Of Mice and Men is a novella written by author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States.
George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other and a dream--a dream that one day they will have some land of their own. Eventually they find work on a ranch in California’s Salinas Valley, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie, struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy, becomes a victim of his own strength.
After the stock market crash of 1929, the American economy spiraled into a depression that would plague the nation for a decade.
Men waiting in line for free soup, coffee, and doughnuts in Chicago, 1931.
Image courtesy National Archives.
List of Characters
Lennie Small
George Milton
Slim
Candy (The Swamper)
Crook's
Carlson
Curly
Curly's Wife
There are different themes running through Of Mice and Men, all linked primarily to George and Lennie as the central characters of the novel. Their plan to own their own farm highlights the theme of dreams, which also involves Candy and Crooks, as well as Curley’s wife. George and Lennie’s unusual friendship introduces the idea of companionship, while also contrasting with the loneliness experienced by characters such as Curley’s wife, Crooks and Candy.
The Great Depression in Photos
This collection of pictures of the Great Depression offers a glimpse into the lives of Americans who suffered through it. Included in this collection are pictures of the dust storms that ruined crops, leaving many farmers unable to keep their land. Also included are pictures of migrant workers—people who had lost their jobs or their farms and traveled in the hopes of finding some work. Life was not easy during the 1930s, as these evocative photos make plain.
Relocating: On the Road
Here are 100 key words for understanding John Steinbeck’s 1937 tragic novel "Of Mice and Men" -- set during the Great Depression in California.
Chapter by chapter comprehension and interpretation questions
How to Read a Challenging Text
https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/naplan_read_challenging_texts.pdf
This series of four clips explores the context, characters, themes and writing style of Steinbeck's popular classic. Presenter led and supported by dramatised sequences and direct quotations from the novel.
