Key Facts FULL TITLE: Of Mice and Men Author: John Steinbeck GENRE: Novella (short novel) SETTING: Salinas and Soledad, California during the Great Depression in the early 1930s CLIMAX: Lennie accidentally kills Curley s wife PROTAGONIST: Lennie Small and George Milton ANTAGONISTS: Curley POINT OF VIEW: Third person omniscient Historical and Literary Context WHEN PUBLISHED: 1937
LITERARY PERIOD: Modernist Novel Setting: south of San Francisco in the Salinas Valley of California; probably during the Depression of the 1930s; Major characters: George Milton : the small, sharp - witted ranch hand who travels with Lennie, George is a typical, realistic hand who uses his mind to anticipate the future Lennie Small: a physically large man whose mind is slow; he has a short attention span and acts similar to a child; because of his mental limitations, Lennie never could
understand or anticipate the consequences of his actions; travels with and is cared for by George Slim: a wise, well - respected ranch hand whose word is law; master craftsman who knows things without being told Carlson: ranch hand who is the exact opposite of Slim; coarse and insensitive, Carlson does not understand the feelings of those around him Candy: the ranch hand who wanted to join the dream of George and Lennie, Candy's one faithful companion was his dog; anticipates the bleakness of the futures of all the other ranch hands
Crooks: named for his crooked body; proud and independent African American who also is an outcast on the ranch; bitter against racial discrimination against him, but Lennie and Crooks accept each other as time goes on; also wants to join Lennie and George's dream Curley : the evil son of the boss, Curley is a small, vicious bully who attempts to intimidate those larger than he is. Curley's wife: the bitter wife of Curley, she is lonely, seeks companionship, is isolated because of her sex. Themes:
The Pursuit of the American Dream : George and Lennie dream to be able to own a place of their own and be their own bosses Crooks to live on farm/equality/have a dignified life Curley s Wife movie star Candy to be accepted, to live on farm/dignity How Loneliness Effects the Individual : Candy's only companion, his dog, is killed
All major characters are lonely Crooks ---- race Candy ---- age/loss of dog Curley s Wife she is female Carlson = perfect example of what isolation does to someone lose their humanity George and Lennie have each other and are not lonely this is their strength. The Importance of Friendship: George shooting Lennie to help him escape from a brutal lynching
Their friendship sets them apart from others. Humanity/friendship is an escape from cycle of cruelty. The Fate of the Innocenct in a Cruel World : Lennie's not understanding why he shouldn't enter Crooks' room The Cruelty of Discrimination : Crooks, as a ranch outcast, lives in a room all alone
Of Mice and Men: Symbols George and Lennie s Farm The farm GEORGE and LENNIE hope to own is a symbol of the American Dream. Rabbits Innocence/Downfall of innocence Candy s Dog The way in which Carlson kills the dog with a gunshot to the back of the head foreshadows Lennie s death and likens Lennie to
Candy s dog: they re both powerless, innocent, and doomed. Lennie s Puppy symbolizes the fate of the weak in the face of the strong. Morals/Lessons/Applicatio ns: People need others to talk to to survive. (Crooks' statement about needing someone or going crazy, the attachment of Crooks and Candy to the dream Lennie and George share, Curley's wife seduction of
the ranch hands as a buffer against loneliness) A man's ability to dream is directly attached to having someone to share the dream with. (George lets go of the dream after Lennie is killed.) Sometimes, even though it's not what you want, you have to do what's best for you and those you love. (George shoots his best friend, Lennie so that Lennie can escape a brutal lynching.)