Of Mice and Men and the Great Depression

Of Mice and Men is the classic tale by John Steinbeck of two men trying to achieve the American Dream. But things are not going great for George and Lennie. They move from town to town trying to get a job to be able to afford to get their own property, which is made more difficult by the fact the novel takes place during the Great Depression. Besides the obvious effect of the poverty caused by the Great Depression on the characters that it is the reason George and Lennie are migrant workers, it also causes the characters, not just George and Lennie, to be more suspicious and distrustful of those around them. The setting in which this novel takes place, the Great Depression, causes most of the characters to isolate themselves, everyone except

‘Of Mice and Men’ was written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937. The story is based on migrant workers in California during the time of the Great Depression. The Great Depression was caused by the Wall Street Crash in America which effected many business and banks many of which became bankrupt. This resulted in mass unemployment, inflation and economic migration from the city to the countryside. Steinbeck wrote this novel to show what life was like for low-paid, poor workers and to show how the Great Depression effected American people. He represents what life was like for many unprivileged people in 1930s America: migrant workers, women and black Americans.

The novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck is set in America in the 1930’s and it describes the lives of migrant farmers as they go from farm to farm looking for jobs. It also shows the loneliness of the characters and the hard work that they put in. The main characters of the book are Lennie, a man-child, and George, a small man but very powerful character that takes care of Lennie in their journey. Also when they get to the farm they meet the bosses wife who is very lonely and looks for company in the workers. Steinbeck uses characterization to bring his characters to life using various techniques.

In 1929, tears swept the nation and gloom bestowed itself upon a once happy place. The Great Depression had started. People lost everything ,so many became migrant workers. Of Mice and Men, a classic novel written by John Steinbeck, emphasizes many sad themes, but gives us a good insight on what life was like in the 1940’s for many people. Although there are other themes, rootlessness, loneliness, and poverty are extremely prominent throughout the novel in many characters.

John Steinbeck’s highly acclaimed Of Mice and Men is a classic American novella that paints a depressingly realistic portrait of America during the Great Depression in the 1930s. In this short read, Steinbeck tackles many issues that plagued the country during that time. His purpose in writing Of Mice and Men was to criticize some of those issues, such as sexism, the poor treatment of people with mental disabilities, and the facade of the American Dream.

Themes are integral and fundamental aspects which render the literature valuable. They usually provide insight into the author’s perception and internalisations of the world in which they live. Set in California during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men, by Steinbeck, illustrates the hardships experienced by individuals as they roamed the countryside seeking a way of living. The story focuses particularly on the two main characters, George Milton, a small, wiry, quick-witted man, and his companion, Lennie Small, an ironically named lumbering giant.

would then have to try to get Lennie out of the current predicament. This sort

“Of mice and men”, by John Steinbeck, is a book about two friends who look after each other during the Great Depression. In California men travel from ranch to ranch trying to find work, and most of these men were lonely. Though, not George and Lennie, they had each other; when Lennie's aunt Clara passed away George had to take care of Lennie, who had mental problems. Run out of their last town, George and Lennie end up working on a new ranch. Their plan was to work long enough until they can buy their own farm. Lennie and George worked with the others, and Lennie was able to get a puppy. One day, Lennie accidentally killed his puppy. Curley's wife, a lonely girl who only married the boss's son two weeks before, tried to console Lennie

Curley is the boss’ son, he seems to use this to influence people into supporting him when he decides to fight. He is also a boxer which influences fear within the ranch; Steinbeck makes him strain for authority, but he doesn’t gain any respect throughout the book because the workers already have an authoritative figure, who is Slim. Slim is ‘god-like’ and on the other hand Curley is ‘scrappy’ and narcissistic, he is also laughed at by other characters.

Experiencing the horrible and panful misfortune that many people faced in the 1930s due to the great depression John Steinbeck wrote one of the most critically acclaimed novellas Of Mice and Men. The novella follows the story of two migrant ranch workers George and Lennie who while trying to find work develop a close friendship and share a dream of one day owning their own land. But beneath the surface of what seems like a simple tale of two unlikely friends is a much deeper story and inside of those who were accepted and those who were marginalised. John Steinbeck has ability in his writing to touch the readers and convey his messages of friendship, race, alienation and misogyny that were very present in the 1930s throw his characters Crooks,

During the 1920s and 1930s the American way of life changed significantly; the role of women changed. Women were now given the right to vote, the number of women in the work force increased and they became the main consumer of popular products. The great depression was a time of economic crisis that changed the life on many working class Americans. Prohibition was introduced to increase the amount to important supplies such as grain and barley. Prohibition was one of the main reasons for the rise in organised crime. The 1920s was a time of optimism and prosperity, there was a new way of living. The war had accelerated women’s interest into business, industry and into the working world. The 1930s was the complete opposite from the decade before, it was a time of depression. The stock market crashed, millions were out of work and the industrial production had dropped by two thirds.

The Great Depression broke down security and belief in American society during the early 20th century and brought out hidden prejudices. The once optimistic mood during the Roaring 20’s turned to pain. The dire economic situation caused Americans to return to past social stigmas where certain groups of people were seen as inferior; as a result, the American Dream, where everyone could seek their ideal of success, was reduced to merely a dream. John Steinbeck observed these changes in social behavior and witnessed the plight of many Americans during the Great Depression. Like in his later work, The Grapes of Wrath, he was inspired by his environment to expose the lives of people during the Great Depression using Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck observed these changes in social behavior and witnessed the plight of many Americans during the Great Depression. Steinbeck demonstrates in Of Mice and Men through the characters that the American Dream was naturally discriminatory towards certain groups of people because of common perceptions held during that period.

John Steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men is an extraordinary novel with unique characteristics. The novel is about an uncommon friendship between two extremely different individuals who are living and working together. This story belong to the genres tragic realistic fiction, historical fiction and drama. The linking between the novel and The Great Depression emphasizes throughout the story, which makes the novel very realistic and down to earth. The author touches on several themes such as: the unreachable American dream, the economic injustices, loneliness, friendship and people’s propensity for cruelty. In this book review, we will get into a deeper understanding of what the actual story means.

The story Of Mice and Men took place during the 1930’s. That time period was very different from today. Race and gender were very important characteristics that determined whether a person had the opportunity to make money. The 1930’s were also a time where people started questioning life and the American culture. Many people like John Steinbeck thought that life was very unfair and questioned whether if life was even worth living. In Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck demonstrates that mans dream is destined to be destroyed by a cruel reality.

John Steinbeck wrote ‘Of Mice and Men’ to show how hard life was for migrant ranch workers during the time of the Great Depression and how they were often exploited by their employers. In showing how George and Lennie’s dream of owning their own piece of land did not come true, Steinbeck explores a wider theme, criticising the idea of the American Dream. The American Dream tells people that there is ‘opportunity for each... regardless of the fortuitous circumstance of birth and position. Steinbeck criticises this as these ranch workers were given few opportunities. Settings play a very important part in the novel as they pinpoint clear times and places giving a sense of realism to the story, but they are also used to create atmosphere.