Introduction to…
Of Mice and
Men
by John Steinbeck
About the Author: Biography
John Steinbeck
 Born Feb.27 1902 in Salinas,
CA
 Grew up working summers on
nearby ranches with migrants,
becoming aware of their harsh
lives.
 Attended Stanford University,
but dropped out
John Steinbeck’s Work
Of Mice and Men
was published in
1937 after a series
of other failures
Masterpiece – The
Grapes of Wrath
about a family during
the Great
Depression. This
epic novel won him
a Pulitzer in 1940.
STEINBECK’S WRITING
A.
Steinbeck’s stories are based
on fact. He wrote what he
knew.
B.
His stories are often set in
California and focus on
detailed descriptions of
nature.
C.
Steinbeck is known for
humanizing the working class
outcast or “loser” archetype.
“The Marginalized” in OMAM
Marginalization – to force a group of people to the “margins” of society
Characters in this book are judged by their…
Race
Age
Gender
Intelligence
Social Class
Inspiration for the Title
The title of the novella is adapted from a line in the
poem “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns
“The best-laid plans of mice and men
often go awry” (astray, imperfectly, wrongly)
Translation: No matter how carefully an idea is planned,
something often goes wrong with it.
SETTING:
Salinas Valley,
California (Steinbeck’s
“backyard”)
During the time of the
Great Depression and
the Dust Bowl
Migrant Workers in the 20’s/30’s
Thousands of people migrated to California
during this time period for the promise of a
better climate, gold and “The American Dream”
Many were disappointed when no jobs were
available so migrant farming became popular –
men abandoned their families, moving from one
farm to another, finding short term work based
on the harvest seasons.
The American Dream
 Set of ideals that are routed in the founding of the United States:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”
- Declaration of Independence
 It is the belief that all people can achieve success and become upwardly mobile through hard
work.
A. Characterization: The
process by which writers
reveal their characters’ traits
(qualities)
Two Types:
Direct characterization: The
writer directly tells the
reader what the character is
like.
ex. “Jennifer was a bright and honest young lady.”
Indirect Characterization: The writer
reveals character's traits indirectly with
any combination of:
Describing the character’s appearance
Dialogue (what they say!)
Character’s actions
The effects of the character’s actions
on others
The character’s private thoughts
CHARACTERS:
 LENNIE is physically large
and extremely strong.
 As large as he is, he is
mentally challenged, having
the mentality and
temperament of a small child.
 He is fiercely loyal to and
dependent upon George
CHARACTERS:
George was a good friend
to Lennie
He was small of stature
but wiry and well built
He was frustrated with the
task of having to take care
of Lennie but had
compassion and loyalty as
well
Writing Structure
 Steinbeck writes his book like a play. Think of the end of a
chapter as the lights dimming on the stage and the beginning of
each chapter as the lights coming up.
 Steinbeck establishes a new setting for each chapter change and
he gives the audience a description of this location in the first few
paragraphs.
 This is also why the chapters are not numbered. They simply
indicate scene changes, but it’s all really one long passage.
Concepts to Look For
Symbols
Rabbits
Candy’s Dog
Curley and Curley’s Wife
Lennie
Sensitive Issues
Racism
Foul Language
THEMES TO LOOK FOR

The importance of friendship

The struggles of loneliness

The worth and purpose of
an individual life

Disillusionment (to free from
illusion) of the American
Dream

Social injustice / prejudice