Title: Of mice and men Author: John Stienbeck Category: Fiction Author John
Stienbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His first three books were
financial failures and he worked at various kinds of jobs to survive, including
fruit picking. His first success was Tortilla Flat in 1935 which was followed by
a number of shorter works, leading up to his great masterpiece The Grapes of
Wrath which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940. In 1962, Stienbeck became the sixth
American to win the Nobel Prize for literature. He died at his home in New York
on December 1968. I found the writing style of this book to be really slack and
basic. The English in this book was elementary, very easy to understand and
follow. There were definitely no metaphors or similes. The only figures of
speech I could find were when he describing the landscape at the very beginning.
For the exception of the description at the first, the entire book was straight
dialogue between the characters in the novel. One thing the novel was full of
though was local color and jargon. Throughout the book he wrote and spelled
words as if they would have been said them. He also added expressions and local
slang to add to the atmosphere of the novel. I don't really have any major likes
or dislikes to the novel. I would have to say I liked it tough. There was no
complex plot to figure out or involved characters to understand. The book just
told a story. It didn't even explain the thoughts or get involved in the
feelings of the characters. They only thing you know is what is spoken aloud. I
somewhat feel the author could have done more with the story expand on it or go
further into detail of what happened during the story but even though it was so
short I still think it is a good book. The novel takes place during the early
40's in the United States. It is based on a fictional story of two men who
travel from state, working on ranches and scrounging for money. One of men named
Lennie was mentally retarded but incredibly strong. The second, George was
explained as Lennie's friend who takes the responsibility of keeping his friend,
Lennie out of trouble. The story starts out with the two main characters walking
down a dirt road toward their next job. They realized they couldn't make the
trip so they decided to spend the night by the river. That night we learn for
the first time about one of the major themes of the novel. As George and Lennie
sit at the campfire, George tells a story about their dream. He explained in
detail about how they were now, that they have no home, anywhere that they
belong and that all that they really want is a place to themselves. A place
where they could live without anyone bothering them. We only realize later that
this place really does exist but it costs too much money than they can afford
alone but with the help of an older man who has money saved they realize their
dream may happen. Soon after the old man's dog has to be put down, he argues
with the other men not to shoot the dog but finally agrees that he must be put
down. The story continues with little else happening before the climax. The
characters contiune interacting with each other and a few minor incidents happen
before the climax. At the climax the main character Lennie who is unweary of his
strenght accidently kills someone when he got scared. This killing brings on a
mob of men who are set out to kill Lennie for his crime. His friend George
pleads with them not to but they leave to kill him anyway. George realizes that
they are going to kill him and he feels that if he must die he should do it
himself instead of the argry mob doing it. Since he knows already where lennie
would hide he takes a gun with him and as he's telling lennie the story of how
its going to be when they get their own place where they can live he shoots him
in the back of the head before the angry men shoot him. This is what happens but
it is impossible to describe the meaning behind it or even why it happens
without explaining the entire novel. Depending on the type of person you are
would definitely decide weather you liked the book or not. On the emotional
level, it could be really sad if you took it that way or you may find it really
dumb. Its all in how you interperate it yourself. Id personally suggest you rent
the movie. Of Mice And Men is one of the only movies I've ever seen where the
novel and the movie are exactly the same. So unless you would reather read it
instead the movie Of mice and Men would be my choice.