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Introduction:
Of Mice and Men is a classic novella by John Steinbeck, published in 1932. Set during the Great Depression, it follows two ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, as they navigate the harsh realities of life in California. It is known for its historical twist. This was made into a movie in 1992. It is one of the must-read classics of all time.

Plot:
Two migrant workers, George and Lennie, have been dropped off by a bus far from the California farm where they are going to work. George is a small, dark man with sharp features, while Lennie is a giant with a shapeless face. Thirsty and tired, they stop by a pool to camp for the night. During their conversation, it’s clear that Lennie has an intellectual disability and depends on George for protection and guidance. George discovers that Lennie has been carrying a dead mouse, which he throws away, worried that it could make Lennie sick. Although George complains about the burden of taking care of Lennie, their friendship is genuine. They share a dream of owning a piece of land where they can farm and keep rabbits, which excites Lennie. The next day, they arrive at the ranch, and George insists on doing the talking to protect Lennie. He lies, claiming they are cousins and that Lennie was kicked in the head by a horse. They meet Candy, an old handyman with a missing hand, and Curley, the boss’s aggressive son. Curley’s wife later flirts with George and Lennie, but George warns Lennie to stay away from her. The ranch hands return from work, and they meet Slim, a respected mule driver who recognizes the special bond between George and Lennie. The following day, George confides in Slim about their true friendship and how Lennie often gets them into trouble. He explains that they had to leave their last job because Lennie was accused of trying to touch a woman’s dress. Slim agrees to give Lennie one of his puppies, while Carlson pressures Candy to put down his old dog. As tensions rise, Curley confronts Lennie, who ends up crushing Curley’s hand in the fight. Later, while most men are at a brothel, Lennie accidentally kills his puppy and then meets Curley’s wife, who shares her disappointments. When Lennie grabs her hair too tightly, he accidentally breaks her neck. Fleeing to a meeting spot by the Salinas River, Lennie is soon followed by George. George is calm and begins to tell Lennie about their dream farm, even as a lynch party gathers to find Lennie. In a tragic moment of mercy, George shoots Lennie in the back of the head. When the other men arrive, George pretends that Lennie is threatening him, while Slim understands the true nature of George’s actions. Slim comforts George as the others are left confused.

Analysis:
The character bond is shown as sturdy and great by their first impressions. When they first met, they knew about each other’s differences, however, this didn’t stop them from getting close. They helped each other, especially George, who helped Lennie since Lennie had an intellectual disability. Because of Lennie’s intellectual disability, he gets accused and misunderstood for some of his actions which leads him and George to get kicked out of some jobs they applied for. However, George sticks by his side and protects Lennie until Lennie injures Curley and Curley’s wife and also kills his puppy. George thought it would be dangerous for Lennie to live with him because he committed too many “crimes” and Curley would make them suffer. The death of Lennie was brutal for his one and only friend had killed him with a gun when the lynch farmers were looking for him. Even though Lennie’s end was hostile, George’s action was understandable as he shot Lennie for both of their sake. George was comforted but was depressed for they had a big dream of owning a ranch together. Their dream may symbolize their “perfect friendship” as their unique dream holds them together. George threw away the dead mouse that Lennie carried. After that, all of the unfortunate events happened. The mouse may symbolize good luck and control because Lennie was in control before George had thrown away the dead mouse.

Conclusion:
Of Mice and Men is a classic novella by John Steinbeck, published in 1932. It follows two ranch workers, George and Lennie, in the time of the Great Depression. George helps Lennie who has a psychological disability and dreams of owning a big farm together. On the way, they get a job but are kicked out because of Lennie. Lennie gets shot by George for others are looking for Lennie, causing a fatal death. The symbols in the book is the dream and the dead mouse. George throws away Lennie’s dead mouse in the beginning of the book, causing them to go through unfortunate events. The dream shows their genuine friendship and their ultimate goal.