Saturday, December 8, 2007

Of Mice And Men



I was never into books, and never liked novels, until I read this book. Our English teacher has a subject called Literature which is basically reading a specified story then answering questions on it based on our understanding of the story.

I thought I should review this story, because I really liked how it showed the age of the American depression from all its views, and how it showed people who stayed in their position till death, while others dreamed and plotted of a better life, and people who changed their current position to higher ranks.

Of Mice And Men talks about two men, one a small and wise character, the other a large disabled man, who both travel together from ranch to ranch trying to earn some money. George, the small character, is a man that has ambitions for a better life by owning a ranch himself, unlike the other ranch workers who had no goals in life.

Lennie, the disabled man who accompanies George, has the dreams and passions of a small child. His obsession with soft things, such as fur or hair, is most of the time the reason he gets into trouble, and even accidental murder at the end of the story. George accompanies him because Lennie's Aunt asks him to, and he also wants to avoid loneliness, a key aspect of the American Depression.

The other characters in the book are as interesting as the rest. They go from the main leaders of the ranch, with high respect in community, while at the same time jealous of the others and wanting to reach higher ranks, to the lowest people in community such as the black man 'Crooks', who is not respected in the ranch because of his color and his looks.

I would recommend this book, which was nominated for four Oscars, to anyone who enjoys reading about the past, and how friendship is always strong to anyone, even to the point of life and death.

5 comments:

  1. I love John Steinbeck, however, I find his style might not be appropriate to your age. It's too dramatic/tragic
    But I guess you guys are growing up faster than we did :) I remember by your age I have read the whole school library :) It was like a challenge ..
    Did you like this book? Are you going to read more? (You should) what would you read next? What did you notice in Steinbeck's style?

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  2. you should be in our cyber book club! do you wanna read love in the time of cholera with us? we should start sometime next week.

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  3. Qwaider: I liked the book, but I don't know if Im going to read more. I don't know where I can find Steinbecks books anyway here in Jordan.

    Asoom: Cyber book club? Interesting, can you give me more info?

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  4. Man, You need to read Catcher in the Rye, You will LOVE it :)

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