The theme of power is prevalent in John Steinbeck's "Of Mice And Men" and is presented and developed in many different ways. Power is established to first seen in the title, which introduces the recurring wrath of fate, implying that men, like beasts, are helplessly destined to live a helpless and isolated life. Some, however, seek solace in their powerful dreams and companionship in their romantic bonds brotherly, especially that of Lennie and George, whose unconditional love for another leaves the reader with questions regarding their own morality Steinbeck's powerful prose, a strong unique plot in a short span of time, carries the tragic events forward and his depiction of the foreshadowing natural world gives the tale a certain aspect of duality. Steinbeck first introduces the power of fate in the underlying motif of impending disaster exhibited in the title and opening chapter. The title can be seen as a powerful warning of the tragedy to follow, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" is an excerpt from Robbie Burn's poem "To A Mouse". Steinbeck uses this title to reveal to the reader a harsh reality, the bleak nature of human existence in the time of the Great Depression; characters seek power over their own destinies but rarely gain it, due to external forces beyond their control. The dead mouse in Lennie's pocket serves as an ominous reiteration of the end that awaits weak and unsuspecting creatures at the hands of fate—after all, despite Lennie's great size and strength, his mental incapacity renders him as helpless as a mouse. Steinbeck further develops the power of destiny in his repeated use of animal imagery that sees Lennie compared to a bear, a horse, and a terrier. Animals in the novel... the center of the paper... external factors beyond anyone's control. Steinbeck develops the theme of power through his depiction of the natural world that he foreshadows. Nature remains the only constant in a world of sporadic variables and power is accentuated in its duplicity. Externally nature appears mellifluous, calm and imperturbable, but internally something much more sinister is hidden. The clearing where George and Lennie stumble may resemble the Garden of Eden, but it's actually a place with dangers lurking at every turn. The rabbits who sit like "carved gray stones" "silently scurry" for cover at the sound of footsteps, alluding to the predatory world that will inevitably destroy George and Lennie. Through this, Steinbeck exposes nature as a powerful yet vicious symbol of life's cruelties, as its external beauty establishes a sense of purity that the world cannot sustain..