Seeking Wholeness: Talismanic Patterns and Rituals in Of Mice and Men

Abstract

John Steinbeck’s fiction is widely recognized for its allegorical and expressionist qualities, yet the relationship between symbolic objects and ritualized behavior in Of Mice and Men has received comparatively little attention. Drawing on Todd M. Lieber’s theory of talismanic patterns together with Steinbeck’s reflections on symbolism and monism in The Log from the Sea of Cortez, this article examines three recurring talismans in the novella—soft things, the dream ranch, and the brush—and the rituals through which they acquire psychological and spiritual significance. Lennie’s compulsive petting, George’s repeated narration of the ranch dream, and the sacrificial killing in the brush are interpreted as ritual performances that enable the characters to project values onto material objects, affirm threatened identities, and seek reunion with a larger natural whole. By analyzing the interaction between talismans and rituals, this article argues that Steinbeck’s expressionism is grounded not only in symbolic imagery but also in repetitive performative acts that reveal his ecological monism and his understanding of humanity’s persistent longing for wholeness.