How Does Steinbeck Present Disadvantaged Characters to Us Essay

Steinbeck presents disadvantaged characters to us using a number of techniques. The author does this to encourage us to sympathise and begin to understand the characters, in order to prove the problems with prejudice and the various types of it which were endemic in American beau monde in this time. Lennie is firstly presented to us through the authors use of animal mental imagery in the description, and the readers first impression of Lennie is how animal similar he is when phrases like snortinglike a horse are used. The author does this to show that Lennie is gentle, like an animal and can be tamed like domestic animals are.It in any case shows Lennie will only attack on instinct and become violent when he feels threatened or under attack. This is shown when he says I didnt want no trouble showing that he didnt mean to do any(prenominal) harm and just doesnt realise his own strength. The author also presents Lennie in this way because animals are innocent and do not have the efficacy to act morally or know good from bad. This shows Lennies behaviour, when he acts violently, is a result of society as society taunts him until he behaves in this way.Lennie is also presented to the readers as a vulnerable character, through the authors description of Lennies actions, especially after his attack from Curley when he bleated with terror and crouched cowering. This action emphasises his dependence on George as he couldnt defend himself without George telling him to. His dependence on George is also made totally clear when he says me an him goes ever rump together When Lennie solicitudes he starts to loose meet and the author presents this to the readers through the structure of the text and Lennies dialogue.Lennies sentences become short and staccato like when he says phrases such as please dont and now dont you do that showing his evident panic. The readers can also tell that Lennie looses control because the author uses language such as (lennies) face was contorted. The author does this to show Lennie doesnt mean to kill or hurt and does it out of panic and instinct. This is shown by Lennie himself when he says I done a real bad thing Georgell be mad which shows Lennie realises he cant control himself and that he has no moral judgement.It also shows Lennie thinks things are good or bad to him depending on what George will think of him. The author presents Lennie to us, as a disadvantaged character, in the way he has a childs mind in a mans body. This not only enables us to see the way in which society treats people such as Lennie but it gives us an insight into the feelings of black people as lennie, being affectionately unaware and childlike, does not realise the social boundries of white people and goes to talk to crooks.