Authors often use animal imagery to create a picture in the reader's mind. They use certain animals or animal to human metaphors to describe how a setting, or character is. Animal Imagery can be used to describe how somethings is physically or mentally.
In the book of Mice and Men animal imagery is often used to describe Lennie. Some examples are:
Page Quotation Effect
Pg 1 "...so crisp that a lizard..."
This creates a peaceful, calm setting. It introduces the reader to where the story takes place, and how this affects the characters. It creates an image in the reader's mind, showing him where the characters are.
Pg 2 "dragging his feet the way Lennie is big, walks like a animal a bear drags his paw"
This quote makes the reader "see" Lennie. With the use of this metaphor we know that Lennie walks like an animal, and not like a human.
Pg 3 "snorting into the water like a horse"
This use of imagery shows that Lennie is uncivilized, with no manners. He doesn't act like a person and drinks like a horse would. This also shows that he doesn't care about how others see him as.
Pg 3 "dabbled his big paw"
Lennie has huge hands, that look more like an animal's paw than a human's hand. This shows how far Lennie is from having the appearance of a normal person.
Pg 5 "It's only a mouse, George"
This image of the mouse shows how harmless creatures can be. They don't make a difference in the world. Lennie tries to show George that nothing bad will happen if he keeps the mouse. Certain things don't chnage anything.
Pg 9 "Like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master"
This shows that Lennie is very stubborn. However, even though he is like that he still obeys. He ends up obeying George even if its not something he would like to do.
Pg 10 " Carp rose to the surface, gulped air, and sank mysteriously"
This creates a transition in the story. It shows the passage of time, and the silence it creates. It also creates the atmosphere of thought the characters are in.
Pg 11 "pet it like a mouse"
This creates a contrast between what Lennie looks like and what he actually is. He is just like a innocent child, who does not mean any harm to others. The fact that he said he just wanted to pet the woman's dress like a mouse shows that he did it without the knowledge that it was a bad thing.
Pg 12 "Shoot you for a coyote"
This creates a wild picture of Lennie. A picture that descriubes how savage he is, and how close to an animal he is. He is just like a human beast, with the feelings of a child.
Pg 24 "Strong as a bull"
This like all other animal imagery demonstrates how stong Lennie is. It uses a metaphor to create a contrast of a bull to Lennie.
These are some examples of animal imagery. In this book they are mainly used to describe Lennie.
