Chapter 3
Annotation Focus: Developing theme of loneliness
Steinbeck uses several examples of silence to illustrate the
loneliness of the ranch and the characters.
Reread page 48 – 49 to see at least one example of silence in this chapter. Explain how “silence” is being used to allow
the reader to understand loneliness.
Identify a character that is either literally or metaphorically
being silenced. Explain how this
silencing occurs and the affects it has on the character.
In chapter 3 Steinbeck uses several examples of silence to illustrate the loneliness of the ranch and the characters. Most silence in this chapter surrounds the scene of the death of Candy's dog. Candy's dog about to be shot reflects a certain amount of loneliness in both Candy and the men around him. Silence can be used in many different ways but Steinbeck uses it to portray actual silence. The men many times stop speaking and it's just silent. A lengthy pause, while illustrating silence, is a literal understanding of the power of not saying something. The men's silence would speak volumes about their loneliness and how they are feeling. On pages 48-49 the characters are awaiting the dog's death. Each character after they say something results in silence, "Candy did not answer. The silence fell on the room again" (Steinbeck 48). Their unspoken silence shows the lack of human emotion and connection present on the ranch. It represents how little the men know each other and that they are really not friends but rather just people who work together. Every time after the silence they begin to start a new topic of conversation but it all ends with silence, "His voice trailed off. It was silent outside. Carlson's footsteps died away. The silence came into the room" (Steinbeck 48). This misery of silence could show a lack of emotional grounding of being in the world. The men do not know how to communicate for they have always been so lonely from moving ranch to ranch.
ReplyDeleteCurley's wife is one of the few character’s being silenced. Curley is a very jealous husband and cannot stand her to even talk with any of the men. Whenever Curley hears that his wife is near another man she gets silenced by Curley’s jealousy, “Any you guys seen my wife? he demanded. She ain’t been here, said Whit. Curley looked threateningly around the room” (Steinbeck 53). Curley goes to find his wife and the possible man she is with. It seems whenever the wife wants to do something Curley manages to show up at the right time and silence her from what she wants to do. To the men she is dangerous because she can get them into trouble with the hot tempered Curley. So it is not just Curley silencing her, but all men, “She’s gonna make a mess” (Steinbeck 51). This quote shows that the men want nothing to do with her and ignore her. They’re scared of what might happen if they get involved with the wife. By doing this they are essentially silencing her by ignoring her. She lives in a world where men control everything. She is dependent on Curley and his father for everything. The wife also has no female friends which could give her a voice since most females generally have the same ideas for life. She is married but spends most of her time alone and sad. She didn't marry for love, she didn't follow her dreams, and she ended up settling for a wedding ring, a roof over head, and a husband she didn't know well enough to form that kind of commitment. She expected a lot of things and didn't get any of them. She wanted love like every other character and she got jealousy, isolation, loneliness and silence instead. Had she not married she might have had a bigger voice and not be silenced by the world controlled by men.
Candy’s dog who stunk to “beat hell” (Steinbeck 45) was the closest thing to companionship anyone could get. The ranch was a lonely place; men came “in Sat’day afternoon. He gets Sat’day night supper an’ three meals on Sunday” (Steinbeck 50) then he left. Candy has seen men come and go and being that he is a cripple he has no place to go either. No one to talk to but his dog, who was with him “from a pup” (Steinbeck 45). But when the dog is killed Candy “faced the wall and stayed silent” (Steinbeck 49). Forcing the reader understand why silence was so big in the ranch. It was because everyone was lonely.
ReplyDeleteCurely’s wife is the only woman on the ranch and the brunt of the men’s dislike. We don’t know much about Curely’s wife other than what Curely or the men say about her. She never truly gives her side of the story. She does not have an independent role such as the men do. The affect it has on her is that she feels lonely. She feels out of place but she uses it to her advantage. A “ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl” (Steinbeck 51) but she still talks to them. Even if it is an argument, she cannot be silenced. The men she “can’t keep away from” (Steinbeck 51), give her a sense of purpose instead of the silence that the author subdues her to and the men.
In response to your answer, I agree with your idea that Curley’s wife is actually lonely. When Whit says, “She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody…I don’t know what the hell she wants” (Steinbeck 51), he reveals Curley’s wife’s loneliness without even knowing. Curley’s wife always gives looks to everyone on the ranch, which may hint at a cheating tendency, but that is not the case. Since Whit does not know what she desires, that shows that her looks have not been too easily understood and could be a cry for friendship, not an affair. Prohibited from socializing with the workers by her husband’s jealousy, Curley’s wife has no contact with others besides her husband on a daily basis, and so this isolation could cause her to turn to other means of receiving attention. Although she gives “the eye” to every worker she sees, this look could be her way of silently ridding herself of loneliness by creating some sort of connection between another human being and herself. It is undermining loneliness that causes Curley’s wife to become the assertive, promiscuous woman she is today.
DeleteOn pages 48 and 49 of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck utilizes silence to create the theme of loneliness. This theme is mainly shown through Candy and his dog. While Carlson takes the dog outside to put it out of its misery, “Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling” (Steinbeck 48). Candy’s silence illustrates that he will be lonely without his dog by his side, since his dog was truly man's best friend. Even when Slim says, “Candy, you can have one of them pups you want”(Steinbeck 48), Candy still lays unmoving and in silence. This state without sound creates a grieving aura around Candy and the other ranch workers. Since the workers know very little about each other, they are unable to console and continue a conversation after they hear the shot of the gun, “A shot sounded in the distance. The men looked quickly at the old man.”(Steinbeck 49). The reader then realizes that his loneliness will last longer than normal, much like a widow in silence over her departed husband.
ReplyDeleteWithin Of Mice and Men, George is literally silenced. Due to his distrust of the other workers, he is unable to communicate and have a proper conversation with them, “George fell silent. He wanted to talk… he just sat back quiet and receptive.”(Steinbeck 39). George’s silence is caused by fear. He is afraid to connect with the other workers since he will eventually have to leave to escape trouble or find better work. Communication also caused fear to be instilled in George because he is afraid of saying too much and endangering himself and Lennie, “ He stopped, stopped in the middle of turning over a card. He looked alarmed and peered over at Slim.”(Steinbeck 41). The text evidence shows that George almost revealed the reason they had to flee their last town, which causes his silence to continue. George’s danger and fear of communication connects to Lennie as well. George is afraid if he talks to Lennie while the others are around, he will unveil Lennie’s mental disability and get the pair fired, “When Whit and Carlson were gone and the door closed after them, George turned to Lennie.”(Steinbeck 54). George cautiously talks to Lennie when others are not around to ensure they do not find out about his obvious disability
I agree with your claim that silence was shown mostly through Candy and his dog's relationship. As you said, "his dog was truly his best friend" (Garrett 1), and with this statement shows that on the ranch there are no other true friends since many come and go. "He gets Sat'day night supper an' three meals on Sunday, and he can quit Monday Mornin' after breakfast.." (Steinbeck 50). George has not been there long enough to know Candy fully, so when "a shot sounded in the distance" (Steinbeck 49) there was no true way to console him but to try and bring upon the room a different setting than a depressed one. This also lets the reader realize that Candy losing his dog was like "a widow in silence over her departed husband" (Garrett 1).
DeleteOn pages 48 and 49 of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck utilizes silence to create the theme of loneliness. This theme is mainly shown through Candy and his dog. While Carlson takes the dog outside to put it out of its misery, “Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling” (Steinbeck 48). Candy’s silence illustrates that he will be lonely without his dog by his side, since his dog was truly man's best friend. Even when Slim says, “Candy, you can have one of them pups you want”(Steinbeck 48), Candy still lays unmoving and in silence. This state without sound creates a grieving aura around Candy and the other ranch workers. Since the workers know very little about each other, they are unable to console and continue a conversation after they hear the shot of the gun, “A shot sounded in the distance. The men looked quickly at the old man.”(Steinbeck 49). The reader then realizes that his loneliness will last longer than normal, much like a widow in silence over her departed husband.
ReplyDeleteWithin Of Mice and Men, George is literally silenced. Due to his distrust of the other workers, he is unable to communicate and have a proper conversation with them, “George fell silent. He wanted to talk… he just sat back quiet and receptive.”(Steinbeck 39). George’s silence is caused by fear. He is afraid to connect with the other workers since he will eventually have to leave to escape trouble or find better work. Communication also caused fear to be instilled in George because he is afraid of saying too much and endangering himself and Lennie, “ He stopped, stopped in the middle of turning over a card. He looked alarmed and peered over at Slim.”(Steinbeck 41). The text evidence shows that George almost revealed the reason they had to flee their last town, which causes his silence to continue. George’s danger and fear of communication connects to Lennie as well. George is afraid if he talks to Lennie while the others are around, he will unveil Lennie’s mental disability and get the pair fired, “When Whit and Carlson were gone and the door closed after them, George turned to Lennie.”(Steinbeck 54). George cautiously talks to Lennie when others are not around to ensure they do not find out about his obvious disability.
On pages 48 and 49 of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck utilizes silence to create the theme of loneliness. This theme is mainly shown through Candy and his dog. While Carlson takes the dog outside to put it out of its misery, “Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling” (Steinbeck 48). Candy’s silence illustrates that he will be lonely without his dog by his side, since his dog was truly man's best friend. Even when Slim says, “Candy, you can have one of them pups you want”(Steinbeck 48), Candy still lays unmoving and in silence. This state without sound creates a grieving aura around Candy and the other ranch workers. Since the workers know very little about each other, they are unable to console and continue a conversation after they hear the shot of the gun, “A shot sounded in the distance. The men looked quickly at the old man.”(Steinbeck 49). The reader then realizes that his loneliness will last longer than normal, much like a widow in silence over her departed husband.
ReplyDeleteWithin Of Mice and Men, George is literally silenced. Due to his distrust of the other workers, he is unable to communicate and have a proper conversation with them, “George fell silent. He wanted to talk… he just sat back quiet and receptive.”(Steinbeck 39). George’s silence is caused by fear. He is afraid to connect with the other workers since he will eventually have to leave to escape trouble or find better work. Communication also caused fear to be instilled in George because he is afraid of saying too much and endangering himself and Lennie, “ He stopped, stopped in the middle of turning over a card. He looked alarmed and peered over at Slim.”(Steinbeck 41). The text evidence shows that George almost revealed the reason they had to flee their last town, which causes his silence to continue. George’s danger and fear of communication connects to Lennie as well. George is afraid if he talks to Lennie while the others are around, he will unveil Lennie’s mental disability and get the pair fired, “When Whit and Carlson were gone and the door closed after them, George turned to Lennie.”(Steinbeck 54). George cautiously talks to Lennie when others are not around to ensure they do not find out about his obvious disability.
In this chapter, silence is depicted very often and in several different ways. Also, the silence in this particular chapter seems to represent the loneliness felt by each of the characters in similar ways. Mainly, the silence falls upon the scene when Candy's dog was escorted outside by Carlson to be shot. Every worker in the room felt sorry for both the dog and Candy but had nothing to say. Every time an action or conversation commenced, "silence fell on the room again" (Steinbeck 49). The constant silence in the room reminded the men that they were all just strangers to each other. Although the men worked with each other every day, they were each still lonely people forced to get along. "The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted" (Steinbeck 48) because the workers had little to none to say to each other. Overall, they each felt surrounded but lonely, and had no words to be spoken.
ReplyDeleteWhile laying in his bed with his thoughts kept to himself, Candy was both metaphorically and literally being silenced. Of course any man who is essentially going to lose a "friend", or in this case a dog, will evidently be distressed and restrained. After being advised that his dog was going to be shot, "Candy did not move" (Steinbeck 48). Each time he was addressed, "Candy did not answer" (Steinbeck 48) and "the silence fell on the room again" (Steinbeck 48). Although this was not Candy's intention, his silence affected both him and the men surrounding him. Once the deadly shot sounded, "the men looked quickly at the old man. Every head turned toward him" (Steinbeck 49) yet still the man remained silent. Moreover, the old man's silence actually gained him more respect from his fellow workers. Instead of restraining Carlson from removing the dog from the building, Candy allowed him to and remained both metaphorically and literally silent, as a respectable man would.
1) In chapter three, silence is excessively used to emphasize the impact loneliness had on the characters. When Carlson takes Candy’s dog to his death, a contagious fog of hush surrounded the men in the bunkhouse, “the silence came into the room. And the silence lasted” (Steinbeck 48). Losing his only companion, Candy feels all alone in the world, and the only way he can comprehend his decision and its potential aftermath is with silence. This silence represents the guilt Candy feels because he allowed Carlson to kill his past, his memories, and his only true relationship. Another representation of the silence in the room can also be from the sympathy of the others. Knowing the death of Candy’s dog was soon to come, the men in the room felt sorry for the old man. By leaving him the silence he deserved, the men showed compassion for him; they were not only being courteous, but they were being human, which is what people do for others during the mourning process. Most of the men being lone travelers, they realize how Candy feels as he shifts from companionship to loneliness. However, depending on the character, silence and its representation for loneliness can be comprehended differently.
ReplyDelete2) Metaphorically, Curley is brought to a state of silence in this chapter. After Curley took a beating from Lennie, Slim explains to him, “if you don’t tell nobody what happened, we ain’t going to. But you jus’ tell an’ try to get this guy canned and we’ll tell ever’body, an’ then will you get the laugh” (Steinbeck 64). Using blackmail, Slim offers Curley a chance to escape humiliation and trouble. With his reputation of a fierce and fearless man who can knock out anyone he encounters, Curley knew news of his defeat would hurt him, and this ironic fear scared him into silence. The event itself also silenced Curley with both the pain he felt and a new fear of Lennie he created. As he witnessed Lennie’s surmounting power compared to his own, Curley realized he had finally been defeated, and there was nothing he could do about it. Curley’s silence is actually his submission to Lennie and his decision let him be, at the time being. The silence Curley has been trapped by is a result of his fear of Lennie, and the fear that he will hurt him again. Trapping Curley in a new world, the silence he experienced alters his deception of dominance and his comprehension of true fear.
Silence provides a window into the inside of the ranchers loneliness. As slim says, the workers "never seem to give a damn about nobody"(Steinbeck 39), proving that the workers are constantly lonely, and that they feel like being solitary is their only option. They don't seek friendship and love, as any other person would do, but instead shun and avoid people knowing they will soon have to move on. The silence could be seen as a result of this, as as soon as the workers feel like they could be becoming attached to each other, they become silent, knowing they cannot be emotionally invested. The only exception to this unwritten rule was when Lennie, George, and Candy discussed obtaining 10 acres to call their own. They had no feelings of loneliness or silence, because they thought they had hatched a foolproof plan to escape the lonely life of ranching. Otherwise, silence, and therefore loneliness, were abundant in the dismal lifestyle of the ranchers.
ReplyDeleteCandy was both physically and metaphorically silenced throughout the chapter in terms of determining the dogs fate. He felt helplessly silenced as Carlson persisted, at one point having "looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal."(Steinbeck 47). He had no opinion, and no matter the protest or attempts to procrastinate, he was forced to have another man put his dog down. Due to the opinions of everyone around him, as well as the lack of independent opinions from many of the dull ranchers, Candy's voice was suppressed. He was clearly depressed, having just allowed the killing of his dog, and continued his feeling of loneliness throughout the night, up until the chance to break free of his life came about. His silence was assumed to obviously not be his own wishes, but instead the wishes that had been forced upon him. He no longer felt the need to speak, knowing his opinions would quickly be argued with claims of the wrong he was doing by keeping the dog alive.
Lennie and George are the unwritten rule of silence, because of their friendship. George says that they are friends because Lennie “was too dumb to take care of ‘imself” (Steinbeck 40). Lennie and George look out for each other which is foreign to the men on the ranch. However, Candy takes a t chance at the friendship when he hears of the “ten acres” (Steinbeck 56) that George and Lennie plan on getting. Candy lost his hand and was almost useless if they had not given him “a job swampin’” (Steinbeck 59), so he knows his time on the ranch is almost up. All three plan to escape the suffocating silence of the ranch that they work at. They want to be able to break the silence and be more vocal in such situation such as telling a man to “‘Why don’t you spend the night? An’ by God he would” (Steinbeck 58) because it’s their ranch and no one can tell them to be silent.
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ReplyDelete1. The silence of Candy shows the loneliness within him. As the dog is being taken by Carlson, “Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling” (Steinbeck 48). Since Candy was silently lounging around and not responding to anyone, he was extremely upset about something. When Carlson first mentioned putting the dog down, Candy, at first, resisted Carlon’s efforts. After eventually giving in, Candy “did not look down at the dog at all” (Steinbeck 47). Candy had a connection to the dog, as if the dog was his best friend and struggled with the decision. The silence he had was used to reflect on the decision and cope with what was occurring. Candy did not seem to have anyone to rely on, just many acquaintances, so this would have a great effect on his life. Candy’s reaction of silence proves that he was lonely because of the effect the dog’s absence had on Candy.
2. Lennie is a character who is literally silenced. As some of the men were verbally attacking Curley, “Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch” (Steinbeck 62). Since Curley took Lennie’s actions as a sign of disrespect, Curley decided to silence him. Without a chance to speak and defend himself, Lennie was forced to deal with the consequences. This forces Lennie to believe he is doing many things wrong and lowers his self-esteem. Also since George only came to Lennie’s aid after the whole thing was over, Lennie may begin to question George. And Lennie’s guilt from standing up for himself only complicates his already messy situation. The whole ordeal forced Lennie to view things differently than he had before.
An eerie silence falls over the bunkhouse once the verdict has been reached and the ranchers have agreed that Candy's old dog should be shot. The other ranchers sit in a tense stillness while Candy lays stone cold on his bunk, "Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling" (Steinbeck 48). He is literally silenced as he waits for his long time friend to be put out of his misery by a stranger. The reader feels a sense of loneliness during this as it is clear that Candy is losing his friend and is regretful of having to shoot him. Through the time of uncomfortable silence Candy's mind is most likely racing with memories and scenarios with his old sheep dog. Once the deed is done, he turns to the wall to absorb his sorrow in solitude. Later his regrets are explained, "I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog" (Steinbeck 61) Candy admits. A sense of loneliness comes over the reader as the spot in the old man's heart is filled with regret.
ReplyDeleteSteinbeck utilizes silence in Chapter Three as a way to show the reader the loneliness of the men working on the ranch. The lonely feeling originates largely from how little the men talk to each other about meaningful things, like how George was afraid to confide in Slim the events that kicked him and George out of Weed: “‘Like what happened in Weed-’ [George] stopped… looked alarmed and peered over at Slim” (Steinbeck 41). Every character tries to keep to themselves and be incredibly secretive. When all of the men are in the bunkhouse, George “rippled the edge of the deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room, so that he stopped doing it. The silence fell on the room again.” (Steinbeck 49). The symbolism in this quote is aimed at showing the readers why none of the men dares to break the silence. The “little snapping noise” (Steinbeck 49) is representative of one of the men being open and talking about themselves, which results in “dr[awing] the eyes of all the men in the room, so that he stopped doing it.” (Steinbeck 49). When George tried to break the silence, the other men quickly made him feel self conscious until he stopped. The men on the ranch fear the same will happen to them if they open up to each other; communicating how they feel and breaking the lonely silence will cause them to be ostracized.
ReplyDeleteCandy is repeatedly silenced in Chapter Three, primarily by Carlson. No matter how much Candy protests shooting his beloved old dog, Carlson silences his hesitations and proceeds to nag him until he finally caves in: “Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none. At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, ‘Awright-take ‘im.’” (Steinbeck 47). Candy surrendering his dog was a devastating loss for him. He mentioned how he “Had him since he was a pup” (Steinbeck 44) and laments about how his dog “was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen” (Steinbeck 44). His sorrowful recollection of their time together shows that he and his dog likely had a very strong bond, and his sorrow hit as soon as Carlson led his dog outside: “George followed to the door and set the latch in its place. Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling.” (Steinbeck 48). Candy didn’t just lose a pet, he lost what was quite possibly the only friend he had on the ranch,or anywhere else: “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing.” (Steinbeck 59). And while Candy may try to distract himself and stay calm in front of the other men, the loss of his beloved dog is immeasurable.
On page 48, silence is used to show the reader loneliness when Candy loses his best friend. In the chapter, Candy is persuaded into giving up his old dog by having it shot. When a man takes the dog to kill it, Candy has people trying to talk to him, but “Candy did not answer. The silence fell on the room again. It came out of the night and invaded the room” (Steinbeck 48). The silence coming from Candy shows the loneliness he is feeling from losing the friend he had for years. In these two pages, the reader begins to comprehend the loneliness on the ranch and in the people as Candy must face losing his oldest friend.
ReplyDeleteIn the end of the chapter when Curley’s hand is broken, he is told by Slim that he “got your (Curley) han’ caught in a machine.” (Steinbeck 64). To this, he replied that “I (Curley) won’t tell” (Steinbeck 65). Curley vowing not to tell the boss that Lennie broke his hand is him being silenced from admitting the truth. Curley cannot tell his father what happened and has to silence the truth. The effect that Lennie breaking Curely’s hand and Curely not being able to tell is it gives Curely a reason to fear and hate Lennie. It also gives him a way to blackmail George and Lennie. Curely could easily tell his father what truly happened and get the two fired.
Loneliness is a prominent theme in Of Mice and Men, and it is often demonstrated through silence. For instance, after Candy agrees to let Carlson shoot the dog, “the silence fell on the room again. It came out of the night and invaded the room” (Steinbeck 48). Candy is one of few characters in the book so far who have a companion, and this companionship was now meeting a definite end. Subject to loneliness, Candy had nothing more to say, and therefore he sat in silence. Also, the other men in the room remained silent as well because of their own loneliness. Passing the time, George ”rippled the edges of the deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room, so he stopped doing it. The silence fell on the room again” (Steinbeck 49). None of the men in the room, save George, have a close relationship of any kind, and are thus lonely. Their desensitization to their loneliness prevents them from being able to understand Candy’s emotional attachment to the dog. They have no idea what to say to him, for they do not understand what companionship is like, let alone what it’s like to lose it. To the men on the ranch, it was unfathomable that losing the dog could pain Candy. Through these mentions of silence, the reader can understand the loneliness of the men on the ranch, and how it prevents the from being able to understand how actions affect other people.
ReplyDeleteDue to the events that unfolded in chapter three, Candy is both metaphorically and literally silenced. With the constant urging from the other men on the ranch, Candy reluctantly agreed that his dog should be killed for its own good. This dog spent years by Candy’s side, and he had become Candy’s only true friend. Thus, losing him had a significant effect on him. Immediately following the sound of a shot, Steinbeck notes, ”for a moment [Candy] continued to stare at the ceiling. Then he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent” (Steinbeck 49). The loneliness that ensued after losing his friend silenced him literally and metaphorically, for he could not find any words to say or things to do after the event. Moreover, this silencing has caused him to seek new companionship. Towards the end of the chapter, Lennie makes George explain their dream for their future yet again. This time, Candy suggests, “s’pose i went in with you guys” (Steinbeck 59). Soon after losing his dog, Candy makes an attempt to assure he will not be lonely forever, that he can fill the void with new companionship.
In response to your second paragraph, I agree with your choice of Candy being literally and metaphorically silenced. However, to add to your response, I believe that their are more reasons behind Candy's silence other than his sorrow provoked by the death of his "only true friend" (Kirchner 1). Although the death of his dog devastated the old man, the events leading up to the death may have silenced him more than the actual bloodshed. For example, after Slim agrees with Carlson that the dog must go, Candy "looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none" (Steinbeck 47). This caused Candy to feel hopeless and perhaps even useless. He felt as if he did not have a say in whether or not his own companion would be executed. Overall, as you stated in your response, Candy was silenced by "the loneliness that ensued after losing his friend" (Kirchner 1) and also that he felt as if he did not have a say in the treatment of his own dog.
DeleteI agree with Emily’s claim that Candy is literally and metaphorically silenced. He is literally silenced as he grieves for the loss of his only companion. The reader can interpret that Candy is also literally silenced since he is unable to have conversation with the other ranch workers. The workers, aside from George and Lennie, have never know what a companion is like. So their silence forces Candy to remain quiet as well, “the men looked quickly at the old man”(Steinbeck 49). They are only able to stare and watch for Candy’s reaction due to their lack of experience. As the silence surrounds the men, Steinbeck clearly illustrates their loneliness that they face. Since they can not break the silence, it can be predicted that they will always carry this loneliness on their shoulder.
DeleteI agree with your observations about Candy being silenced. Not only was Candy silenced by the loss of his companionship with his dog, but he was silenced because he was disappointed with himself. After having time to look back at his choice of allowing Carlson end his dog's life, candy said, "I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog" (Steinbeck 61). Since that dog was his one true companion, Candy felt obligated to put down the dog himself. Unfortunately, he could not work up the courage to complete the task, and he feels like someone should punish him for his negligence. The silence represents Candy's loss for his friend along with his regret of forsaking the one job he knew he should follow through with himself. Also, I do agree with how the loss of his dog caused him to seek new companionship, but I believe his experience with relationships and loneliness will affect his decision to follow through with it. When the idea of killing his dog first came up, Candy said, "I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup" (Steinbeck 44). Killing the dog may have been the best for its own sake, but the death of that dog meant the death of the strongest relationship Candy has had in a long time. When a relationship with that much importance to a person is lost, they could lose faith in finding success in any other relationships they attempt to develop. By ending his dog's life, Candy essentially ended his chances at another friendship due to his loss of hope.
DeleteIn Of Mice and Mice, Steinbeck uses “silence” to allow the reader to understand the loneliness on the ranch. The silence fell whenever a character had wandered somewhere else on the ranch. “Carlson’s footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted” (Steinbeck 48). Steinbeck uses silence to show that the ranch is so unoccupied that no one is around to hear or respond to you. This silence brings on the feeling of loneliness for a character and causes them to feel like they have no one even if they have everyone. “The silence fell on the room again. It came out of the night and invaded the room” (Steinbeck 48). Although the feeling of loneliness is brought by this silence, Steinbeck also uses it to highlight the mood of the scene.
ReplyDeleteThere are many characters in Of Mice and Men who are either literally or metaphorically silenced. One of these characters is Lennie. Throughout the novel, Lennie is silenced by George and is given the orders to not speak to anyone who may have more power and authority over him. George treats him this way because she thinks of Lennie as nothing but a child. “Sure he’s jes’ like a kid” (Steinbeck 43). This control over Lennie’s speech affects the way he approaches situations and other people. Because of this, Lennie’s reaction skills to an event might be unintelligent or non-vocal since he is always silenced by George. “Lennie all mixed up, and he holds on [to the red dress] ‘cause that's the only thing he can think to do” (Steinbeck 41). Lennie’s silence affects job opportunities and how others view him due to him being all action, no speaking. This silence causes problems to brew over time and will one day possibly get Lennie into trouble.
1. According to Emily's claim, after Carlson goes to shoot Candy's beloved dog, silence falls in result of the ranch being so unoccupied that whenever a character leaves, "no one is around to hear or respond to you"(Karanikkis 1). When Carlson exits the bunkhouse, the ranch nor bunkhouse is not unoccupied, for Candy, George, Whit and Slim are still present. The four men attempt to converse with Candy, and attempt to console him for the loss of his companion. Out of sympathy, Slim even offers Candy "any one of them pups you want"(Steinbeck 48). The men certainly are able to hear and respond to another, but more importantly, they are all able to feel the same pity for their fellow peer Candy. Silence begins to truly fall when Candy continues to "lay still, staring at the ceiling" (Steinbeck 49). Therefore, silence does not fall over the ranch due to emptiness or because it is unoccupied; silence falls because Candy is suffering from loneliness and the loss of his dog, and the other men are aware of his emotions and feel sorrow for him.
DeleteIn this chapter, silence plays a key role in the understanding of loneliness. When the men are waiting for Candy’s old, sickly dog to be put down, a silence falls over the room. According to Steinbeck, “The silence fell on the room again. A minute passed, and another minute. Candy lay still, staring at the ceiling.”(Steinbeck 49). Candy’s silence reflects his loneliness. Since Candy had raised his dog since he was a pup, he had grown greatly attached to it. Being old and crippled, Candy was alienated from the other men on the ranch, leaving him with his dog as his only companion. When he realized that the only thing he has left in the world is about to stripped from his grasp and destroyed, he crumbles on the inside. He essentially falls into a metaphorical pit of despair, surrendering all hope. Surprisingly, however, Candy expresses all of these feelings through his silence. Rather than lashing out, Candy lies on his bed in a state of silence. At this point, Candy realizes he's completely alone.
ReplyDeleteOne of the men being silenced was Candy. Candy’s bunkmates are completely ignorant to Candy’s feelings. According to Carlson, “Look, Candy. This ol’ dog jus’ suffers hisself all the time. If you was to take him out and shoot him right in the back of the head—’ he leaned over and pointed,’—right there, why he’d never know what hit him.”(Steinbeck 1). This proves how ignorant the men truly were. The men failed to realize that a strong bond had formed between Candy and the dog. Instead, they disregard all of Candy’s thoughts and take the dog out to be shot. Candy did not want his dog to be shot, this we know. The men had overpowered Candy. Since they made it seem like his opinion didn't matter, the men were essentially silencing Candy. This silencing effects Candy gravely. Candy grew more suppressed in a way. Almost as if he were being held down and subdued. This is how Candy is silenced.
I disagree with Max’s claim that “Candy’s bunkmates are completely ignorant to Candy’s feelings” (Ormsby 1). On several occasions Candy’s bunkmates acknowledge the love of his dog, but continue to silence him with their increasingly aggressive requests to shoot him. Carlson insists that Candy’s dog “wouldn’t feel nothing” (Steinbeck 45) and as Carlson lead the dog out, Slim told him to “Take a shovel,” (Steinbeck 48). If the men were ignorant to Candy’s feelings, they would have just bullied Candy into giving up his dog. Carlson insisting to Candy that his dog would be quickly put down and “wouldn’t feel nothing” (Steinbeck 45) shows that Carlson understands Candy’s hesitations. Slim, whose opinions are highly respected by the other bunkmates, instructs Carlson to bring a shovel and bury Candy’s dog after he shoots it. Even if none of the other men knew how Candy felt, Slim’s request to treat Candy’s dog with respect likely helped them to realize how important it was.
DeleteIn the story Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses silence to illustrate the feeling of loneliness. By stating that, “Carlson’s footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted.” (Steinbeck 48), Steinbeck allows the reader to understand the loneliness in the farm. Once Carlson leaves, silence fills the room, which symbolizes emptiness. This absence of sound shows that when someone is all alone and nothing is being spoken to distract them, loneliness will creep in. Everything went silent when Carlson got far enough away that he couldn’t be heard, taking the distraction of shooting Candy’s dog with him. Without that distraction, the men in the bunkhouse start to feel the aching void in their lives and how lonely they truly are. It is only when there is the presence of emptiness, that there is the prominent presence of loneliness.
ReplyDeleteIn Of Mice and Men, Candy’s opinion is metaphorically silenced by that of others higher than him. The author enforces this quieting when he says,” Candy looked helplessly at [Slim], for Slim’s opinions were law” (Steinbeck 45). Since Slim agrees with the shooting of Candy’s dog, Candy cannot disagree due to Slim’s social position at the farm. This silencing of Candy’s own moral integrity on the subject of his companion causes him to feel helpless. By being silenced over the killing of his dog, Candy feels as though his confidence has been broken since he cannot even stick up for his love of his pet because he cannot be fired. It was his job or his dog, and in his crippled condition he picked his job. Candy could not go against Slim’s decision despite it not being Slim’s decision, and that is the reason he feels helplessly silenced.
Rebecca stating that Candy was silenced metaphorically be people above is absolutely true. Once Carlson and Slim both agree that they’ll “put the old devil out of his misery right now and get it over with” (Steinbeck 47), “Candy looked for help from face to face” (Steinbeck 45). Candy having to look, not speak, around the room for anyone to agree with him to keep his dog alive shows that his voice was not loud enough for the two people above him. Candy needed someone else to agree with him because Slim and Carlson’s agreement silenced his opinion on his own dog where it didn’t matter anymore. If Candy wanted to keep his job, he couldn’t raise his voice against their opinion so, he was silenced and helpless.
DeleteI disagree with Rebecca’s opinion. Rebecca states that when Carlson leaves to go do the deed, “...the men in the bunkhouse start to feel the aching void in their lives and how lonely they truly are.” (Fox 1). However, the men in the bunkhouse are not lonely, with the exception of Candy. George and Lennie have each each other and Slim is well respected and liked by all of the men. The only person in the bunkhouse who feels the aching void is Candy. According to Candy, “After that the guys went into Soledad and raised hell. I didn’t go in there. I ain’t got the poop no more.” (Steinbeck 1). With Candy being an old man in a group of young workers, he didn't quite fit in. He was the outsider and loner, alienated from the rest of the men because of the age and disability. The only thing he had in the world that was close to a friend was his old, sickly dog, whom candy had raised “from a pup” (Steinbeck 1). Over the years, Candy developed a strong bond with the dog and grew very attached to it. Once he had lost his only companion, he was alone, even empty. Since emptiness is associated with silence, Candy expresses his empty void with silence.
DeleteIn chapter two of Of Mice and Men, silence is used in order to allow the reader to understand loneliness. After Candy’s decision to allow Carlton to shoot his dog, “silence fell on the room...It came out of the night and invaded the room” (Steinbeck 48). Because this piece of text directly precedes the old dog’s exit out of the room, it expresses to the reader that, much like loneliness, silence is the absence of life and company. In the aftermath of Candy’s decision, this absence is experienced by all of the ranchers in the bunkhouse. In addition to this, the use of the word “invaded” in this sentence suggests that silence is unwelcome and intrusive, forcing loneliness upon those around it. This can also be observed when, in the midst of the suffocating silence, ‘’[George] rippled the edge of [a card] deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room, so that he stopped doing it” (Steinbeck 49). Demonstrating the power of silence and loneliness, this quote demonstrates how silence demands to be heard, as well as how loneliness demands to be felt. Those in the presence of silence and the loneliness it brings must endure and respect it, thus George’s action in stopping the noise. Using silence to portray the feeling of loneliness after Candy’s decision, this passage collectively demonstrates the power of mere absence.
ReplyDeleteAs Candy half-heartedly argues for his dog’s life, he finds himself being silenced by the opinions of others. Upon the beginning of Carlton’s relentless insistence on shooting the pet, “the old man squirmed uncomfortably. ‘Well- hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him’ ” (Steinbeck 44). In this quote it can be observed that Candy is extremely distressed, yet, not wanting to cause trouble with the other ranchers, is trying to maintain an unemotional outward persona. This piece of text also demonstrates how Candy was being silenced by the opinion of Carlton and his own desire to remain peaceful. As the tension builds, Slim begins to agree with Carlton’s reasoning. Upon this, “Candy looked helplessly at [Carlton], for Slim’s opinions were law” (Steinbeck 45). This quote further exemplifies how Candy is being silenced by the opinions of those around him. In addition to this, through the word “helplessly”, this text suggests to the reader that Candy is too scared to stand up for himself without support. In a last attempt to save the life of his companion, Candy suggests “Maybe tomorra. Le’s wait till tomorra.” (Steinbeck 47). Indicating Candy’s surrender to Carlton, this weak, soft-spoken suggestion finally snuffs out any flicker of hope left for the old dog’s life. Uncomfortable and upset, Candy spends a good portion of time staring at the ceiling, left without words and completely hushed by the opinions of his fellow ranchers.
In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck consistently uses examples of silence in order to illustrate loneliness amongst the ranch as well as the characters. In Chapter 3, Candy is faced with a problem: let his dog suffer because of his old age or kill the dog that he has loved ever since it was a pup. After various attempts of persuasion by Carlson, Candy has him shoot the dog. It is obvious throughout the chapter that Candy does not want this to happen. “He did not look down at the dog at all”(Steinbeck 47) because he did not want to see his only friend walk its last footsteps because of him. As this incident occurs, the reader receives an insight to the loneliness of the ranch and its characters. The quote,“Carlson’s footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted”(Steinbeck 48) illustrates loneliness perfectly. The silence of the room speaks for itself. Silence lacks happiness and the lack of happiness thus means loneliness. His dog was Candy’s main source of happiness and the only thing in this world that he loved. After his dog's death, Candy had essentially now lost everything; he had lost his best friend, his happiness, and his heart. When there is no happiness, all there is to be is loneliness. Candy now has no one at all, not a single relative, and had just sentenced his best friend and main source of happiness to death, therefore showing the reader the loneliness of the ranch.
ReplyDeleteAfter their physical confrontation, Curley is literally silenced by Lennie. After Curley’s false accusation of Slim being with his wife, he sees Lennie laughing; heis not laughing at Curley but instead is laughing from the idea of having his own farm with the guys. Curley, defensive and looking for someone to fight, says “get on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I'll show ya who's yella”(Steinbeck 62) and begins to punch him unmercifully to let his anger out. Lennie does not protect himself in the confusion until George tells him to fight back. “Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it”(Steinbeck 63) and consequently had his hand crushed from his unbearable strength. Lennie, in a trance form all the anger, would not let go and almost caused the tiny man to pass out from all the pain, silencing him. This incident causes Curley to become hospitalized and not able to say a word to the angered Lennie. It also causes Curley to be silenced from saying anything to his dad and possibly kicking the two men off the ranch. Slim threatens Curley by saying “I think you got your han’ caught in a machine. If you don't tell nobody what happened, we ain't going to. But you jus’ tell an’ try to get this guy canned and we'll tell ever’body, an’ then will you get the laugh”(Steinbeck 64). Now blackmailed, Curley is silenced more than ever before All is well as tensions calm down and in actuality, the brawl and Curley’s silence causes things on the ranch to be better than ever.
You stated that Candy was faced with the heart-breaking struggle of either letting his dog suffer or shooting his best friend. The old man was stuck between a rock and a hard place. In the end, he chose to have someone else put down his dog, but this crushed his heart and happiness. Silence set in due to the heartbreak, “For a moment he continued to stare at the ceiling. Then he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent” (Steinbeck 49). This goes to show that, as you said, silence lacks happiness and this means loneliness. Although Candy was metaphorically silenced by his loss, you stated that Curley was literally silenced when he and Lennie fought. Curley engaged in the battle first, but Lennie quickly silenced him, “Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie grabbed for it” (Steinbeck 63). After this the ranchers created a false story claiming that Curley broke his hand in an accident. The embarrassment and shame of losing the fight and any feeling in his hand silenced Curley as he had no pride left to allow him to speak up.
Delete1. In pages 48-49, silence is being used expose loneliness in such depth that the readers begin to truly understand it. After Carlson takes Candy's greatly beloved dog outside to kill, silence continuously falls over the room. The men attempt to speak with Candy slightly, but there's no reply. When the shot is heard from outside, the silence grows and Candy "rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent" (Steinbeck 49). Candy's unwillingness to speak displays how greatly his loneliness, along with the emotion of distraught, is captivating him. The relationship Candy had with his dog was similar to George and Lennie's. According to Candy, he "had him since he was a pup" and "herded sheep with him" (Steinbeck 1). Similar to Lennie and George, Candy's dog accompanied him throughout his life of hardship and traveling, and even assisted him in his work. The distinct difference in the two relationships is that Candy's and his dog had more of a pure and willing relationship, while Lennie was just George's obligation that he grew to care for because of being in his company so often. With knowledge of this, the silence in the room allows the readers to feel the forced loss off friendship. Now that Candy's dog is dead, he is truly alone in a ranch full of other men who also suffer from loneliness. The silence allows the reader to understand in depth how strong loneliness is, for it is so strong, especially amongst Candy, that he cannot even speak or willingly get out of bed.
ReplyDelete2. In chapter three Of Mice and Men, one character that is being metaphorically silenced is Candy. Carlson, one of the men Candy bunks with, complains about Candy's dog's odor, as well as his elderliness. With manipulation already being used against Candy as he attempts to protect his dog's life, Slim insists that Candy should allow Carlson to kill his dog, and if he does, he will comfort Candy by giving him one of his puppies. When Slim entered the conversation and insisted that Carlson should kill Candy's dog, Candy's silence began; Slim was a powerful man, and if he insisted something must happen, it must happen. Therefore, Carlson and Slim's superiority over Candy silences him. Candy was aware of this because towards the end of the men's conversation, Candy "looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none." (Steinbeck 1). The silence that arose during the long look that Candy gave Slim symbolizes Candy's inferiority in the situation and the pain he is feeling within. Candy looks at Slim with eyes thirsty for mercy, and silence fills the room instead of the words that Candy truly wants to exclaim which is "don't allow Carlson to kill my dog". The silencing done metaphorically to Candy becomes literal silence, for Candy "lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling" without speaking (Steinbeck 48). The staring at the ceiling suggests that Candy is hopeless and paint, for he cannot even find strength to release any words. The silencing done metaphorically symbolizes Candy's loss in the battle of keeping his dog alive, and the literal silence that follows symbolizes his true emotions on the situation which are doleful, worthlessness, and lonely. Both silences effect him greatly, for they both were silences involved in the death of his beloved dog.
Responding to Alyssa:
ReplyDeleteIn your response you state George's silence is caused by fear of people finding out about Lennie's disability. To add to this, George could also be silenced at times because maybe he had a rough childhood. George and Lennie have been friends since they were children. Since he was introduced to Lennie and usually people of that time didn't want to be near people with disabilities. For being acquainted with Lennie, George could have been made fun of as a child. Although George said he "used to play jokes on 'im cause he was too dumb to take care of 'imself" (Steinbeck 40), he could have done this because he was afraid of being actual friends with Lennie. George could have been afraid of being near other kids in fear of being bullied for talking to someone with a disability like Lennie. If George were to have gone through bullying as a child, bullying usually causes children to become more closed off when they are older. George like you said, may not just be protecting Lennie, but himself as well.