Symbol Analysis

Tihira Johnson
5/23/08

Symbol Analysis

In the book Of Mice and Men there are many symbols. Three main symbols are Candy’s dog, Lennie’s puppy, and The Farm. In this essay I will be explaining why these are the main symbols in the book.
A good explanation for what Candy’s dog represents may be ending of dreams, death, and sickness. Candy’s dog represents the ending of dreams because just maybe, Candy may have wanted to have planned his future with his dog and now he realizes that he can’t. It represents death because the dog is now dead and has become a foreshadow that Candy may be next. It is a representation of sickness because both Candy and his dog are sick. They both are very old and ready for death.

An example of why Lennie’s puppy is a main symbol is because it represents joy. The puppy represents joy because it is very playful, careless, and carefree. This symbol is important to the book because in way the dog represents the future that both Lennie and George will one day share. When Lennie receives the puppy it comes at the same time that George, Lennie, and Candy plan their future.

Finally, The Farm is a complex symbol. It represents heaven, success and peace. These symbols are important to the book because when Lennie gets killed he finally gets the farm that he’s been dying to have. It represents success because they were all striving for success and once they had the farm they would have reached their goal. It represents peace because both Lennie and Candy’s dog are now at peace and in a way so is George. He doesn’t have to worry about Lennie getting into trouble or killing people anymore.
In conclusion, some people never realize the importance of symbols and they may miss half the story. But as we can see by analyzing Of Mice and Men there is a better understanding of the conflict and everything that goes on in the book. So next time you read a book be sure to look for symbols because they really help.