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Of Mice and Men

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Of Mice and Men is a novella written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced Anglo migrant ranch workers in Great Depression-era California.

Based on Steinbeck's own experiences as a bindle stiff in the 1920s (before the arrival of the Okies he would vividly describe in The Grapes of Wrath), the title is taken from Robert Burns's poem, To a Mouse, which is often quoted as: "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." Required reading in many American, Australian, British, New Zealand, and Canadian high schools, Of Mice and Men has been a frequent target of censors for what some consider "offensive" and "vulgar" language; consequently, it appears on the American Library Association's list of the Most Challenged Books of 21st Century.

Plot summary

Two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression – George Milton, average in stature, intelligent, and cynical, but caring; and Lennie Small, physically strong, but a mentally limited man – come to a ranch near Soledad south-east of Salinas, California to "work up a stake". They hope to one day attain their shared dream of settling down on their own piece of land. Lennie's part of the dream, which he never tires of hearing George describe, is merely to have soft rabbits on the farm, which he can pet. George protects Lennie from himself by telling him that if he gets into trouble he won't let him "tend them rabbits"; they are fleeing from their previous employment in Weed where they were run out of town after Lennie's love of stroking soft things resulted in an accusation of attempted rape when he touched a young woman's dress.

At the ranch, the dream appears to move closer to reality. Candy, the aged, one-handed ranch-hand, even offers to pitch in with Lennie and George so they can buy the farm by the end of the month. The dream crashes when Lennie accidentally kills the young and attractive wife of Curley, the ranch owner's son, while trying to stroke her hair. A lynch mob led by Curley gathers. George, realizing he is doomed to a life of loneliness and despair like the rest of the migrant workers, and wanting to spare Lennie a painful death at the hands of the vengeful and violent Curley, shoots Lennie in the back of the head before the mob can find him. The shot occurs while Lennie is distracted by one last retelling of the dream.

Characters in Of Mice and Men

  • George Milton – The protagonist: a quick-witted man who is friends with Lennie. He looks after Lennie and dreams of a better life.

  • Lennie Small – An intellectually disabled man who travels with George. He dreams of "living off the fatta' the lan'" and being able to tend to rabbits. He possesses a child's mental ability, but the strength of a "bull", resulting in inability to control or judge his own strength. This results in accidental killings when the objects of his affection try to escape him (such as mice and his puppy).

  • Candy – A ranch worker who lost a hand in an accident and is near the end of his useful life on the ranch.
  • Curley – The boss' son – a young, pugnacious character, once a semi-professional boxer. He is very jealous and protective of his wife. He immediately takes a disliking to Lennie.

  • Curley's wife – A young, pretty woman, sometimes called a "tart" by the men and mistrusted by her husband. The other characters refer to her only as "Curley's wife", and she is the only significant character in the novella without a name. She had dreams of becoming an actress, and is often mean-spirited and bullying towards the ranch-hands.

  • Slim – A "jerk line skinner" (the main driver of a mule team), referred to as "prince of the ranch".

  • Crooks – The only African American ranch-hand, referred to as a "nigger" by almost all. Like Candy, he is crippled: his nickname refers to a crooked back resulting from being kicked by a horse. He sleeps segregated from the other workers, but is fiercely protective of his "rights".

  • Carlson – A ranch-hand.

  • Whit – A ranch-hand.

  • The Boss – Curley's father; owner and director of the ranch.

Style

Of Mice and Men was Steinbeck's first attempt at writing in the form of novel-play, termed a "play-novelette" by one critic. Structured in three acts of two chapters each, it is intended to be both a novella and a script for a play. He wanted to write a novel that could be played from its lines, or a play that could be read like a novel.

Steinbeck originally titled it Something That Happened, however, he changed the title after reading Robert Burns's poem, To a Mouse. Burns's poem tells of the regret the narrator feels for having destroyed the home of a mouse while plowing his field; it suggests that no plan is fool-proof and no one can be completely prepared for the future.

Steinbeck wrote this book, along with The Grapes of Wrath, in what is now Monte Sereno, California. Steinbeck's dog ate an early manuscript of the novel.

Reception

Attaining the greatest positive response of any of his works up to that time, Steinbeck's novella was chosen as a Book of the Month Club selection before it was published. Praise for the work came from many notable critics, including Maxine Garrad (Enquirer-Sun), Christopher Morley, and Harry Thornton Moore (New Republic). New York Times critic Ralph Thompson described the novel as a "grand little book, for all its ultimate melodrama."

The novella has been banned from various American public and school libraries or curricula for allegedly "promoting euthanasia", being "anti-business", containing profanity, racial slurs, and generally containing "vulgar" and "offensive language". Many of the bans and restrictions have been lifted and it remains required reading in many other American, Australian, British, New Zealand and Canadian high schools. As a result of being a frequent target of censors, Of Mice and Men appears on the American Library Association's list of the Most Challenged Books of 21st Century (number 4).

Adaptations

Cinema

Of Mice and Men was adapted to film several times, the first in 1939, only two years after the publication of the novel. This adaptation of Of Mice and Men stars Lon Chaney Jr. as Lennie, Burgess Meredith as George, and was directed by Lewis Milestone. It was nominated for four Oscars. In 1981 it was made into a TV movie. This version stars Randy Quaid as Lennie, Robert Blake as George, Ted Neeley as Curley, and was directed by Reza Badiyi.

The most recent film version of Of Mice and Men (1992) was directed by Gary Sinise, who was nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes. In addition to directing, Sinise also played the role of George opposite John Malkovich. For this adaptation, both men reprised their roles from a 1980 Steppenwolf Theatre Company production.

Theater

Stage adaptations have also been produced. The first production was by Sam H. Harris and opened on November 23 1937, in the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. Running for 207 performances, it starred Wallace Ford as George and Broderick Crawford as Lennie. The role of Crooks was performed by Leigh Whipper, the first African-American member of the Actors' Equity Association. Whipper repeated his role in the 1939 film version. It was chosen as Best Play in 1938 by the New York Drama Critics' Circle. In 1939 the production was moved to Los Angeles, still with Wallace Ford in the role of George, but with Lon Chaney, Jr., taking on the role of Lennie. Chaney's performance in the role resulted in his casting in the movie.

The play was revived in a 1974 Broadway production in the Brooks Atkinson Theatre staring Kevin Conway as George and James Earl Jones as Lennie. Noted stage actress Pamela Blair played Curley's Wife in this production.

In 1970 Carlisle Floyd wrote an opera based on this novel. One departure between Steinbeck's book and Floyd's opera is that the opera features The Ballad Singer, a character not found in the book.

References

Footnotes and citations

Sources

External links



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