Of Mice and Men: Express Book Report

Learn more about plot, characters and symbolism from Of Mice and Men.

Written by John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men is a fictional novel following the friendship of two men Lennie and George. The men are migrant workers and when we first meet them they have just gotten off a bus in rural California. We learn that Lennie has a mental disability and George has essentially become his caretaker. Lennie loves to touch soft things such as small animals, but regularly kills them on accident. They are traveling to a new farm where they hope to find work. Lennie and George fled their last farm job after Lennie was accused of raping a woman. The farm owner agrees to hire Lennie and George and they soon meet the other men who work on the farm. The group consists of old haggard men and lifetime laborers. Slim, a mule driver on the farm holds an influential authority on the farm and becomes friends with George. The farm owner’s son, Curley, is recently married and his young wife consistently flirts with the farm workers. George knows this situation must be avoided due to Lennie’s past accusations. After Lennie accidentally kills a puppy he was given, he is distraught about what to tell George. Curley’s wife enters the barn and attempts to console him. To make Lennie feel better, the woman lets Lennie touch her soft hair. When Lennie pulls too hard, the woman becomes upset. In a panic to keep her quiet Lennie tries to cover the woman’s mouth and accidentally breaks her neck. Lennie flees to a secret spot he and George agreed upon if either of them ever get into trouble. A lynch mob begins searching for Lennie while George rushes to the meeting place. George consoles Lennie, then shoots and kills him before the lynch mob arrives. George tells the group that he had to shoot Lennie in self defense, but Slim sees through the story and understands what George had to do. Main Characters: Lennie- a mentally handicapped migrant worker who is unaware of his physical strength. George- Lennie’s friend who looks out for him and takes Lennie’s caretaking upon himself. Slim- The mule driver who befriends George and helps him to protect Lennie. Candy- An old man at the farm who dreams of owning a farm with George and Lennie. Curley- The farmer’s son who is consumed with jealousy regarding his new wife’s flirtatious personality. Curley’s wife- The woman who is accidentally killed by Lennie. Symbolism: George and Lennie’s farm- The dream of owning a farm represents the pursuit to freedom. The idealistic future they often talk about will save them from struggle and protect them from the brutal tendencies of their lives. Lennie’s puppy- The puppy symbolizes Lennie’s innocence about the cruel world around him. Like the puppy, Lennie does not fully understand many aspects of his life and will face a comparable outcome to that of the puppy. About the Author: John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. He worked to afford his education at Stanford University but never graduated. After a stint in New York attempting to establish his self as a writer Steinbeck returned to California and continued writing novels. His works mostly discuss issues in rural labor, as Steinbeck witnessed growing up. Of Mice and Men was published in 1937, followed by his very famous novel The Grapes of Wrath. After receiving a Nobel Prize for literature Steinbeck passed away in 1968.

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