Summary: The tragic story of the complex bond between two migrant laborers in Central California. They are George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. George acts as a father figure to Lennie, who is a very large, simple-minded man, calming him and helping to rein in his immense physical strength.
Kim again! Two reviews in one week? I'm on a roll! :)
Review: This was another one of those required readings for my English class. Despite the fact that my English teacher, while trying to teach us about foreshadowing, spoiled the ending for my class before we even opened the book, I still enjoyed it a lot.
As it is with many of the classics, there is a lot of symbolism in this book, and it also says a lot about society back in the 1930's. When you read this book, you can really see how much society has progressed (and is still progressing) since then. Lennie, one of the two main characters who seems to have a mental disability, is ignored or looked down on by many of the other men. The African American stable buck is an outcast, forced to live in the barn instead of sleeping in the warm ranch beds. There is only one female character, the boss's son's wife, and we never even learn her name. It sort of shocked me when I really thought about it, and it made me wonder what people a hundred years from now will think about today's society.
I also found the characters to be quite interesting. I was most intrigued by Lennie, George's friend who struggles with a mental disability. Maybe it's just because I love psychology, but I thought his character was so interesting. He causes trouble at the ranch, killing animals and getting into fights, when he only means well and does not know his own strength. Curley's wife, the one female character mentioned above, was another one of my favorites. She is neglected by her husband at home so she wanders around the ranch and tries to talk to the other men, who ignore her. At first glance, she seems a little whore-ish, but once we learn her backstory and begin to analyze her character a bit, you realize she is just a young woman who wants a friend.
I also found the characters to be quite interesting. I was most intrigued by Lennie, George's friend who struggles with a mental disability. Maybe it's just because I love psychology, but I thought his character was so interesting. He causes trouble at the ranch, killing animals and getting into fights, when he only means well and does not know his own strength. Curley's wife, the one female character mentioned above, was another one of my favorites. She is neglected by her husband at home so she wanders around the ranch and tries to talk to the other men, who ignore her. At first glance, she seems a little whore-ish, but once we learn her backstory and begin to analyze her character a bit, you realize she is just a young woman who wants a friend.
Besides important messages and engaging characters, there are also a couple intriguing plot twists in this story that made me let out a gasp or made my heart stop for a second. This book is a little hard to get "in to," but after a few chapters the plot begins to pick up the pace. Even if classics aren't your thing, I suggest you give Of Mice and Men a chance. I can guarantee you'll be disappointed. I loved this book (although I'm dreading the inevitable essay I'll have to write on it).
Good review! I don't like this book one bit though! I found it to be annoyingly depressing!...Or at least I did. I had to read it for school a while back last year, and I did hate it, but it's been so long since then that I feel less harshly towards it. I'm sure I only need to re-read it though to get my dislike back on! haha!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I can see why some people wouldn't like it. I'm a sucker for classics, though. :P Thank you! :)
Delete