How does Steinbeck use setting in the novel as a whole to convey important ideas about society and theme? Essay

Setting plays a pivotal role in Steinbecks Of Mice and hands, and it is apply frequently to portray primaeval thoughts, ideas and moods without the halt to the reader in a subtle understated way. He does this through, for example the prospect of the book which is on the ranch. As readers we dont go anywhere other than the ranch (and the brush) which summarises the guts of seclusion and isolation enhanced by the towns name of Soledad kernel solitude. This shows an example of the setting being used to underline mavin of the get a line themes of isolation and loneliness throughout the whole book. Steinbeck applies this descriptive formula to other locations in the book manage the bunkhouse and the group B.The bunkhouse is supposed to display the object glass and tool-like constitution active the ranch, and also reveals facts nigh the lifestyles of the ranch hands on it. The bunkhouse is precise elemental and the b be necessities attributes it holds emphasises this tool like attitude towards the ranch hands. The description of the anatomical structure is that the walls were whitewashed and unpainted salutary a protective coating on the walls to foreclose it structurally intact, not for decoration, but for the necessities of care the structure whole. The windows, for example are draw as small and square, to skip over the costs of expensive glass, and to hint at the idea of an enclosed space, like a prison, which signals the lack of hope associated with the itinerant players, of which Lennie and George twain are examples. But, all these cost preservation measures add up to an attitude of utilitarianism utterly no excess or lavishness.This theme can be associated with the migrants who were treated as tools as they were in huge supply, with less job vacancies than job seekers. Each father a go at it has an apple box seat shelf nub that the shelves to house the migrants possessions have been created out of discarded apple crates. This shows the commutation theme of absolute cost cutting, as well as signalling the proletarians lack of possessions they have only a few essential possessions because they move about all the time, and have no authentic opportunity to obtain and collect a large occur of items.Crooks Room is another(prenominal) very clear example of Steinbeck apply a setting to identify a central theme in his novel. Crooks elbow dwell is a masterpiece of understatement, and its very nature shows how Crooks is different from the other ranch hands. The setting of Crooks room in contrast to the bunkhouse shows that life is different for him because of lodge and because he isnt an itinerant hold outer hes a changeless segregated plumper. This requisition is obviously shown through the fact that his room is in a separate room from the other ranch hands, reflecting segregation laws at the time.His amount of possessions is larger in quantity to those of the itinerant worker or ranch workers, covering the fact hes a more permanent worker than the others befuddled about the floor were a number of personal possessions. His loneliness is shown through a number of features in the room galore(postnominal) of his possessions are work related items, exhibit his work influence and the importance of work to him, and the loneliness of his character as work is more important than his livelihood. The close connective with the horses also reflects the main theme of loneliness.The room itself is just a shed dispatch of the horse group B, his bed was a huge box filled with straw frequently like a manger, his apple box contained a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses. All of this shows the loneliness of Crooks because of racism and segregation that at the time was the social norm and perhaps Crooks was seen as being on a similar level of heed to the horses. The setting of Crooks and his room is a microcosm for the k in a flashledge domain and the setting of the room thitherfore becomes a pivotal role in acquiring across these key themes.The setting of the evict in Chapter 5 is also momentous for several reasons. Steinbecks description of the barn in Chapter 5 immediately follows the exposure in which Curleys Wife argues and tries to spiel with Crooks, Lennie and Candy in Crooks Room. This creates contrast to the old scenes atmosphere of disputation and irritation, with the description of the light filtering through the barns cracks. It is a sunny, restful solar day for most of the men a sunshine afternoon, the lazy afternoon humming. kinda of hours in the field, most of the workers are playing horseshoes outside. This peaceful, crisp, soporific vox populi is in contrast to the violent crash between Lennie and Curleys wife which occurs ulterior in the chapter. The contrast between Lennie seance in the coolness of the barn with his impudently killed puppy contributes to the other view of the barn, and contribute s to Steinbecks light and dark motif or idea.The brush also plays a central role in the microcosm of the book, ext balanceed metaphors and world(a) themes across the novel. It shows the cycle of settings all which lapse on the ranch or in the brush the novel ends where it starts. Despite this the value of the settings have changed. or else of a repoint of sanctuary, the Garden of Eden, the pool is now a place of death. Instead of animals such as rabbits playing in the brush, the heron is now swallowing the water snake devouring it. Instead of green leaves and a gentle breeze, there are brown dying leaves and a gush of wind hallmarks of a storm.Instead of safety for Lennie, there is death, and for George, a prospective of loneliness without his companionship shared with Lennie. The key themes and motifs built up by preceding scenes in the novel are tie up here the microcosm of life, the loneliness, selfish, cruel loudness of the world. The fact that the cycle of setting s is used, that theyre back up in the brush at the end as they were in the beginning shows that aught has changed for the better in George and Lennies life, such(prenominal) the same as itinerant workers just like them. It shows the microcosm of life everyone is selfish and wants to defecate it on their own that no one actually in the end ends benefiting in short, if this attitude is held, everyones a looser.