مجلة البحوث و الدراسات الإنسانية
Volume 18, Numéro 1, Pages 17-32
2024-06-30

The Specter Of Abraham Lincoln In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice And Men (1937)

Authors : Lecheheb Ikram . Bousbia Selma .

Abstract

The paper demonstrates how John Steinbeck reflects both the life and the character of President Abraham Lincoln in Of Mice and Men (1937). Using analogy, the study specifically shows how the main character, Lennie, is connected to Lincoln in many aspects as they share the same physical appearances, mood and ethics. It also shows how they experience almost the same childhood, death, and whose murderers are familiarized with the same name ‘Milton’. The study further highlights that Lennie’s attitude towards the Black character Crooks is similar to Lincoln’s position towards African-Americans. It significantly focuses on their perspective towards women. To put it differently, the study projects how both of them care and are considered to be good listeners to women. It foremost delineates how the relation between Lennie and George reverberates that of Lincoln and the South in terms of separation, clinging, and unity. This bond mirrors the conflict between the North and the South. For the sake of achieving these aims, the study uses descriptive and comparative methods. The paper demonstrates how John Steinbeck reflects both the life and the character of President Abraham Lincoln in Of Mice and Men (1937). Using analogy, the study specifically shows how the main character, Lennie, is connected to Lincoln in many aspects as they share the same physical appearances, mood and ethics. It also shows how they experience almost the same childhood, death, and whose murderers are familiarized with the same name ‘Milton’. The study uses descriptive and comparative methods to highlight that Lennie’s attitude towards the Black character Crooks is similar to Lincoln’s position towards African-Americans. It significantly focuses on their perspective towards women. To put it differently, the study projects how both of them care and are considered to be good listeners to women. It foremost delineates how the relation between Lennie and George reverberates that of Lincoln and the South in terms of separation, clinging, and unity. This bond mirrors the conflict between the North and the South.

Keywords

John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Abraham Lincoln, Specter, Lennie and Politics.