Two men, One dream ... Review on Of Mice And Men - John Steinbeck

Of all Steinbeck's works that I have managed to read, Of Mice and Men was perhaps the one that had the greatest impact. It made me sad and I thought of the story for the next week or so. The novel takes place in California during the great depression. It covers a span of 3 days only but the three days are intensely dramatic. Steinbeck introduces us to his political and social philosophies and his frustration over what he thought as the failed American dream.

The book covers the events in the lives of its protagonists for a period of three days and those three days are full of human emotions and range from misunderstanding, jealousy, dreams, the longings for peaceful existence, friendship, confusion, dilemma, utter resignation etc. The reader gets engrossed at the events and not before long he reaches the last pages of the book. The easy paced narration style, natural settings and the simple plot drags him/her like the strong current of a river towards the ending the novel and by the time he closes the book, he is filled with profound sympathy at the plight of the characters.

The novel starts with the two migrant workers Lennie Small and George Milton who are on their way to a nearby ranch in search of a job. The two men are great friends and cherish the dream to own a farm of their own. They are however poles apart in terms of their attitude and as human beings in general. Lennie Small, ironically is a giant but is child at heart. He lacks maturity and it is George who saves him from troubles that seem to descend on them at an alarming regularity. George is small compared to Lennie and is rational in his thought process. At the start of the novel the two friends have had lost their last job and almost their lives due to Lennie. In his innocent fascination with a young girl's red dress and his awkward attempt to touch it, he had frightened the girl, forcing them to flee a lynch mob.

George repeatedly tells his friend that he should do the talking when the ranch owner interviews them and it works. They pass with flying colours and get the job. The trouble begins very soon though and it is Lennie who is at the centre of attention. A brief introduction with the ranch owner's son, Curley, a former prizefighter and an insecured husband who doesn't like anyone getting anywhere close to his wife makes Lennie feels uneasy. George tries to help him and tell him that the moment they manage to gather some money they will leave and buy their own farm. Lennie's uneasiness is somewhat eased by the spirited lecture from George and chiefly by the gift he receives from Slim, a jerkline skinner. Slim gives him a puppy from his dog's litter. George meanwhile makes a breakthrough as far as their dreams go. He catches up with Candy, a colleague of theirs who is about to retire. Candy listens to George's story and their dream to buy a farm and comes with a proposal that makes George ecstatic. Candy offers his lifetime savings provided he is taken in as a partner in the farm to be bought. George calculates that not before long they would be in a position to buy a decent farm with Candy's contribution and their wages.

Lennie meanwhile finds him in trouble. Having heard the news from George he starts to laugh. Curley searching for his wife enters the bunkhouse where the three future farm owners are sitting. He is in a foul mood and charges Lennie for insulting him and challenges him for a fight and begins it before Lennie could understand what's going on. He pounces on the giant who seem to forget that he should defend himself and wakes up only at George's screams to fight back. He catches Curley's hand and every bone in that hand are crushed. The ranch owner's son doesn't spread the news for the fear of embarrassment but Lennie is not out of trouble. He meets Curley's wife who after some time makes the giant feel at ease with her and lets him stroke her long beautiful hair. After a while she tries to pull away but Lennie Small unexplainably holds on to her and is utterly surprised when she starts to scream. He begins to shake her to make her stop managing only to break her neck. She dies.

A search party is summoned to find the murderer and George joins them. He finds Lennie, trembling with fear, hiding among the bushes by the stream. George is in a dilemma. His best friend begs him to leave the farm and escape. He is sure on the other hand though, that they would never be capable of escaping Curley and his hatred. As Lennie gazes out over the river, George shoots him behind his head.

This is a touching story that will make you sad. You will feel for these two helpless men who see their dreams die. You will feel for Lenny but for George too, who, kill his friend and companion, Lennie, in order to save him from a brutal death. The novel has a tragic note to it. The mood at the end is definitely one of depression and frustration.