Foreshadowing
What makes Of Mice and Men so widely read and used in schools is its use of foreshadowing. The book uses foreshadowing to hint to the reader that certain events will happen, and it keeps them reading. It pushes the plot forward. Probably the most important instance of foreshadowing in the book is when George tells Lennie to hide in the brush if he gets in trouble. "Lennie- if you jus' happen to get in
trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush." (Steinbeck 16) At the end of the book when Lennie kills Curley's wife, he goes to hide in the brush. That's where George finds him and kills him. The books use of foreshadowing makes it very critically acclaimed, too: "A few observers, however, have responded that George and Lennie lack tragic character flaws and that Steinbeck's use of foreshadowing de-emphasizes the characters' ability to make choices, therefore mitigating any sense of tragedy in the classic tradition." (Roscoe 335). I personally think that the end of the book was tragic because George, Lennie, and Candy couldn't get their land. The use of foreshadowing in this book makes for great discussion and reflection.
trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush." (Steinbeck 16) At the end of the book when Lennie kills Curley's wife, he goes to hide in the brush. That's where George finds him and kills him. The books use of foreshadowing makes it very critically acclaimed, too: "A few observers, however, have responded that George and Lennie lack tragic character flaws and that Steinbeck's use of foreshadowing de-emphasizes the characters' ability to make choices, therefore mitigating any sense of tragedy in the classic tradition." (Roscoe 335). I personally think that the end of the book was tragic because George, Lennie, and Candy couldn't get their land. The use of foreshadowing in this book makes for great discussion and reflection.