Universal theme: The feeling of being trapped, leads to desperate actions.

"of Mice and Men"

"'Sure," said George. "All kin's a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whiskey we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there. There wouldn't be no more runnin' round the country and gettin' fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we'd have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house."'

This quote is George taking his own desperate measures. He knew that it was very unlikely for them to own their own farm, but he choose to anyway. Stienbeck wanted to show that wanting to escape, doesn't mean it's possible. He wanted to portray that even the most unlikely of people can feel trapped, but the measures taken won't help.

"Turlarecito"

"'I am not like the others at the school or here. I know that. I have lonliness for my people who live deep in the cool Earth. When I pass a squirrel hole, I wish to crawl into it and hide myself. My own people are like me, I must go home to them, Pancho.'"

Tularecito was not the same, and he knew it. In the story, he was so sure that he was a "person from the deep Earth". Desperate measurse were taken, even harming others. The author was trying to show that Tularecito thought what everyone else did, and wanted to try and find a way to fit in with someone.

"The Chrysanthemums"

'"Her lips moved silently, forming the words "Good-bye--good-bye." Then she whispered,"That's a bright direction. There's a glowing there."'

At this time women were deemed less capable of men. Elise was feeling trapped in her own life. Stienbeck in this quote was showing Elisa was hoping for a better life. She wanted to go from the life she had, to be free and see what it was like to not be held down.

Real life ImpaCt

"When a person feels so trapped and no options, they becfome desperate and in the middle of desperation." -Paula White