English: Book Report: Of mice and men February 17, 1999 Title: Of mice and men Author: John Stienbeck Category: Fiction Author John Stienbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His first three books were financial failures and he worked at various kinds of jobs to survive, including fruit picking. His first success was Tortilla Flat in 1935 which was followed by a number of shorter works, leading up to his great masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940. In 1962, Stienbeck became the sixth American to win the Nobel Prize for literature. He died at his home in New York on December 1968. I found the writing style of this book to be really slack and basic. The English in this book was elementary, very easy to understand and follow. There were definitely no metaphors or similes. The only figures of speech I could find were when he describing the landscape at the very beginning. For the exception of the description at the first, the entire book was straight dialogue between the characters in the novel. One thing the novel was full of though was local color and jargon. Throughout the book he wrote and spelled words as if they would have been said them. He also added expressions and local slang to add to the atmosphere of the novel. I don’t really have any major likes or dislikes to the novel. I would have to say I liked it tough. There was no complex plot to figure out or involved characters to understand. The book just told a story. It didn’t even explain the thoughts or get involved in the feelings of the characters. They only thing you know is what is spoken aloud. I somewhat feel the author could have done more with the story expand on it or go further into detail of what happened during the story but even though it was so short I still think it is a good book. The novel takes place during the early 40’s in the United States. It is based on a fictional story of two men who travel from state, working on ranches and scrounging for money. One of men named Lennie was mentally retarded but incredibly strong. The second, George was explained as Lennie’s friend who takes the responsibility of keeping his friend, Lennie out of trouble. The story starts out with the two main characters walking down a dirt road toward their next job. They realized they couldn’t make the trip so they decided to spend the night by the river. That night we learn for the first time about one of the major themes of the novel. As George and Lennie sit at the campfire, George tells a story about their dream. He explained in detail about how they were now, that they have no home, anywhere that they belong and that all that they really want is a place to themselves. A place where they could live without anyone bothering them. We only realize later that this place really does exist but it costs too much money than they can afford alone but with the help of an older man who has money saved they realize their dream may happen. Soon after the old man’s dog has to be put down, he argues with the other men not to shoot the dog but finally agrees that he must be put down. The story continues with little else happening before the climax. The characters contiune interacting with each other and a few minor incidents happen before the climax. At the climax the main character Lennie who is unweary of his strenght accidently kills someone when he got scared. This killing brings on a mob of men who are set out to kill Lennie for his crime. His friend George pleads with them not to but they leave to kill him anyway. George realizes that they are going to kill him and he feels that if he must die he should do it himself instead of the argry mob doing it. Since he knows already where lennie would hide he takes a gun with him and as he’s telling lennie the story of how its going to be when they get their own place where they can live he shoots him in the back of the head before the angry men shoot him. This is what happens but it is impossible to describe the meaning behind it or even why it happens without explaining the entire novel. Depending on the type of person you are would definitely decide weather you liked the book or not. On the emotional level, it could be really sad if you took it that way or you may find it really dumb. Its all in how you interperate it yourself. Id personally suggest you rent the movie. Of Mice And Men is one of the only movies I’ve ever seen where the novel and the movie are exactly the same. So unless you would reather read it instead the movie Of mice and Men would be my choice.