Of Mice and Men‚ was written by John Steinbeck at the height of the Great Depression meaning that life was somewhat miserable in America and this is clearly reflected in the book. Steinbeck was communist and Of Mice and Men‚ can be interpreted in two ways; as an attack on American society or as a heartbreaking story about two good friends whose dream is shattered through the personal vendettas and greed of others.
           Either way it is interpreted the novel still has a very macabre undertone to it. For example the story of two good friends who seem to be a close as brothers could be compared to the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis because the Bible was a large influence of Steinbeck’s writing. Also in the novel Steinbeck shows the harsh reality of the futility of having hopes and dreams with no single character achieving one of their dreams throughout the book. This could be a metaphor for the uselessness and downfall of democracy and the appeals of communism or what he felt were the appeals of it.
           Steinbeck shows the isolation of each character through their habits and also through his pastoral writing which create vivid imagery for the reader. For example in the second chapter a large section is devoted to describing how the light is shining through the window or how George constantly plays solitaire, which is a single player game. This highlights the lack of human interaction and how lonely life could be, not just on a ranch, but in general in the United States.
           In conclusion the novel conveys very dark and frightening themes through his use of metaphors and vivid and rustic language, which aid him in conveying the loneliness of the era in American society.