3 Review(s)

Consolidating Steinbeck’s claim to genius, Of Mice & Men explores the theme of friendship in this touching fable of two men grappling with their lives and dreams in the depression of the 1930s. Summary Of The Book Of Mice & Men focuses on the lives of the two protagonists, George and Lennie. They both dream of owning a piece of land someday from which they can earn their revenue. Due to Lennie’s curiosity of soft things, they end up working at different places, always drifting away from their goal and dream. Being the only friend Lennie’s got, George stays with him keeping his promise of taking care of him to Lennie’s aunt Clara. He doesn’t desert him and instead tries to teach Lennie the ways of the world. Struggling under a sort of mental disability that renders Lennie slow to understand, George and Lennie get into a lot of troublesome situations. George is the shrewd companion taking care of his strong albeit childlike friend. The novella begins with the two workers walking and talking about their dream. They find work in a ranch after running away from a town where Lennie was mistakenly accused of rape. The ranch owner’s son Curley and his wife are spiteful and manipulative and  this results in miserable conditions for both George and Lennie. Of Mice & Men explores their friendship and their hopes of uplifting themselves from being the dispossessed and finding ownership. The novella is spread thin across 132 pages, but it is considered to be a masterpiece in American Literature notwithstanding this detail. With a story set around two friends pitted against their shortcomings and a merciless ecosystem, Steinbeck infuses considerable generosity into the story and leaves readers with a message of hope. Of Mice & Men combines subtle characterization and an examination of the society that uses dogma and prejudice in the treatment of handicapped men. The premises explored range thematically across capitalism, the prejudices against disabilities, and even feminism. The book is considered a jewel in terms of philosophy and narrative confluence. It is a hugely admired piece of literature and is a part of the compulsory reading section in schools across America and other countries, after censors have been lifted in recent times. About John Steinbeck John Steinbeck is an American author famous for his controversial themes and literary prowess in infusing strength and purpose into flawed and realistic characters.  He won a Pulitzer prize for The Grapes of Wrath which catapulted him into literary fame. The writer maintains however that his best work is East of Eden, which was written afterwards. He has authored 16 novels, 6 non-fiction books, and five collections of short stories, receiving a Nobel Prize in 1962 for his contribution to literature. He was born in Salinas, California, where most of his novels are set. He never graduated from university and after a couple of odd jobs, settled down into full-time writing. He died in 1968 of congestive heart failure.