Of Mice and Men

Of mice and men

“Of mice and men”, is a novel by the award winning author John Steinbeck.

“Of mice and men” was first published in 1937 during the height of the Great Depression in the United States. Of mice and men tells of a tragic and optimistic story of George Milton and Lennie small, two displaced migrant ranch workers in California during the Great Depression.

John Steinbeck originally titled “Of mice and men,” “Something That Happened”, however, he changed the title after reading Robert Burns’s poem “To A Mouse.” Burn’s poem tells of the regret the narrator feels for having destroyed the home of a while ploughing his field, it suggests that no plan its fool proof and no one can be completely prepared for the future.

In the following paragraphs, I will explain the about the importance of language and structure in regard to hopes and dreams in of mice and men.

The story is set in the United States during the 1920’s. At this time, the United States was suffering from an economic meltdown as the stock market had crashed. Striking at the heart of the Great Depression, the dust bowl destroying the homes and businesses of people who lived in the Great Plains. The dust bowl destroyed crops meaning local people were left with no source of food.

People who were suffering from the blight of the dust bowl and economic troubles had dreams of a better life. Hope and dream were needed to help the American people prevail though such times.

After many months of drought and dust storms, many people abandoned their homes in search of a life that was not blighted with the dust bowl. In all one quarter of people left, taking every thing they owned in the car and other vehicles. They all headed west, destination California.

The author uses specific vocabulary and sentence structure to convey feelings of optimisium and hope in the charters. For example, George Milton says in chapter one to Lennie Small. “We’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we'll just say the hell with goin' to work, and we'll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an' listen to the rain comin' down on the roof.

However, the language changes as the story progresses because the main charter in not happy with how things have turned out.

Because the most well planed ideas and dreams can and do sometimes go wrong and all you are left with is server disappointment.

The author, John Steinbeck, tell of how people with the help of companionships and dreams, can prevail.

George Milton is the protagonist. He is a quick-witted man who is friends with Lennie. He looks after Lennie and dreams of a better life. He struggles to take