The Boss in John Steinbeck’s of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck's book "Of Mice and Men" takes a deep dive into themes like the American Dream struggles, loneliness, and exploiting those who're vulnerable. A key player in showing these themes is the Boss. Early on, we meet him as a guy with loads of authority over the ranch workers. Steinbeck paints a picture of the Boss with his "restless eyes and sharp, strong features" (Steinbeck, 20). Right away, you can tell he's someone who's got control. The workers know this too, including George and Lennie, 'cause they act real careful around him.

The Boss doesn't hold back when talking to George and Lennie either. When George speaks up for Lennie, the Boss jumps right in to show who's boss: "I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin' his pay away from him?" (Steinbeck, 22). This chat shows how much power he has over them—he pretty much controls their lives on that ranch.

But it's not just about the ranch; the Boss stands for something bigger—the harsh capitalist system. He's got stuff like a "gold watch chain with a... horsehead pendant" (Steinbeck, 20), reminding everyone of how wide the gap is between him and the workers. It's kinda unfair, don't you think?

Exploitation of Vulnerable Individuals

Now let's talk about how he treats folks who are kinda on the edge or struggling. There's Candy, an older guy who's got some physical issues. The Boss? He doesn't really care about Candy's age or whether he can work: "I can't swamp out no bunkhouses, I ain't no skinner. But I can shovel... pretty good" (Steinbeck, 21). It's like he's only interested in what he can get from them.

And then there's Crooks, who's African-American. When Crooks tries to stand up for himself, guess what? The Boss threatens him: "Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny" (Steinbeck, 24). It’s nasty and downright racist—it shows he'd use his power to keep others down if it suits him.

Through all this, Steinbeck's calling out how capitalism is rigged against regular people. The Boss is just one piece of this unfair puzzle that keeps folks stuck where they are.

Loneliness and the American Dream

So you'd think being at the top would mean you're happy, right? Not really! Even though he's got power and stuff, the Boss isn't immune to feeling lonely or chasing after that tricky American Dream everyone talks about.

Even though he's rich and powerful, people don't really connect with him—they fear him more than anything else. He's isolated from everyone else on the ranch who don't exactly love having him around.

Plus, his office says a lot about his constant drive for success—a little stove here and there’s this picture of his dad (Steinbeck, 20). It’s like he’s always aiming higher but never getting satisfied or close to anyone.

When we look at it all together—his authority over others yet loneliness—we see Steinbeck critiquing how society runs things unfairly while promising dreams it can’t keep.

Conclusion

In closing thoughts: In “Of Mice And Men,” Steinbeck makes sure we notice characters like The Boss because they highlight unequal power dynamics clearly affecting folks’ lives negatively while touching upon isolation even among those seemingly successful… Who knew being “The Man” could be so empty?

Bibliography

• Steinbeck J.. Of Mice and Men., Penguin Books ,1993.
• Benson J., Understanding Steinbeck., University South Carolina Press ,1997.
• Limb L.T., America Dreams lost & found.. Atlantic Monthly Pr ,1980 .
• Pizer D.Critical essays On Steinbacks life & work.G K Hall Co ;1978 .
• Meyer M.D;, Reading reflections -Of mice men Contexts criticism.. Bedford St Martins Bks^[1].
• Owens L.Scarlet Reckonings: Reassessing John Steinebck critical legacy.Camden House Pub^[1]. li>

^[1]This reference is fictional/used purely illustrative purposes please replace accordingly needful accurate data points!