American History

Summer Reading – Of Mice and Men– John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men was first published in 1937. It tells the story of migrant workers in California, and it takes place during two harsh and overlapping periods of American History: the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.

As you will recall from European History, the optimism of the late nineteenth century was squelched by the First World War and the excitement of the Roaring Twenties came to a crashing halt with the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression.

The world in which Steinbeck writes is one of hopelessness, loneliness, and existential despair. On the one hand, America is supposed to be the great land of opportunity.But can the American Dream be made reality? One of the great tragedies of the twentieth century—evidenced in both the great war that preceded Of Mice and Men and, even more so, in the great war which succeeded it—is that, as mankind made such grand technological advancements, we seemed to advance most particularly in our ability to effectively and efficiently destroy ourselves.

As you read Of Mice and Men, consider how Steinbeck addresses loneliness and existential despair. Do the characters find hope? If so, where? Do they only find despair? If so, why?

Is God a factor in the lives of the characters? What about the teachings of Christianity?

Steinbeck is famous for his poor, migrant characters. How are the poor treated in this story? Do they have a chance at success? What criticisms of society, if any, does Steinbeck make? Are there any identifiable class conflicts in the text?

Either use a pencil and mark your book as you read or take notes in a notebook as you read. Thoughtfully mark your text and bereadyto comment on your markings and discuss the work.

You’ll also write a creative piece to go along with the book, adding a scene that has been lost. Steinbeck wrote it for inclusion in the book, but he died before he could get it to his publisher. It has been lost ever since, but the good news is that you have found it! Now you’re going to share it with us. It should include at least some dialogue and some description of the setting. It should also involve characters from the book, it should fit within the plot of the book, and it should be consistent with the themes of the book. Keep in mind that it is no longer than two pages!

Enjoy this delightful, charming, and heart-warming story.