opposite personalities) they wear the same cloths (they have the same dream). In this chapter there is the minor conflict of getting to the ranch and the bus driver lying to George and Lennie. Another conflict is also established which is how to get the little house with the rabbit. The conflict’s details aren’t developed very much in this chapter.