Please, using Aristotle's definition of tragedy, answer the following question: How is the novel Of Mice and Men a tragedy?

According to Aristotle,

A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself;. . . with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions (Poetics).

After reading and analyzing the novella Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck meets Aristotle's requirements to be considered a tragedy. Steinbeck's portrayal of George and Lennie's difficult life imitates the authentic experience of migrant workers in...

According to Aristotle,

A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself;. . . with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions (Poetics).

After reading and analyzing the novella Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck meets Aristotle's requirements to be considered a tragedy. Steinbeck's portrayal of George and Lennie's difficult life imitates the authentic experience of migrant workers in the 1930s. The magnitude of a piece refers to the importance of the action. Magnitude is illustrated in Steinbeck's novella when Lennie accidentally murders Curley's wife, and George makes the difficult decision to kill his friend in order to spare him from the lynch mob. Both are serious subjects that the audience cannot dismiss. Steinbeck's story is also "complete in itself," meaning that it follows a specific issue, namely, the relationship between George and Lennie and the challenges they face in a competitive, unpredictable environment. Lennie's death and the subsequent loss of George's dream also evoke pity and a sense of fear from the audience. The audience feels sorry for George's loss and can identify with his feelings of insecurity. Catharsis is defined as the purging of emotions and release of tension. The tension rises as Curley's lynch mob closes in on Lennie, and the audience experiences a release of emotions after George shoots his best friend. Steinbeck's novella would be considered a tragedy when compared and judged according to Aristotle's definition.