Harrend, 1

Tiffany Harrend
1 OConnor
Honors English 9
20 February 2016
Similarities in Steinbeck's Literature
Cup of Gold and Of mice and Men, both by honorable author John Steinbeck, parallel in
many ways. Literary elements, syntax and diction, and social influences are strongly similar in
these novels. The structural basis of the stories as well as Steinbecks writing habits make these
two distinct novels extremely similar in many ways. Steinbecks background, as well as current
events happening during his time influenced his novels greatly, giving the reader a look into
history or an open eye to the present. By the covers of these books, they seem to have no
relation, but once the reader looks inside, they discover the reoccurrence of Steinbecks ways.
Each character in Steinbecks novels have some sort of personal conflict that hurts him.
This was in part, the way that Steinbeck writes. He makes every character in his novels have a
personal struggle. Henrys battle from Cup of Gold, was between him and his self worth. He
knew that his dream was to become a buccaneer, but he was always striving for something more.
Once he reached his full potential, he didn't have anything more to him than riches and
popularity. He knew that he would be alone in his glory and have nothing of sentimental value.
When Henry reached his dream, there was nothing left for him to do. George and Lennie from
Of Mice and Men were always chasing theirs. It was what kept them and their initiative thriving.
Georges conflict, or struggle, was with Lennie. If he wanted to leave Lennie, he couldn't
because he promised to always take care of him. Quotes like ...if I was alone I could live so
easy. (Steinbeck 11) recur throughout Of Mice and Men multiple times. Even though George
says this to Lennie, he could never let Lennie ruin his own life and get hurt. Lennie can't take

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care of himself because of his mental disability, being the struggle he faces throughout his entire
life. He wouldn't be able to work on ranches with anyone because he wouldn't know what to do
or how to handle himself. Lennies struggle is what runs the plot of Of Mice and Men, like how
Henrys runs the plot of Cup of Gold.
The plot course of these novels are oddly similar when one looks at each novel as a
whole. The main characters all become extremely close to his dreams. Henry Morgans starts as a
little boy who tells his dream of someday becoming a buccaneer. He ends up reaching what he
thinks his goal is, by the middle of the novel. Then with it plummeting, he realizes how he is
alone and has nowhere to go. George and Lennie had a dream of living in a small house and
living off the land instead of working on other people's ranches and getting paid. They come so
close to making it, until the inevitable happens. After their dreams disappear, they are left alone
and lost. Henry ends up killing Coeur de Gris, his best friend who was there when no one else
was. When Coeur de Gris asks Captain Morgan why he shot him, all Henry had to say was I do
not know, he said. I must have known, but I have forgotten.( Steinbeck 144) This quote shows
his despair-ridden reaction of Captain Morgan to reality. He has grown old in a night and realizes
how alone he really is. George ends up shooting Lennie, who he had come to love and care for.
They had supported each other and made each other stronger through the course of the novel like
Coeur de Gris and Henry.
A theme that runs through both novels is the importance of family. Throughout Cup of
Gold, Henry thinks of his father and mother frequently. His family were the ones who were there
before his wealth and popularity took him over. He never saw his parents after he left for the
Indies, but he ended up marrying his cousin and meeting his uncle. Henrys absence from his
parents tore up his parents more than him. This theme of family was pushed in the beginning, but
then became lost as so did Henry. It is a cruel thing to lose a son for whom you have lived

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continuously. Somehow, she had imagined him always beside her- a little boy, and always beside
her.( Steinbeck 25) . When Henry is on his deathbed, he thinks of his family and how much he
loved them, which reminds the reader how he got to the extravagant royalty he did.
This support of family is clearly doubled in Of Mice and Men. George has a moral duty to
look after Lennie because his aunt Clara passed. Without family, Lennie would have never been
able to live the happy life he strived through for his capability. George and Lennie made each
other better, even if in the end one was dragged down. Without Lennie, George would have been
cold, alone, and bitter. He had someone to care for him and love him for who he was. Both plots
are revolved around family and how far they can get you in life if you stay true to them.
Across most of Steinbecks novels, his words and sentences are very basic and easy to
read. This claim might sound negative but it isn't. The sentences may be be short and
straightforward but the amount of information he gives in those sentences is what keeps the
reader interested. Steinbeck gives enough details so that the reader knows what's going on, but
leaves it up to the reader to infer and make connections. Steinbecks descriptions of scenery in
Of Mice and Men like A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the
hillside bank and runs deep and green.(Steinbeck 1) show his simplicity but demonstrates the
way a reader can imagine what he is talking about.He wrote his novels in a straightforward way
because he wanted anyone to be able to read his books, not just the highly educated. Also, this
basic way of writing let's play writers make scripts and acts out of the book. His books may be
easy to read, but they still make the audience think.
Although a lot of Steinbeck's novels, like Of Mice and Men revolve around current events, some
go farther back in history. Of Mice and Men was influenced by the Great Depression, in the way
that George and Lennie didnt have anything. Going and working on ranches was the only thing
that they could do to make money, and eventually save up for the house they would never get to

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buy. Cup of Gold itself is a reference to history, as it was the fictional story of Henry Morgan,
who was a substantial pirate in the 17th century. If one doesnt know about the history, the entire
novel would seem fictional and unrealistic, by the way he writes. ...a historical-fiction novel,
loosely based on the privateer Henry Morgan's life and death. It centered on Morgan's assault on
and sacking of the fictional city of Panama (Source 3, 1)The story of Henry taking over the
fictional city was essentially Steinbeck's novel. Steinbeck tries to inform people about what is
going on, or what went on in the past through his powerful and moving novels.
In conclusion, these two novels are similar in many ways that one wouldnt notice if they
just took a glance at the titles. Steinbeck's writing style is apparent in a lot of his award winning
novels for obvious reasons. The influences of the outside world has shaped the author as well as
his pieces of literature. Many might try to mimic Steinbecks talent of writing and portraying
these fictional and nonfictional events, but they will never behold the treasury that is his
literature.

Work Cited:
1. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. Print.
2. Steinbeck, John. Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with
Occasional Reference to History. London, England: Penguin, 2008. Print.
3. N/a. "John Steinbeck." John Steinbeck. U-S-history.com, N/a. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.