Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reviewed by Melvi A.
Grade 11

Many stories attempt to bring to life the gloomy years of The Great Depression, yet few do it as well as Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This book tells the heart-wrenching story of two incompatible characters. George is small, witty, and intelligent, while Lennie is big and frightening, but has the mind of a small child. What makes them even stranger is the fact that they stick together at one of the loneliest times in history.

The book opens with George and Lennie stopping at a small pond to take a break. They are traveling to the farm they are going to work on next. At their previous farm, George and Lennie had to flee because Lennie got them in trouble, and George is still mad at Lennie about that. When they arrive at the farm, they meet Candy, Slim, and Curley. Candy and Slim are friendly to them, but Curley, the boss’s son, is jealous of Lennie’s size and picks on him. Curley’s wife is very flirtatious around everyone, and Lennie does his best to ignore her. One day after work, George reminds Lennie that they are saving money to buy their own farm, where they are going to raise their own livestock and crops. Lennie wants George to tell this to him as much as possible, because in this farm he wants to raise his own rabbits. Candy hears the story and tells them that he can help them collect the money, as he wants to live with them because he is becoming useless at the farm due to his old age. Now their dream seems as close as ever, but Curley’s constant bullying and his wife’s flirtations threaten to get Lennie in trouble, and ruin their American Dream.

I think the reader gets very emotionally attached to George and Lennie, which makes them remarkable characters. The plot is truly a mix of hope and desperation, which really brings to life those dark times. For example, George and Lennie’s hope is their own farm, but they are stuck working 11 hours a day for someone else. What eventually happens at the end was inevitable, but the author’s style of writing throughout the story convinces you otherwise.

I highly recommend this book to all readers. It tells you a lot more about The Great Depression than any textbook ever could, since it makes you understand it emotionally. It teaches the reader how loneliness can make a society so divided, so bitter, and so intolerant.