On My Bookshelf: Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck

The basic plot from Amazon: They are an unlikely pair: George is "small and quick and dark of face"; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a young child. Yet they have formed a "family," clinging together in the face of loneliness and alienation.

Laborers in California's dusty vegetable fields, they hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp. But even George cannot guard Lennie from the provocations of a flirtatious woman, nor predict the consequences of Lennie's unswerving obedience to the things George taught him.

Why I liked it: The classic novel Of Mice and Men is one I first read in high school, but I forgot how tragic the ending is. The plot is simple, but it is impossible not to connect with the characters' plights.

George and Lennie are migrant workers roaming the country side during the Great Depression, trying to stay one step away from the trouble that seems to plague them. Lennie struggles intellectually and has a fixation for powering soft things, whether it's mice, puppies, or girls' dresses. George, who promised Lennie's aunt he would look after him, struggles with this burden.

The two have a dream of eventually having land of their own and with the help of Candy, an older worker at their newest ranch, that dream seems almost possible. Unfortunately, Curley, the boss's son seems to have it out for Lennie and Curley's wife is looking for attention any where she can get it. Lennie puts he and George in danger once again, and George has to make a terrible decision about their friendship.

Classroom application: The novel could be used to focus on any and all literary terms: conflict, setting, characterization, theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, mood, etc.

Because it is short, it is a great choice if you have to do all of your reading in class or if you are trying to build up independent reading stamina with your students. There are several film versions, one old, two newer ones, and even a film of the play version of the novel. Watching one is the perfect opportunity to practice Common Core standard #7.

Again, because it is short, the novel is perfect for using nonfiction pairings. I used some articles about migrants, like this one and this one, and this one on homelessness. I also used articles about the history of mental health treatment like this one, this one, this one, and this one. We read about Joe Louis here, here, and here. Students often find Steinbeck's letter to the actress who played Curley's wife interesting and I often also share Steinbeck's speech at the banquet for the Nobel Prize which still inspires writers today.

You can find all of my resources for teaching Of Mice and Men here.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Of Mice and Men for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

Note: The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.