In the novels Of Mice and Men, Night, and Animal Farm, how can media help prevent the strong from subjugating or controlling the weak?

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scarletpimpernel eNotes educator| Certified Educator

In Of Mice and Men, media does not play a role, but if the migrant workers (and all the outcasts) on the ranch had had access to the media, perhaps it would have served as a connection for the outcasts.  If they had a media which represented the common man--as Steinbeck hoped to do through his novels--perhaps the strong would be more sympathetic to their plight, and perhaps the "weak" would realize that they have more options than just submitting to the status quo. 

For the setting of Night, most know of the negative use of the media by Hitler.  But there were some who used underground media to save Jews and others and to spread their message of defiance.  If Elie and his family had had access to a media source that presented visual proof of what was occurring at Auschwitz and other camps, perhaps they would have risen up against the "strong" before willingly going to the ghettos and giving up their other rights.

Finally, in Animal Farm, one wonders what might have happened if Boxer had run the media or been charged with spreading the message.  In the case of each of these works, the power of the media (or simply ignorance because of the absence of media) promoted corruption.

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Of Mice and Men

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