Importance of Chapter 6 – in Mice and Men
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The chapter opens by the banks of the Salinas River, where the novel began. The water is still and the sun is high in the sky. Nestled between the valley and the Gabilan Mountains is the river and all its creatures. A water snake swims by, only to be grabbed by a herons jaw. The wind moves softly, reflecting the quiet of the place.
Already there is an immediate link here because of how the language begins in the chapter using calm, relaxing language, to the end of this chapter where the language is harsh and tense. Steinbeck does this to emphasise the importance that the end of the chapter has to the whole book. There is also use of prophetic phallacy, as the soft reflecting weather starts to vigorously change before the death of Lennie comes about, in order to suggest to the reader that something bad is about to occur.
There is a significant importance to chapter 6 of this novel, because Steinbeck gives the reader an insight to the minor character of Slim. He does not play a main role in this book, but is as important as George or Lennie. We find out how caring Slim really is. Slim went over to Curleys wife to see if she was alright, he cared for her, even more than Curley did at the moment. Slim understood why George killed Lennie. He knew to consult George and knew that he killed him for Lennies best interest.This shows that Slim is very content, caring, and wise. It is a contrast to how brutal Curleys wifes death is, it is a violent misunderstood murder, that shouldnt have happened which really reflects on how caring Slims personality is.
Of course, the main importance of Steinbeck including chapter 6 in this novel is because of the death of Lennie. It is an incredibly poignant and distressing time in the book, to make the reader understand what pain George took away from Lennie, in loyalty to a friend. Georges killing of Lennie was partially justified. George didnt want anyone else to kill Lennie, just like how Candy said he “wished he could have shot his dog instead of someone else”. George wouldnt have been able to live with himself if he allowed someone to kill Lennie out of hate. George killed him out of protection, which is one of the many themes to the play, not only shown in this chapter but also when George is describing to Lennie about the dreamhouse. Lennie is told he “can tend the rabbits”, by George which is a sign of not only respect but also protection, because this is something Lennie wants to do, and needs to do to make him comforted. So, once again Steinbeck is tying chapter 6 in with the rest of the book, in different ways. . Before chapter 6 George says;
“I aint got no people. I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That aint no good. They dont have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin to fight all the time. . . Course Lennies a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin around with a guy an you cant get rid of him.”
This emphasizes to the reader how loyal George is to Lennie, in that he is such