Book 47 "Of Mice And Men"

Of Mice And Men

By

John Steinbeck

A little book of 103 pages that wallops a punch!

An intimate portrait of two men who cherish the slim bond between them and the dream they share in a world marred by petty tyranny, misunderstanding and jealousy. Clinging to each other in their loneliness. George and his simple-minded friend Lenny dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own--a couple of acres and a few pigs, chickens, and rabbits. But after they come to work on a ranch in California, their hopes begin to fade and end tragically.

This simplistic work by Steinbeck was written in a form that could be easily taken as a scene play. Which is no doubt why it has shown on Broadway as well as three separate on screen plays.

I could hear the voices clearly as I read and could even detail the accents of each individual character. The image of each scene is clearly played out as you read. A masterpiece and classic by John Steinbeck. It's an easy, quick, and entertaining read.

The one part of the book that really stuck out was the part where the dog was shot. To see a dog get up and follow a human being, and trust that he would mean 'no harm' is equally evident between Lenny and George. The final few pages flashed back to the part of the dog and slowly revealed a possible ending (which eventually turned out to be the way it DID end). Tragic, yet simplistically moving.