Sarah Smith's text review for Of Mice and Men
By Sarah Smith / Spinebreakers Crew
A short novel, but by no means short on poignancy and drama, Of Mice and Men reflects Californian labouring class in the late 1930's. It follows the lives of two outsiders, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie, as they embark on a journey in the hope of fulfilling their dream of achieving independence and self-sufficiency, only for it to slip effortlessly from their grasp through numerous unfortunate events leading to a devastating and disastrous ending.
There are no chapters, as such, and the novel is written in six distinctive parts, each one opening with a fully detailed description of the setting. George and Lennie are introduced in Part One – the two are complete opposites of the other; George is small, with strong defined features whereas Lennie is huge and is described by Steinbeck as "a bear". He is child-like and is conscientious of his actions under the watchful eye of George, who we learn holds authority, almost taking on a parental role to his hopeless companion. We are told, through affectionate dialogue, of their dream for the future.
The pair are successful at finding work on a ranch and meet an array of characters - most notably Candy, an old man given a job as a swamper after loosing one of his hands, who upon discovering George and Lennie's dream, wants to be a part of it. With a hefty profit in his bank account bringing the dream closer, Candy is agreed and must not breathe a word to any of the other ranch men.
The dream is quickly over for all when Lennie becomes a victim of his own strength.
Rich also in themes of symbolism, loneliness, gender-stereotypes, violence and prejudice, Of Mice and Men is a compelling reading for those who love a deeper read.