Of Mice and Men

"Of Mice and Men" is a classic prize winning novella. This book is a required reading in many schools, but also it has been known for vulgarity and offensive and racist language. A quote stated from John Steinbeck in 1930 is "We are lonesome animals. We spend all our life trying to be less lonesome.". Of Mice and Men was published in 1937, it turned out that loneliness was a major theme in the book. Which leads to, in the book "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, the author creates this story that is about two men George and Lennie, and their struggle to achieve their dream of owning a farm through their companionship during The Great Depression. In the book Of Mice and Men, author John Steinbeck's use of the characters friendship and the role of outcasts exhibits John Steibeck's criticism of society during the Great Depression which forced the lower classes into a life of solitude.

John Steinbeck's criticism of society comes from the differences of the characters. The differences in some people make them an "outcast" in this world even if they do not have any control of it. The people that had something wrong with them are faced with a tragic event. Specific characters such as Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife are all examples of outcasts within the book. For instance, Lennie was a big and strong guy but he had a mental disability which caused him a lot of trouble throughout his life. Candy had a disadvantage because he was old and he lost his hand, so he couldn't do much around the farm. Also, Crooks was different because he was African-American and at that time they weren't really respected that well. He was even segregated from the rest of the guys on the farm because of the color of his skin. He also had a disability that something was physically wrong with him. Lastly, Curley's wife is different because she is the only girl that was in the book, she's introduced as the property of Curley's. Steinbeck never said her real name; she goes by "Curley's Wife". Steinbeck created those characters with differences to show society that people with differences.......

Countless times in "Of Mice and Men", George and Lennie were questioned on why they travel together because it was rare for two people to travel together and it all tied together with friendship. John Steinbeck purposely put George and Lennie together or else the story wouldn't have been the same. Throughout the book you notice how sometimes George gets so frustrated with Lennie such as when he says "God, you're a lot of trouble.... I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn't have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl.". Even though George probably didn't mean to say that, there is some truth to that. It's true, that George's life would be so much easier if Lennie wasn't there because of the hassle Lennie causes George. The thing is, is that Lennie doesn't know how much trouble he causes George. Towards the end of the book that's when Lennie starts to understand some things. When Aunt Clara said "All the time he coulda had such a great time if it wasn't for you. He woulda took and prasied hell in a whore house and he coulda set in a pool room and played snooker. But he got to take care of you." to Lennie, that's when he starts to realize that what his Aunt Clara is telling him is true. But he doesn't want to believe it. But even through all the things Lennie puts George through, George always ends up forgiving Lennie because that is what "friendship" is about. They only have each other and no one else as what Lennie says "Because.... Because I got you an'... An' I got you. We got each other, that's what, that gives a hoot in hell about us,". That shows how much George