OF MICE AND MEN - John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

The plot is placed into thirties years of the 20th century at a farm in a Salian valey in California - America during  the Great Depression in the United States.[1]

Two impecunious[2] men – farming workmen try to get a job at the farm in the Salian valey and at the same time they dream about their own small property – a house – houskeeping, agriculture, breeding[3] of pigs, a caw, but most of all about breeding rabbits.

Both of them are completely different. While George Milton is a protective and foresighted[4] man, Lennie Small, his companion, as a feeble - minded[5] ( a bit special ) strong man.

Physically, George is rather short, moving, with a dark – skinned[6] face, restless eyes, firm features. On the other hand, Lennie is a giant with a shapeless face, big pale eyes and with clumsy[7] movement.

Lennie do everything after George. Lennie grew up with his auntie Clara, but after her death George took care of him.

As for the plot…An agency "Muray – Ready" in Weed arranged for George and Lennie jobs at the farm in the Salian valey in California. They got in a trouble at a former farm, to be more precious, Lennie got into the trouble with some girl. Lennie tried only caressed[8] some girl, touched her dress, but the girl was affraid of him and he hold her until her scream – yell. And the problem arose.

Lennie was also passioned by mice. He caressed them with no gentleness and all of them he more by accident than by design,[9] killed.

Before they got at the farm in the Salian valey by foot, they stopped in nature next to a small green pool[10] with willow trees. This place George marked as a meeting point – pre – arranged – secret place if something bad happen. They got at the farm in the morning and went into a house for workmen with eight beds. There they met an old workman called Candy and also their keeper – owner of the farm. The owner questioned George and Lennie, but Lennie got a ban form George not to speak at all. George called Lennie his cousin even it was not true. George also described to the owner Lennie’s mental disability, but he swore he is a strong workman.

Candy – the workman without one hand had an old, stinky, shepherd’s dog with a grey muzzle, pale-blind eyes and unhealthy fur.

An another character in this novel was Curley – the son of the owner. Curley was a thin young, small man with a dark-skinned face, thick hair. He was a former nimble[11] boxer. Curley had a wife who, generally speaking, loved men. The workmen called her whore[12] and express into a guod.[13] Curley was extremely jealous and every single man was in huge danger with him.

Curley’s wife had no name in this novel. She was a young woman who provoked men, she was a temptress.[14] As for her appearence – she made up her full lips, made up her eyes, her nails were red and her hair remainded sausages. When she met with George and Lennie, Lennie looked at her with amazement but George warned him strongly.

Slim was an another workmen at this farm. He worked as a coachman[15] and had a calm, sensible character. He was also an owner of a female dog with new born puppies. Lennie got a promise to have on of five puppies. Lennie spent one evening in a stable[16] with new born puppies until he got warning from Slim not to touch them so early.

Carlson was a fat workman with a gun. He persuaded an old Candy to kill his old stinky dog and got a puppy from Slim. Candy finally refused to kill his loved dog so Carlson did it one evening outside with his gun. He shot Candy’s loved dog.

Crooks was an another character. He was a black man – horseman[17] , physically disabled, who was separated – isolated from other workmen and had a small room in a stable.

There was an accident one evening when Curley looked for her wife. He got into workmen’s house, argued with them and finally Curley attacted Lennie. Lennie was injured in his face, but Curley got from this fight mashed his hand. Lennie mashed Curley’s hand simply in his fist. Curley was forced by the workmen to tell his father and his wife that he put his hand into a machine.

The novel escalated one Sunday afternoon. The workmen played outside with a horse shoe when Lennie was in the stable and looked at a dead puppy which he killed by accident. Suddenly Curley’s wife came into the stable and found Lennie with the dead puppy. Lennie caressed the dead body of the puppy and spoke with it. Curley’s wife tried to cough Lennie’s attention and finally she did it. She spoke about her hair and let him to touch her soft hair. Lennie enjoyed it but he did it without gentleness. Curley’s wife started to yell and Lennie in fear covered her mouth with his hand. She still yelled and begged him to let her go but he got angry and unexpectedly broke her back of a neck. Lennie covered half of her dead body with hay and disappeared with the dead puppy to their meeting point – secret – pre-arranged place in nature – place with the small green pool and willow trees. Candy went into the stable, looked after Lennie and in horror he found Curley’s wife with the broken neck.[18] He called George and later other workmen and also Curley came. What is more, Carlson’s gun disappeared. All the workmen with Curley went to find Lennie. George went for sure into their secret place. Meanwhile Lennie had an imaginery – magic speech with her dead aunt Clara and then with a big rabbit. When George got at their secret place Lennie yelled his name. George calmly sat next to Lennie and told him to look over a river and just to listen to him. Lennie often ask George to tell him about their future the small house, farming, rabbits, an idea of freedom etc…Lennie loved to visualize this idea and calmed himself down. George took slowly the Carlson’s gun and put it on Lennie’s nape[19]….. and shot him. Lennie fell into sand. He was dead. Suddenly Slim’s voice called George…they found him dejected[20]…and Slim offered George a shot…

Soledado  was a nearest town with pubs and prostitutes. The workmen spent most of their money and days off in this town in a cathouse[21] owned by Susana. Women spoiled men’s  dream.

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[1] The Great Depression began in August 1929, when the United States economy first went into an economic recession. Although the country spent two months with declining GDP, it was not until the Wall Street Crash in October 1929 that the effects of a declining economy were felt, and a major worldwide economic downturn ensued. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement. Although its causes are still uncertain and controversial, the net effect was a sudden and general loss of confidence in the economic future. Wikipedia

[2] Nemajetný, bez peněz

[3] Chování, šlechtění

[4] Prozíravý

[5] Mentálně zaostalý, slabomyslný

[6] Snědý

[7] Neohrabaný

[8] Pohladit, laskat

[9] Spíš náhodou něž úmyslně

[10] Tůňka

[11] Mrštný

[12] Děvka, kurva

[13] Basa, kriminál, lapák

[14] Pokušitelka, svůdkyně

[15] Kočí

[16] Stáj

[17] Koňák

[18] Zlomený vaz

[19] Zátylek

[20] Sklíčený, zkroušený, skleslý

[21] Nevěstinec