Of Mice and Men: How Does Steinbeck Make The Fight Scene Dramatic?

Luke Dawson
How does Steinbeck make the Fight scene Dramatic?
Mention uses of
  * Use of foreshadowing
  * Animal Imagery
  * Other Language Techniques
The fight scene takes place in the barn where Lennie is looking at the new-born pups, and Curley ran into the barn with the impression that his wife was cheating on him with Slim. The scene is already made slightly dramatic by portraying Curley, who has previously been portrayed as a small thug, as a bit of an idiot, as there was no proof that Slim was with his wife in the barn. As Curley busted into the barn, Lennie explains that his wife never entered the barn, and that it was just himself and Slim. This would have made Curley even more stupid, because, if he didn’t back down and admit Lennie was right and he was wrong, Curley would have been told by someone has gained a reputation around the ranch as being, “Jus’ like a child”. Curley was clearly not ready to gain a reputation of being thick and to predictable.
The scene is now made dramatic by having everybody in the bard gang up on Curley. This would make Curley feel even smaller than he was, and a lot less tough.
‘Glove fulla vaseline’ Candy said laughing, making Lennie laugh.
‘Curley stepped over Lennie like a terrier’. This animal imagery that Steinbeck uses shows Curley to have terrier characteristics. Steinbeck is saying that Curley is going to grab Lennie like a terrier grabs an animal, and never let go, just like a terrier. Curley then starts yelling and