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Of Mice and Men (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century) (Paperback)
by John Steinbeck
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Fiction |
| Market price: ¥ 108.00
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| MSL Pointer Review:
A classic of hope and compassion that simply leaves you speechless and in tears at the end. Real life stuff not to miss. |
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Author: John Steinbeck
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Pub. in: September, 1993
ISBN: 0140177396
Pages: 112
Measurements: 7.2 x 4.2 x 0.3 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00431
Other information: Reissue edition
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- MSL Picks -
In less than one hundred and ten pages John Steinbeck will acquaint you with an entire farm full of people and make you believe that each person filling it is a desperate loner. In the same number of pages some authors use to kick off a story, Of Mice And Men builds such suspense that you'll develop the hiccups with the irregular breathing you'll take up from holding your breath and then exhaling. This is Steinbeck's most well known novel, and although it is heavy on dialogue, it's entirely about loneliness, and about the inherent flaws in everything down to nature itself.
A few miles south of a city named Solitude in the Spanish tongue, sit Lenny and George: Two wandering immigrant workers desperately clinging to their own American dream of someday living off the fat of their own piece of land. The latter is scrappy and sharp and with a quick wit while the other is a large dull man with the intelligence of a child and the innocence to match. They're both on the run and need new jobs, and so they turn into a farm and make friendly with the cast of characters.
Since this is a short book, anymore would be a spoiler that would jeopardize the readers' incentive to pick up this fine novel. I can tell you that it's written beautifully. It is a book of Men and Mice, of dogs and rabbits, of jealous husbands and discontent wives, of old men and young fit farmhands, and then despair. I can't read the first page without hearing classical music and I stop every time to think of the warm water flowing through the river splashing against my face, the sun beating down on my head, and the feel of the grass by the river bank. None of the characters' emotions are ever described, but you feel them at every turn. Your heart will twist with the plot and you might even feel the thermostat drop a bit when you've hit the last page.
The story's fast pace might buck you occasionally. In the name of expediency Steinbeck would have characters pop in and out of each others life in a very convenient - and unrealistic - matter as though he were writing a play, which this story was to be originally. If I didn't enjoy the quick transition from one scene to the next so much, I might consider this a flaw, but considering the alternative (having characters and the readers bumble around for pages on end) I can forgive it and see it as a quirk. John Steinbeck has captured the quick clip manner of writing and penned a classic. His book has touched countless with his study of the universal theme of loneliness and will doubtless bound countless more to his pages. This is a timeless classic and one you can read in a single sitting.
Target readers:
General readers
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John Steinbeack (1902–1968) was born in Salinas, California. He worked as a laborer and a journalist, and in 1935, when he published Tortilla Flat, he achieved popular success and financial security. Steinbeck wrote more than twenty-five novels and won the Nobel Prize in 1962.
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From Merriam- Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
Novella by John Steinbeck, published in 1937. The tragic story, given poignancy by its objective narrative, is about the complex bond between two migrant laborers. The book, which was adapted by Steinbeck into a three-act play (produced 1937), earned him national renown. The plot centers on George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. George acts as a father figure to Lennie, who is large and simpleminded, calming him and helping to rein in his immense physical strength. When Lennie accidentally kills the ranch owner's flirtatious daughter-in-law, George shoots his friend rather than allow him to be captured by a vengeful lynch mob.
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| View all 9 comments |
Carlysa Villarreal (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
The book Of Mice and Men is one dealing with many themes and elements of the story. The action of the novel takes place on or near a ranch in the Salinas Valley of California, south of San Francisco. The time period is never stated, but it is probably during the early 1930s, the time of the Depression. The nomadic wandering, poverty, and despair that George and Lennie embody are all indicative of that time. The dominant mood of the story is that of expectation which is developed through the dreams of the major characters. There are also other moods evoked through the actions of the characters reflecting sorrow, pity, and brutality. The novel ends on a tragic note. The tone at the end is definitely one of depression and frustration. Loneliness is a key element in this story. Many of the characters admit to suffering from profound loneliness. George sets the tone for these confessions early in the novel when he reminds Lennie that the life of a ranch-hand is among the loneliest of lives deep .The fact that they admit to complete strangers their fear of being cast off shows their desperation. In a world without friends to confide in, strangers will have to do. Each of these characters searches for a friend, someone to help them measure the world, as Crooks says. In the end, however, companionship of his kind seems unreachable. For George, the hope of such camaraderie dies with Lennie, and true to his original inference, he will go through life alone. The characters are made helpless by their isolation, and yet, even at their weakest, they seek to ruin those who are even weaker. The novel suggests that the most visible kind of strength, that used to oppress others, is itself born of weakness. The title of the novel, Of Mice and Men, is a reference to Robert Burns' poem entitled `To a Mouse". This book is a classic work of literature and one I would recommend to all. |
Tyler Adams (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
Of Mice and Men is a gripping story about two men who are wondering through life, from dead end job to dead end job, with only each other to rely on. George, a bright man and clearly the leader of the two, and Lennie, as the book puts it "a gentle giant," dream of a simple life of one day owning their own land. In a line of work that does not often lend itself to forming such close personal relationships, the two men are able to use each other as a support system to some how make both of their lives a little better.
Steinbeck perfectly describes each scene placing the reader right in the action. One almost becomes the third stooge in the story. Each chapter builds upon the suspense, ultimately culminating in an ending that does not disappoint! |
Gary (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
My father would often tell me stories about growing up during The Great Depression. He was not a man of many words, however, his detailed descriptions of life on the streets of Springfield, Massachusetts during this time were both numerous and vivid. Although a time of poverty for most, descriptions of life's struggles during this period provide something of a romantic setting. People were in it together. With this in mind I decided to read Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
How could a novel about individuals so impoverished that they would find work on a farm miles from home, live in row bunk houses, be paid little for their labor, and have little potential for the future, be considered uplifting. I guess because they were in it together. Despite continual complaining these individuals exibited the ultimate in tenacity; after all they had no choice in the matter. They learned to live with one another and despite obvious dearth of education there instinct was to watch and care for one another; well with the exception of one jerk.
George Milton and Lenny Small are drifters. Family friends for many years George has taken it upon himself to care for the severely mentally challenged Lenny. Their dream is to one day buy a farm of their own and live off the fat of the land. Lenny's handicap makes this somewhat impossible for he is constantly getting himself into trouble. Both his emotions and large stature make it necessary for both men to constantly pick up and leave for yet another work location. They are not alone in this lifestyle since their acquaintances exhibit similiar weaknesses in addition to their lack of income.
I found myself asking myself the same question. Are people's values really much different today when compared to our depression era counterparts? Not really. When we find ourselves under stressful situations we tend to appreciate the fellowship of others, to visualize their dreams as our own, and to hope and plan for a better tomorrow. |
T. P. Ang (MSL quote), Singapore
<2007-01-08 00:00>
I first read this book for a secondary (high) school class and was instantly captivated by it. Revisiting it recently has reminded me again why the book is such a literary masterpiece.
The first thing that one notices is that the book is remarkably short for all the hype that surrounds it. Yet the book's short length is deceiving, because Steinback packs in a great narrative, some masterful descriptive pieces and a wealth of insight.
The plot revolves around the idea that the "the best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, gang aft agley (often go awry)" - a reference Robert Burn's poem "To A Mouse". Set in the Great Depression era of the 1930s, the narrative recounts the fortunes of its two central characters, George and Lennie, who set out with their own version of the American Dream and end up falling far short. The reader is caught up in this tight and simple - but incredibly moving - storyline as the protagonists, seemingly oblivious, march inexorably towards their tragic fates.
To Steinback's supreme credit, the main characters readily engender sympathy from the reader despite the shortness of the book. Side characters are also extremely convincing and pack a bigger punch than they would in the hands of lesser authors. The character and plot development is accompanied by an abiding sense of unease, arising from the air of lingering tragedy that Steinback manages to create. Further- more, the matter-of-fact descriptions that punctuate the narrative add an element of rawness that makes the entire tragedy believable.
Of Mice and Men, although short, left me thinking about the big things; about dreams and about destiny. It is truly a modern classic - masterful in style and timelessly relevant. I cannot recommend it more.
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