Idioms
Idioms play a great role in the novel Of Mice and Men. There are various idoms throuhout the story but I'm just going to focus on a couple. Back when the story is taking place the southern farmers had a unique dialect. The would use a statement that can say one thing but would mean another. The usage of idioms was just apart of their nature. George and Lennie are by the campfire and Lennie wants to know why they're not eating supper on the ranch that night. George rolled on his side: " No reason at all for you. I like it here. Tomorra we're gonna go to work. I seen thrashin' macgines on the way down. Thats means we'll be bucking grain bags, bustin' a gut. Tonight I'm gonna lay right here and look up"(Steinbeck 8). Bustin' a gut is an example of an idiom. This particular idiom mean to work extreamly hard. An other example of and idiom is when Lennie once again asked George to tell that story about the farm, after George made him get rid of the mouse. George said, " Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong to no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake and they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to"(Steinbeck 13-14). The first idiom in this quote, work up a stake, means to make some money, while blow their stake means to spend all of their money. Idoms are really important to undertand them in this novel. The critic, Bryant Wyatt, indirectly explains how idioms is apart of their lives back then: " It is ironic, therefore, that although Lennie is debased throughout the literal account, so many of the positive values with which the book is concerned should take their origin with him, as will be examined presently in greater detail"(Wyatt). At the end of the quote is what I mostly focused on. Idioms have to be examined in greater detail to understand the meaning completely. In the novel idioms are everywhere. So take the time to read Of Mice and Men and understand the true idiom's meanings.