Of Mice and Men: Major Themes

 

 

George (Burgess Meredith) and Lennie (Lon Chaney Jr.) have dreams in the movie production of Of Mice and Men (1939).

 

 

The Elusive American Dream

George and Lennie's desire to have a piece of property that is all their own and to "live off the fatta the lan'" is a recurring motif in the story (13).  They build their dream up to such an extent that even if they managed to "roll up a stake" and buy a piece of land, their lives there would likely have never lived up to the ideal they envisioned in their heads (47).  In fact, George admits that their dream was destined to fail: "I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we'd never do her" (90).  He remarks, because Lennie "[...] usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would" (90).  Their very act of striving for the impossible is Steinbeck's way of showing how unattainable the American Dream had become for many Americans, especially during the time period of the Great Depression.  While a century prior it seemed anyone could come to America, work hard, and see a tangible gain, the story of Lennie and George shows how things changed.  They worked hard, but everything that they did always benefited others.  While they received pay and lodging for their labor, they never had a place to call their own.  Steinbeck ultimately demonstrates that working hard will not help people achieve either the financial success or emotional fulfillment they desire.  Characters like Candy and Crooks, who have seemingly worked hard their entire lives, have gotten nowhere and are forced to be content with simply having a roof over their heads and three meals a day—though those privileges may be revoked at any time once the men are no longer deemed useful as is indicated by the "mercy" killing of Candy's old and crippled dog.   This criticism of the failing American dream, which he often blames on the rise of industry and the spread of capitalism and a corresponding moral decline, appears in several of Steinbeck's works such as In Dubious Battle, The Grapes of Wrath, The Winter of our Discontent, Travels with Charley in Search of America, and America and Americans.

Race

Steinbeck uses the brief appearance of the handicapped, African-American stable hand, Crooks, to comment on racial discrimination.  Steinbeck utilizes irony to show that Crooks is far more educated and aware of the social differences that ostracize both him and the other white migrant workers than most of the men combined.  Crooks, who lives in isolation in a room off of the barn, is unhappy and intensely lonely.  He asks Lennie, "S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black. How'd you like that?" (69).   Crooks lacks the basic human companionship he longs for because of his skin color.  He envies George and Lennie's relationship.  After Candy and Lennie accidentally reveal their plan to buy a piece of land together, Crooks briefly dreams of joining them.  His dream is quickly crushed, however, after the appearance of Curley's wife, who, as a white woman, cruelly reminds him of his position in society and the dangers he faces as a black man. She tells him, "[…] you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny" (77).  After the altercation with Curley's wife, Crooks tells Candy that he was "[j]us' foolin'" about joining them on their piece of land and that he "[...] wouldn' want to go no place like that" (79).  He is left miserable and alone in the barn.

Lennie (Lon Chaney, Junior), Whit (Roman Bohnen), and Crooks (Leigh Whipper) in Crooks's room in a still from the 1939 film of Of Mice and Men.

 

People with Differences Ostracized by Society

There are multiple characters in the story who are ostracized because of their position as minorities.  It is implied Lennie is mentally handicapped and George is constantly telling him, "listen [...] so we don't get in no trouble," as Lennie's forgetfulness creates the misunderstandings that have forced them to flee past jobs (4).  Besides being African-American, Crooks is handicapped, as is the old swamper Candy.  Steinbeck shows how all three men are ostracized because of their differences and are only tolerated because they are considered useful.  Both Candy and Crooks express their fear that once they outlive their usefulness, they will be kicked off the ranch.  That fate is foreshadowed when Candy is pressured to put his old, toothless dog out of his misery by shooting him.  Even Slim, one of the most sympathetic characters in the story says, "Carl's right [...] that dog ain't no good to himself. I wisht somebody'd shoot me if I got old an' a cripple" (43).  Lennie also worries that because he keeps "do[ing] bad things," George will abandon him (96).  In the end, Lennie's inability to comprehend normal habits and behaviors results in his death.  While George, who understands Lennie, is able to accept his eccentricities, he realizes the rest of society, which privileges normalcy, is not so tolerant, and he is thus forced to shoot Lennie to rescue him from a terrible fate.  Steinbeck demonstrates the despicable manner in which people with differences are treated.  Despite being good people most of the time, many people with mental or physical disabilities are either forgotten or punished by society.  The most obvious punishment in the novel is loneliness as being "different" is sufficient cause for being cut off from the rest of society.   Steinbeck demonstrates George and Lennie's friendship to be rare and special.  George's care of Lennie is a hopeful testament in the novel to the existence of altruistic people who are willing to help those who are unable to help themselves.

Friendship

Steinbeck distinguishes George and Lennie's friendship as a rarity at the very beginning of the story.  George tells Lennie that unlike all the other "guys" that work on ranches, they "got a future" because, as Lennie exuberantly explains, "[…] I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why" (13).  Their friendship is a marvel to the other workers as well.  When Slim first meets George and Lennie, he asks George with subdued surprise, "You guys travel around together?" (32). George responds by saying, "We kinda look after each other" (32).  The other ranch hands acknowledge that George and Lennie are quite fortunate to have such companionship.  Crooks says that it does not matter who a man has with him, as long as he has someone because "[a] guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody" (69).   While George often complains about the trials of carrying for Lennie, who inadvertently causes trouble, George never abandons him, though he easily could.  Though he did promise Aunt Clara that he would watch out for Lennie, it is obvious that he genuinely cares for him and values their friendship.  At the end of the novel George reassures Lennie of their friendship after Lennie wonders if George is angry at him.  George responds, "No Lennie.  I ain't mad.  I never been mad, an' I ain't now.  That's a thing I want ya to know" (101).  George then makes his greatest sacrifice for Lennie by shooting him to save him from Curley's wrath.  Steinbeck demonstrates George's act to be completely selfless.  While George wants to keep Lennie with him so that he does not have to face his own loneliness, he knows that sparing Lennie and allowing Curley to punish him would be terribly wrong. George is forced to choose mercy in the most self-sacrificing way possible: by giving up the person that he loves most, who also happens to be his only companion in life.  

Loneliness

Loneliness is a prevalent theme in the novel.  Despite living in such close proximity to one another, most of the ranch hands talk about how terrible it is to be alone.  George remarks at the beginning of the novel, "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world" (13).  When talking with Lennie, Crooks says, "I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick" (69).  This loneliness, which is physically fueled by the migrant workers' inability to form lasting relationships since they are constantly on the move, is also psychological as there are many social barriers that prevent the men from experiencing or expressing empathy.  Steinbeck illustrates in his characters the encroaching loneliness that he saw affecting America as a whole as, despite living closer and closer together, Americans placed personal, individual gain ahead of creating meaningful relationships.  This is reflected in Curley's wife's assertion that, "You're all scared of each other […] Ever' one of you's scared the rest is goin' to get something on you" (73).  Steinbeck shows that the men had become so vigilant about protecting their secrets and their own skins that they were unable to reach out to fill the void of loneliness.  George's constant reminding of Lennie to keep quiet about their piece of land illustrates this theme as though others' knowledge of it jeopardizes its possibility.  When Crooks reaches out and allows Candy and Lennie to sit and converse with him in his room, he is cruelly reminded of his inferiority and endangered social position by Curley's wife and is forced to once again withdraw.  Like the men, Curley's wife is also constantly talking about her loneliness, telling Lennie, "I get lonely [...] You can talk to people, but I can't talk to nobody but Curley" (82).  To compensate, she seeks the attention of the workers in an attempt to ease her pain, which ultimately leads to both her own and Lennie's death.  Steinbeck shows how destructive loneliness can be through the loss of life and the crushing of dreams.

Femininity and the Alienation of Women

While Curley's wife, who remains unnamed, appears to be a relatively insignificant character in the story, her presence initiates many of the story's central plot turns.  Curley is searching for his wife when he first meets George and Lennie and once again when he picks the fight with Lennie.  Additionally, Curley's wife's harsh words to Crooks when she tells him, "[...] you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny," convinces Crooks he will never find what he is looking for living with George, Lennie, and Curley on their piece of land (77).  Finally, Curley's wife's need to ease her loneliness sends her into the barn that fateful afternoon, which results in both her own and Lennie's death. 

Steinbeck shows like the mentally and physically handicapped and other minorities, women too suffer social ostracism in a world dominated by men.  Curley's wife's loneliness is representative of women's loneliness in a male-dominated society where they are not respected and not allowed to fill their desired social positions.  Steinbeck demonstrates Curley's wife to be caught in a difficult trap.  As is revealed by her impact on the men around her, Curley's wife exercises power as a feminine entity, but that power is limited, underestimated, and resented.  While the male characters in the story claim that Curley's wife has "the eye" and is a "tart", it is apparent the men misjudge her (26).  Rather than seeking out physical relationships with men, she, like Crooks, Candy, and the other ranch hands, desires to ease her loneliness through the emotional companionship of others.  It is obvious the angry and detached Curley is not filling that void when she tells Lennie that she gets "awful lonely" (82).  Curley's wife seems to be most interested in Slim and Lennie, both of whom were basically good men.  They were not the kind of men to take advantage, which means that Curley's wife felt comfortable opening up to them about how she felt without the fear of physical harm.  Tragically, her trust overruled her reason, leading to her death at the end of the story.