Of Mice and Men - 12/04/2007

John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" is a very small book. My copy is 106 pages and is about 7" x 4". Tiny book. Another one in my "Classics To Read Before You Die" thing I am doing.

You all know I LOVED Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath." That book was my "Cry the Beloved Country," Aunt Joan. Loved it. So I was not hesitant in reading another Steinbeck work.

Of Mice and Men deals with two men in around the 1930's who go from ranch to ranch, living a hand-to-mouth existence. There's "small and quick" George and Lennie, huge, powerful but with the mind of a child. They are not related; they just grew up in the same town and George took care of Lennie after Lennie's guardian died.

The relationship is a sweet one. George is ever-frustrated, ever-patient with Lennie, who cannot for the life of him remember anything past 5 minutes. George takes care of Lennie and protects him from himself; Lennie has gotten into trouble in the town they just fled from. Lennie is so child-like, he panics when he is yelled at, and CLINGS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT to whatever it is he is holding on to. This powerful man who broke all the fingers in a man's hand panicked as he held on to a girl's dress in town and frightened her into yelling "rape". It was so pretty, he just wanted to touch it. They fled.

Everything he touches he hurts. The mice he picks up in the fields, the puppy he squishes to death. George tries to help him, but eventually Lennie gets himself into a situation on their new farm where his fear and panic causes him to kill a human.

The final chapter, with George and Lennie by the pond, discussing for the 100th time, their pipe-dream of owning their own stake, living "on the fatta the lan'" is so sad. By rote, George recites the same dream, the same words, the words George knows deep down don't mean a thing. As he recites these words, George knows what must be done, knows it in his soul. The rest of the workers cannot understand his feelings or his hesitance, but he does what he knows he must.

The ending came out of the blue for me, never having read it. So abrupt. C'est la vie. Such is life.