Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that in "Of Mice and Men", Steinbeck wrote of George and Lennie, a pair of ranch hands that were attempting to at long last realize their dreams of owning a small parcel of land and be considered as important human beings in the social order. The writer points out that Steinbeck included Lennie's mental condition and poverty as obstacles to that dream, which assisted in destroying the pair's goals through an episode of unintentional murder. The writer discusses that Steinbeck was successful at making a statement in this scene which indicated that the common man would always know struggle as a means of survival and that in most cases struggle to overcome social expectations would end in failure. The writer concludes that this is because society as whole makes determination about the placement of people and their roles in the social order and when those people intentionally strive to cast the rules aside, society must react with cruelty to ensure that balance in the social order is maintained.

From the Paper:

"Steinbeck wrote of two main characters, George and Lennie. It is apparent, from the opening pages of the book that George and Lennie have led difficult lives, but that between them there is an immense hope for change in the future. Their shared dream is to own their own place where they can be proud members of society, rather than laborers that never realize reward for their work. Yet, also in the opening pages of the book, it is evident that there are two factors that may affect their pursuit of their dream and these are the mental health of Lennie and the social position of the pair that likens them to animals, rather than human beings."

Sample of Sources Used:

• DeMott, R. (1997). Steinbeck's typewriter: Essays on his art. New York: Whitston.
• Hayashi, T. (1993). John Steinbeck: The years of greatness. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama.
• Hyman, E, (1963). The promised end: Essays and reviews. Cleveland: World Publishing.
• Johnson, C. (1997). Understanding Of Mice and Men. Westport: Greenwood.
• Mantle, B. (1938). Contemporary American playwrights. New York: Dodd.

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