How do these texts use their mediums of film and novel to explore timeless ideas?
The extent to which a text resonates with responders is largely determined by the universality of its central ideas, as well as the composer to convey meaning has harnessed the way in which textual form. Both John Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men (OMM) and Barry Levinson in the film text Rainman (1988) portray the enduring relevant notion of a personal struggle for autonomy, particularly in terms of the development of identity and growth of character. The novella and cinematic form are skillfully utilized to highlight these timeless ideas.
The overcoming adversity in order to realize ones desire for personal freedom is an archetypal concern of much literature and in Steinbeck’s novel this is contextualized within the framework of the American Dream. Setting his narrative in the context of the Great Depression of the 30s enables him to forcibly highlight, through character and plot the struggle for personal freedom and success. The protagonists, George and Lennie (Migrant workers drifting from ranch to ranch) embody the disempowered status of workers at the time, a recurring motif in the story that is amplified by Steinbeck’s use of dialogue and characterization. For instance… George talking to others at the ranch, detailed description of Crooks who is one of the few stable ones. The central drive of the plot is the attainment of the ranch which will enable George and Lennie to “live off the fatta the land”, a use of colloquialism that effects the deeply ingrained nature of this idea. However in their reflective moments, George explicitly highlights the most appealing aspect of this; personal freedom it provides, quote… about doing what they like. Listing attributes of this farm. Once again Steinbeck’s use of dialogue allows him to highlight the importance of this freedom and his emotive language through the omniscient third person narrative voice in “he looked raptly at the wall...