Of Mice And Men

Andrea Santi
Mrs. Maritere Cardona - English 10-2
October 3, 2011
“Personal Response”
Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story ofGeorge Milton and Lenny Small, two displaced ranch workers during the Great Depression in California.
Two migrant field workers in California during the Great Depression, George Milton, an intelligent andwise man, and Lenny Small, of large stature and immense strength but limited mental abilities, are on their way to a ranch near Soledad. They hope to one day being able to share their dream ofsettling down on their own piece of land. Lenny's part of the dream is to tend (and touch) soft rabbits on the farm. This dream is one of Lenny's favorite stories, which George constantly retells. They arerunning away from their previous employment in Weed, where they were run out of town after Lenny's love of stroking soft things resulted in an accusation of rape when he touched a young woman's dress.It soon becomes clear that the two are close friends and George is Lenny's protector.
At the ranch, the situation appears mentally difficult, especially when they are confronted by Curley, theboss's small-statured aggressive son, who dislikes larger men. Curley's flirtatious and provocative wife, to whom Lenny is instantly attracted, causes a problem as well. The pair also meet Slim, the kind,intelligent, wise man who agrees to give Lenny one of the puppies his dog has recently given birth to, and another to a ranch hand named Carlson.
In spite of the potential problems on the ranch,their dream takes a leap towards reality when Candy, the aged, one-handed ranch-hand, offers his life savings to George and Lenny so that they can buy their own land.
Lenny accidentally kills his puppywhile stroking it. Curley's wife enters and tries to speak to Lenny, admitting that she is lonely, how her dreams of becoming a movie star crashed, and revealing the reason she flirts with the ranch...