Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men is a novella by John Steinbeck, first published in 1937, which tells the tragic story of George and Lennie, two displaced Anglo migrant farm workers during the Great Depression.

Synopsis

:An extended annotated version of the novella can be found at .

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Lennie is a large strong man with the mind of a child, and George is a small man with a quick wit who cares for him. The title of the story refers to a line in "To a Mouse" by the Scottish poet Robert Burns--("The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men/Gang aft agley" ). . George and Lennie hope to save up enough money to buy a small farm of their own (Lennie is obsessed with the prospect of caring for rabbits), but this goal always remains out of reach. Despite George's best efforts, Lennie loses control and kills a resident of the cotton farm where they were working (accidentally). To spare the residents' reaction (lynching, presumably), George kills Lennie, at the same time promising to take him to the farm of their dreams.

Related Topics:
To a Mouse - Robert Burns

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Steinbeck originally intended the story to be a play, and it has been produced as one. In many ways, the story is structured as a play, with several long, stationary scenes, stage direction-like descriptions, and large amounts of dialogue.

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Steinbeck wrote this book, along with The Grapes of Wrath, in what is now Monte Sereno, California, in the home at 16250 Greenwood Lane.

Related Topics:
The Grapes of Wrath - Monte Sereno, California

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The novel was banned from various American school libraries or curricula in 1993 and 1994 for "profane language, moral statement, treatment of the retarded, and the 'violent ending'" but remains required reading in many other American high school English courses. Also, it now appears as one of the possible books that can be studied for GCSE English in England and Wales, Standard Grade in Scotland and the Leaving Certificate in Ireland.

Related Topics:
American - 1993 - 1994 - GCSE - England - Wales - Standard Grade - Leaving Certificate

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