Of Mice and Men Calmative Essay

Quick note:

This was my end of third term task it got me a A i was also asked to submit it into a competition however i backed out due to issues of self confidence.



"Of Mice and Men Calmative Essay"

By Simon Howard Isaacs



The novella Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937 tells the tragic tale of two migrant workers Lennie Smalls and George Milton, who are out to pursue their dreams of someday owning their own ranch. By travelling and working as ranch hands to earn a living accompanied by a dream, to be able to "live off the fat of the land", by means of growing their own food and breeding cattle. The story Of Mice and Men has translated from the page to other media on the big screen and even as a program on television. To some extent it echoed John Steinbeck’s own life as a ranch hand. It explores many issues like depression and its affects upon the people, friendship during hard times, the social and political views of women and racism. The book was a very good read and is recommended to any one at the age of sixteen and onwards. As it gives a good perspective of what life was like working on a ranch and what life was like during the depression.

John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was born February 27th, 1902 and grew up in Salinas, California. He was of German and Irish descent his grandfather Johann Adolf Großsteinbeck (Grosssteinbeck) shortening their families name to Steinbeck when he migrated during WW I. Steinbeck as a child, lived in a small rural town that was essentially a rough-and-tumble frontier place, set among some of the world's most fruitful land. John being of middle class decent had little material experience of the Depression however considering the job that his father held of Monterey County Treasure Steinbeck had seen people going without food, people without jobs and people without homes, it was, however when he was a young man when working on the huge Spreckels ranch that he became aware of the harsher aspects of migrant life and the darker side of human nature it was then that he experienced the Depression and the effects both physically and mentally on the people of the time. Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men using his newly gained insights on the darker life of the depression. Stenibeck graduated from High School and then went straight to university where he failed to pass his exams. After spending a few years doing the odd job Steinbeck participated in WWII as a War Time Journalist. He spent most of his time during the war in the Mediterranean. Many of his works have also been influenced by his various missions most notably was the book Tortilla Flat which is reminiscent of the tails of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

The Depression was a time of separation of class, the upper class feeling very little of the pain and burden that lower classes were felling, Steinbeck witnessed this separation as a child and as a young man. There were many causes of the Depression of 1929 to 1939 however Historians most often attribute the start of the Great Depression to the sudden collapse of the US stock market and the First World War October 29th, 1929, known as Black Tuesday is known as the start of the Depression this day was the day that the stock markets crashed. The Great Depression was the most severe economic crash in the 20th century and was considered as the worst economic depression in the world until recent times. Economic historians especially Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz suggest that it was the failures of the banks across the world that spawned the Depression, however there are many theories as to how it happened but no one can truly be sure. . The depression wasn’t just affecting the economic climate but also the social and political climates it was the birth of a new era. President Herbert Clark Hoover was the leader of America from 1929 to 1831 and he was succeeded by Franklin D. Roosevelt one of the US’s most iconic presidents holding presidency from the 30s to the mid 40s. During his presidency not only did he experience a second world war but he also picked up the broken shard that was the American economy rebuilding and revolutionizing it making it the strongest economy in the world for many years to come. Not only did he rebuild the economy but he was also a big player Civil rights issues. He pushed for admission of African-Americans into better positions in the military as well as giving ethnic minorities a fair share of the new wartime employment. However Roosevelt’s became especially famous for his “New Deal” economical package. The unemployment rate was up 25% higher in major industrial and mining centres. Farm prices had fallen by 50%. Mortgages were being foreclosed by tens of thousands. Due to closing banks thousands of thousands of pay checks had not been cashed the American Economy was crashing and burning taking down everything and everyone with it. The New Deal increased federal government control over the economy and money supply. Governments all over the world were saving money, this in turn lowered spending which influenced employment rates which raised food prices and with low employment people were poor hence people would starve because of the food prices. Roosevelt changed this by spending more money rather than saving, he stimulated the economy by building more schools, hospitals, libraries as well as giving more money to farmers to expand their crops, this gave mass amounts of jobs in saying this George and Lennie would have received jobs from this economic stimulation package that actually is very close to the current ones the world are using today.

The story begins with Lennie and George venturing to a ranch “A few miles south of Soledad” page 1, a rural town of California. In the few preceding scenes the friendship between George and Lennie is clearly displayed and also the difficulties that the two have had and have on their journeys is also displayed, for instance Lennie’s mental disability. The pair reaches the ranch a day late which causes some trouble with the boss. The two settle in already making a new friend in one of the workers Candy and his old “mangy” dog. The next day they are put to work bucking barley, having met the rest of the crew and the distasteful Curly, the bosses son, as well his flirtatious wife in their bunk house. Their “boss” on the field is Slim. Slim is the god figure amongst the men, he is respected by all and even the boss himself however Slim knows who the top dog is. The following events thrust both George and Lennie closer and closer to their “Dream” with Candy joining the group as well as the stable hand Crooks an old crippled black man who is neither respected nor liked by many of the crew. However not all is a peaceful as it seems. During an altercation between Lennie and Curly ending with Curly’s crushed hand and Lennie’s bruised body Lennie sets in motion events that would lead to an ending of shock, sadness shame and regret.

The two characters of Lennie and George are practically polar opposites both physically and mentally. Lennie is a kind soul with a big heart with a child like naiveté; he is aloof to the pain of the Depression. In the book it becomes increasingly obvious that he is rather mentally unstable and is also really unaware of the world outside his own. Unlike George he is slow witted and holds and equally slow but eager tongue. He is very much like a child, but he is stuck in a very big man’s body. George as is shown is the opposite, he is intelligent quick to speak and think, but unlike Lennie, George is aware of the darker side of life and the Depression which leaves him a very serious person and also very a realistic thinker, however Lennie’s childlikeness dose rub off on George giving him some of the happiness that Lennie has. The two almost use each other for an emotional and physical support in away Lennie relies on George to look after him and keep him from getting into to trouble whereas George relies on Lennie as a distraction from the real world. Steinbeck describes what they are wearing in the first few pages of the of the book “Both were dressed in denim trousers and denim coats with brass buttons, both wore black shape-less hats and both carried tight blanket rolls lung over their shoulders.” Page 2-3 This shows that they though they are individuals they are the same, they are men searching for a dollar and following a dream. He also describes them individually as: George: “The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose.” Page 2-3 Lennie: “Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with, large pale eyes, with sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags its paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.” Page 2-3 As observed the two are total opposites physically mentally the two seem the same when describing them like so.

Of Mice and Men is set during the 1930s a period of Depression and economic stagnation resulting in the division of the people. It became every man for himself, food and supplies were scarce and even friendship was in short supply as everyone looked out for themselves. Friendship is a reoccurring theme throughout the book. It is represented in some ways that are obvious for example the friendship between George and Lennie and in more subliminal ways like the relationship between George and Slim. The friendship between George and Lennie is looked upon by most people as strange because at the time huge separations between classes and jobs were occurring making a friendship imposable because every man and women was only out to feed themselves and their families by any means necessary even if that meant stealing from your neighbours. A conversation between George and Slim indicates the peculiarity of George and Lennie’s friendship “It’s a funny thing how you him string along together.” It was Slims calm invitation to confidence “What’s funny about it?” George demanded. “Oh I dunno. Hardly none of the guys travel together.” Page 44 It is looked upon as negative. The boss deliberately put the little book in his pocket. He hooked his thumbs in his belt and squinted one eye nearly closed. “Say—what you sellin?” “Huh?” asked George “I said what stake you got on this guy? You ain’t takin’ his pay away from him?” “No of course I ain’t.” Page 24-2 Whereas the relationship formed between George and Slim is purely collegial, the two do show admiration towards each other due to aspects of themselves they are lacking, George admires the power, freedom and the respect that Slim commands. Slim appreciates the friend that George has in Lennie. This friendship is a like a budding flower and given time things could change. Throughout the book, friendships occur mainly in the workers group perfect examples are Candy, George and Lennie Curly, his wife and the Boss (Curly’s Father) are either distant, irritating or just plain venomous this says something about the separation of class and jobs during the depression.

The women in Mice and Men have a very low social status and seen as little more than housekeepers possessions and prostitutes by most of the characters, the only women actually featuring is Curly’s wife who is not even named. She is known only as an “other” an outsider something alien that is to be frowned upon. She is seen as an object by Curly and “loose women” of sorts by the rest men even by Crooks who because of his skin colour is also given similar treatment. Throughout history in western culture women compared to men have been looked upon as inferior and it is only recently that women rights have been recognized. During the 1930s women had very little if not any of the same rights men had, in fact it wasn’t until the late 1940s that women had received across the world the right to vote. Curly’s wife is made out to look like a “tart” and quite early on in the book George makes his opinions clear just after he first meets her “Jesus, what a tramp”, and “So that’s what Curley picks for a wife”. Curly distrusts his wife just as everyone distrusts each Curly’s wife even states that the only reason she married Curly was to spite her mother. Truthfully she is a lonely woman and plainly states to Crooks, Candy and Lennie “Well I aint giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once and while. Think I like to stick in that house alla time?”This also displays the cultural views of women of that time as housewives, cleaners and cooks. This loneliness is also displayed when Curry’s wife meets Lennie in the barn close to the end of the book Lennie said “Well I aint supposed to talk you or nothing” Curlys wife said “I get lonely,” she said “You can talk to people but I can’t talk nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to nobody?” Page 98 This feeling of loneliness and need of friendship gives her this appearance of “tartness” and is misread by the men who see most women as house wives or prostitutes.

The book of Mice and Men was published in 1937 with the Great Depression coming to a close, but not two years later was the book adapted into a film which was given the tagline of “Unbridled "realism!" defying every tradition of the screen !” IMBD.com. Fifty-three years later another film would be created directed by well acclaimed actor Gary Sinise who also co-starred as George with John Malkovich another highly praised actor staring as Lennie. The book and the movie are obviously to very different kinds of media however they both aim to tell the same story of Lennie and George and their adventures and dreams. The film got the basic line across however it was too punchy and seemed to try to hard in some areas and not in others. It was too faster passed and it also disregarded some particular scenes which were key to the book and its telling of the story. For instance the scene were Lennie meets Crooks for the first time is very different. In the book Candy interrupts Lennie’s and Crooks’s when he goes looking for Lennie, but it’s not Candy that goes looking for Lennie but George who in the books is supposedly in town with the other ranch workers. This eliminates Crooks from the dream because he never found out weather the “dream” or plan was true hence it was only really George, Lennie and Candy, rather than George, Lennie, Candy and Crooks who were together this weakens the theme of friendship in the book. Another crucial scene was the final scene when Lennie was dipping into psychoses. This is never displayed but instead only shows Lennie as sad and confused. These moments are key because they define the characters as to who they are, the psychoses scene shows Lennie’s child like imagination influencing his final madness with the strange apparitions of Giant Rabbits, his Aunt Clara and the Hateful George. The Crooks and Lennie shows Candy as a strong willed man who, though has lost his companion an old sheep dog is still willing to stand up for himself and his friends rather than an old sad bag of wrinkles. The film also put much emotion in places where it wasn’t needed and took emotion out of the performance where it was, for instance the hesitation that George shows when he is to kill Lennie and the dislike the George has for Curly. In the book George hesitates when he is about to kill Lennie this displays the sadness and kin-ship that George feels towards Lennie, George knows it’s the right thing to do but he just can’t seem to pull the trigger though inevitably he does, the film ha George kill Lennie very quickly and heartlessly. Georges dislike for Curly in the book is not as strong as it is in the movie. In the movie George has a passionate hate for Curly whereas in the book he just doesn’t like him.

The book of Mice and Men moved me in ways that I could never have imagined could actually come from a book, it made me sad, angry, happy and confused and it really did show me that people can be complete and utter, (if you will excuse my French) bastards, but it also showed me that people can be kind and compassionate in any situation even at deaths door and that if we are strong then we can pull through anything all we need is just a little persistence, time, love and care. Of Mice and Men and explored so many things like love, hate and friendship, it delved deep into mental health, racism, sexism and class. Of Mice and Men made me appreciate what I have and it also made me appreciate how simple life was back then how “easy” and care free things were. Also from reading this it has also influenced the way I write and has shown me a little bit of what Steinbeck’s life was like after Wikipedia doesn’t give us all the answers.





Le Fin.