Faculté des Lettres et des Langues étrangères

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Browsing Faculté des Lettres et des Langues étrangères by Author "Aboubou ,Hachemi"

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    The Human and Animal Bond in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and The Red Pony
    (University of 20th August 1955, Skikda, 2018) Mohamed ,Ben Ali Chaker; Aboubou ,Hachemi
    The aim of this study is to highlight Steinbeck’s main reasons for including animals in both his fictional and non-fictional works, most notably Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony, The Log from the Sea of Cortez and Travels with Charley: In Search of America. Indeed, there is a strong relationship that binds humans with animals in these works. Steinbeck makes use of such a bond: First, to reflect his lifelong experiences with animals through his writing. Keep in mind that Steinbeck himself raised a pony named Jill when he was a child and he also owned an array of breeds of dogs and developed a special affinity for marine biology during his matriculation at Stanford University and his friendship with Edward Ricketts; second, to emphasize that the lives of humans and animals are closely connected ; third, that animals are good companions and protection for man ; fourth, that the world surrounding the humans and animals is unforgiving, uncaring and above all predatory and is based on “the survival of the fittest.” This dissertation is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter is dedictated to exploring Steinbeck’s attachment to the animal world starting from his childhood to his death. The second chapter is devoted to delving into the effect of Edward Ricketts on Steinbeck’s philosophy about animal behavior. In this context, I will jail myself within the scopes of the phalanx theory, man’s animality and non-teleological8 thinking and how these philosophies are inherent in his writing. The third chapter deals with the human and animal bond in Of Mice and Men. In this respect, I will diagnose the relationship between Lennie and small animals and that of Candy and his devoted dog. The last chapter revolves around the human and animal bond in The Red Pony. In this case, I will anatomize Jody Tiflin’s behavior toward danimals in this predatory world and how he arises from boyhood to manhood. All these chapters are interwoven together for the sake of arguing the existence of the philosophies mentioned above and how some of them have their echoes in Islamic religion.