Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck¡¯s novel ¡® Of Mice and Men¡¯ shows us many characters, two main men and the others. In his world they are all lonely in their own way with their own dream. However they get hurt. He describe their life goes in negative.

The novel set California in the town called Soledad. The story starts with two main characters that George Wilton and Lennie small. They move farm to farm. George is small and not strong. But he is smart and good at his job. However he cannot stay in one place for a long time because of Lennie. They grew in same place. From the time that Lennie¡¯s aunt Clara died, George has taken care of Lennie who are not intelligent. He is just like a child and likes stroking. So he usually strokes small animals as mice. But he doesn¡¯t realize that he is really strong and kills animals.

Lennie James

Lennie James

Lennie James

In the town called Weed, George and Lennie had to run away. Lennie just wanted to touch the woman¡¯s red dress. When he touched the dreess, she was frightened and began to scream. Lennie was frightened, too. He didn¡¯t know what to do so he was just holding her dress. George took him and ran away. He said to Lennie if they got in trouble, come to among the trees to hide.

At this time George shows strong relationship with Lennie. He says, ¡°I¡¯ve got you. You cannot keep a job and I lose every job because of you.¡± It sounds cold, but he keeps Lennie although he can leaves Lennie. Also George shares his dream with Lennie. He plans to save money and get his own ranch. And he would let Lennie to look after the rabbits on his farm.

At the ranch there are many people, Slim, Candy, Crooks, Curley and his wife. Slim is quiet man. He is kind. All the other man at the ranch respect him. Also he gives his puppy to Lennie. And when George wanted to tell his story, Slim just sat quietly, ready to listen.

Candy is orderly man who has lost his left hand by machine. He is not useful so he helps with small things at the bunk house. His dog is old, too. He cannot eat, walk and take care him self. so every body agrees the dog should be shut. Candy cannot shot his dof himself. He lets Carlson who are another man on the ranch, shot his dog. But later Candy said, ¡±I should not let stranger shot my dog. ¡± when he lost his dog he looks lost his life. but as he hears the Georlge and Lennie¡¯s plane, he wants join them. he says he can pay money with them. He is also interested in his own ranch.

There are person who lives far away from the other man at the ranch. His name is crooks and he is black man. He says several times, ¡®i¡¯v got nobody talks to.¡¯ He is lonely, too. But he does not try to be free. At first he wanted to join with George, Lennie and Candy. But later he says he would not join them.

Curley is the boss¡¯s son who is pugnacious. He hates big Lennie. Lennie is big man and he always wants to show everybody that he is better that big man. But when he tried to get Lennie, Lennie got Curley¡¯s hand and didn¡¯t let curley took his hand back. His hand is hurt. But he doesn¡¯t tell the truth to other people. He says his hand hurt is from machine. Because he is embarrass.

Curley has a wife. She is the only woman in the ranch. She doesn¡¯t like her husband. She says, ¡¯what a husband! He spends all his time he is going to hit someone.¡¯ She is lonely as well. She tries to talk with other man but nobody wants to talk with her. If Curley saw or heard that they talked with her, Curley would be angry and they would be leave the farm. She has heavy make up on her face. She dosen¡¯t show us her real face. And Steinbeck never gives her a name. Maybe he makes us feel that she could be gone easily and she should not be at the ranch.

Curley¡¯s wife tries to talk with Lennie when all the other men are busy to play outside. Because Lennie isn¡¯t smart. When she entered the bunkhouse. Lennie tried to hide Slim¡¯s dead puppy. Lennie says puppy bit him so he stop the puppy with his hand and felt the puppy was died. Curley¡¯s wife is silly. Although Lennie said how puppy was died, she lets Lennie stroke her hair. Soon she is frightened Lennie continues stroking. She begins to scream and Lennie tries to stop her with his hand. And he felt the woman is dead like his puppy. He remembers that George said if he got in trouble, hide among the trees.

When Candy and George find Curley¡¯s wife¡¯s dead body. They feel that their dream is broken. Candy asks George ¡®you and I can buy that little ranch, can¡¯t we? George can¡¯t we?¡¯ but George doesn¡¯t answer. He knows his dream can never come true. At least he finds out Lennie. He talks to his friend about their dream. While Lennie is talking about his future with full of hope, Candy couldn¡¯t shut his dog himself but George dose.

This novel is pessimistic. Steinbeck tries to describe the characters that have a dream to escape from their existing life conditions but be destroyed. Their life are connected as lonely. Also same condition and life repeat like a machine. But there is one thing that discriminates the human and machine. Although their results are terribly no good, they had a dream and anguish. This novel shows the terribly bad results and cruel choices. But in cannot be believed that the human life is ended there as steinbeck¡¯s discrimination. Human will examine ourselves and continue to make our life better if human get any despair from any limit.

Lennie James

Lennie James

Lennie James