Friday, November 16, 2012

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck



     I was quite sure I wanted to read something by Steinbeck for the Classics Challenge but for the longest time I couldn't decide between Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. I went with Of Mice and Men because I read somewhere (probably Wikipedia) that it is one of the most frequently censored, banned and challenged books of all time. Apparently, it’s been challenged for obscenity, racial slurs and misrepresentation of the community. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about but frankly, I don’t see it. The language is positively mild by today’s standards and it’s plain to see that Steinbeck was not condoning racism.

     Set during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men follows protagonists George and Lennie to a ranch in Soledad, California. George is small and clever; Lennie is strong but has the mind of a child. George is protective and very mindful of Lennie and the relationship between the two friends is really the backbone of this story. The two men share a dream of someday owning a piece of land where they could live and work as they please. When they both find employment at the ranch in Soledad, their dream suddenly, seems very attainable and within reach. However, as the title suggests, the best laid plans of mice and men go awry.

     What struck me the most about the book was the characters. Every single one of them is very distinct and well drawn although the descriptions and back stories are kept to a minimum. There is a thread of loneliness that connects these men (and woman) but nobody including the author harps on it. The setting feels very stark and cheerless, emphasizing this loneliness.

     Having said all of that, I’ll be honest with you; this wasn't my favorite classic of this year. I can see why it is such a classic and there definitely is a lot to this book, but I just couldn't connect with it. Maybe it was the setting, maybe it was the plot, I grew a bit fatigued with it towards the end, which is crazy because it’s such a short book. Don’t let that dissuade you if you were planning to read this because, like I said, there is a lot to like here.  

7 comments:

  1. Nicely reviewed, Che. This is one of my favourite Steinbeck stories and I'm still holding on to my Penguin edition. I didn't find anything unusual about the content or language though it might have raised dust at the time it was written some seventy-odd years ago.

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    1. Thanks Prashant. I find that when it comes to books, people are offended by absolutely anything. Sad.

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  2. My favorite work by Steinbeck is East of Eden. But I thought this novella was very good, especially in the way the characters are described, as you highlighted, and also the context of the time.
    you may see your statistics go up since you reviewed it: probably because it's on the reading list for high school, it's the most visited of all my reviews!: http://wordsandpeace.com/2011/08/22/review-64-of-mice-and-men/, and the object of most google search leading to my blog!
    oh I agree with you about the language and racism, I'm always upset at those crazy standards that make so many great works banned. totally insane.

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    1. Lol, I have noticed an unusually high readership for this post already but didn't realize why. Now all is explained :) My most visited post until now was my review of Ibsen's Doll House. Perhaps for the same reason.

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  3. Great review! Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors and, while I enjoyed Of Mice and Men (required reading for most high school students), East of Eden is by far my favorite of his novels.

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    1. Perhaps next year I will read East of Eden. I was trying to pick between EoE and Grapes of Wrath.

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  4. It's been years since I read this book but I remember it as incredibly powerful and consider it one of my favorites. Glad you got the chance to experience it.

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