Of Mice and Men

الوصف

“I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.”
They are an unlikely pair: George is “small and quick and dark of face”; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a young child. Yet they have formed a “family,” clinging together in the face of loneliness and alienation. Laborers in California’s dusty vegetable fields, they hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. But George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own.
While the powerlessness of the laboring class is a recurring theme in Steinbeck’s work of the late 1930s, he narrowed his focus when composing Of Mice and Men, creating an intimate portrait of two men facing a world marked by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. But though the scope is narrow, the theme is universal: a friendship and a shared dream that makes an individual’s existence meaningful.
A unique perspective on life’s hardships, this story has achieved the status of timeless classic due to its remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films.
“Of Mice and Men” is a novella written by John Steinbeck, first published in 1937. Set during the Great Depression in California, it tells the story of two displaced migrant ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, who are trying to make a living during tough economic times.
George is a small, quick-witted man, while Lennie is a physically strong but mentally disabled man with a childlike innocence. The two have a close bond, with George serving as a protector and caretaker for Lennie.

The story follows their journey as they seek employment and dream of owning their own piece of land, which they call a little farm where they can live off the fat of the land. However, their dreams are constantly threatened by the harsh realities of their circumstances and the cruelty of the world around them.

The novella explores themes of friendship, loneliness, isolation, and the harshness of society, as well as the plight of marginalized individuals during the Great Depression. It is a poignant and timeless work that continues to resonate with readers due to its powerful portrayal of human relationships and the struggle for survival.