Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Two men have formed an unlikely friendship, traveling from place to place, working toward one united dream: Owning their own ranch, a place in the world where they’ll belong. This dream becomes their life’s purpose, but it is as unreachable as happiness.

The men: George and Lennie

The book: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

LET’S GET LIT!

Hi, listener and fellow reader. This is Kari. I’ve never done this before, but I’d like to share my view of this book, Of Mice and Men, with you here. If you agree or not, please let us know your thoughts in the comments:

In this era of four-hour-long movies, the art of concise storytelling is dying, which is why Of Mice and Men is more impressive than ever. It asks weighty questions, such as “How do we judge the merit of a person,” but it does it in a manner so approachable that the book is often required reading in grade school. Yet, teaching this book to schoolchildren is a mistake, I fear. Its straightforward language does not mean Of Mice and Men is a “simple” text. Some young readers may rightfully be overwhelmed with the prolific amount of slurs in its pages, debased and defamatory language directed at Black Americans, women, and Japanese people, to name a few. Based on these, they may judge the book instead of the time it encapsulates. They may be so separated from the pains of growing old in America that they see Candy’s character as comic relief. They may think George to be “smart” and Lennie to be “dumb.” However, each character in this book represents a sector of society: the feeble, the frightened, the failures, the frustrated and female, and the forgettable. Who would Slim be in another time, with his ability to command a room effortlessly and his convincing conversations? Who would George be in a world that didn’t require him to live hand to mouth? Who would Crook be if White Americans hadn’t driven his family off their land? Who would Curley’s wife be in a time when she could live independently of a husband?

This book deserves more than it often receives and is one of my favorite, beautifully told American tragedies.

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