Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Menby John Steinbeck Characters, Foreshadowing, Symbols, and Themes

Lennie Small Character List for Of Mice & Men large childlike Gentle, kind strong Hopes & dreams Tend rabbits Liv off’ the fat a the land Lennie loves to pet things Dependent on George Doesn’t understand his own strength

George Milton Cares for Lennie Small Quick-witted Hopes & dreams Liv off’ the fat a the land Own a farm His behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie; Dream is to deliver them both to the farm of their dreams

Candy: an aging ranch who lost his hand • Worries about his future on the ranch • Offers his life savings to join in the dream of owning land • Owns a dog that others consider useless • Curley: The boss’s son • Wears high-heeled boots • Confrontational, aggressive • Picks fights with larger men • Possessive of his flirtatious wife

Curley’s wife: the only female character • Never given a name. • Men refer to her as “tramp,” “tart,” “looloo” • Has dreams of a better life • As a wife Steinbeck depicts her as a victim, not a villain

Slim: highly skilled mule driver • “prince” of the ranch: the only character who’s at peace with himself • Quiet, insightful man • He alone understands the bond between Lennie and George

Crooks: The black stable-hand • Gets his name from his crooked back • Proud, bitter and isolated • Becomes fond of Lennie • He asks Lennie if he could go with them and work the garden

Other Minor Characters: • The Boss: • Never named and appears only once • Carlson: • A ranch hand who complains bitterly about Candy’s old dog • Aunt Clara: • Lennie’s aunt who cared for him until her death • Whit: • A ranch hand

What do you think the title of the story means? • The title suggests that the “best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry [wrong],” a reference to Robert Burns's poem "To a Mouse."

Foreshadowning: Hints given by the author of what is to come. • The mouse • Candy’s dog • Lennie’s puppy

Symbols: objects, characters, places, names or activities that represent abstract ideas. • The game of solitaire • The names “George Milton” and “Lennie Small” • The name “Soledad” • Curley’s wife • The river • The rabbits • The dream

Biblical Parallels: Characters and events in a story that reference the Bible. • Lennie • The number 3 • The dream of buying • the farm

Theme: A central idea or message in a work of literature • The Impossibility of the American Dream • Most characters confess to dreaming a different life • Typical American dreams include freedom to follow one’s own desires & protection from an inhospitable world.

Loneliness & Companionship • Developing story reveals Candy, Crooks & Curley’s wife confess to a deep loneliness. • Admitting to complete strangers their fear of being cast off shows their desperation. • Each searches for a friend.

Friendship and Loyalty • The dream is about friendship. • George accepts responsibility for Lennie. • Man’s instinct is to protect loved ones.

Idealism vs. Reality • The farm is idealized.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck