Of Mice and Men
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend TheLiterature Made Easy Series is more than just plot summaries. Each book describes a classic novel and drama by explaining themes, elaborating on characters, and discussing each author's unique literary style, use of language, and point of view. Extensive illustrations and imaginative, enlightening use of graphics help to make each book in this series livelier, easier, and more fun to use than ordinary literature plot summaries. An unusual feature, "Mind Map"… Product details and pricing info |
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1110 Customer Reviews Posted
- GREAT BOOK!!
- The story "Of Mice And Men" was an awsome book because it was very funny and interesting. One of the funniest parts of the book was when lennie asked for catchup with his beans. I thought the ending was not very good but other than that it was great.
- 2007-04-18, 2 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Powerful and affecting
- I'm not a big fan of sentimental moments and happy endings, which is one of the reasons I like 'Of Mice and Men' so much. It's a tragedy, a bleak one at that, but it's also a deeply affecting novel that will stay with you long after you've read it.
This is a short but powerful novel about lonely people, desperately clinging to their dreams, even if they know deep down that they will never come true. Without dreams, they have nothing. The novel speaks to the emptiness that people feel in the absence of genuine friendship and how people will settle for whatever human companionship they find in order to fill the void.
In 'Of Mice and Men' Steinbeck has given us some of the most memorable characters in modern literature. The novel is deeply affecting without being overwrought or overly sentimental. Virtually all of the characters are lonely and desperate for companionship, but even so, given the opportunity they will seek out those who are lonelier or weaker than themselves and torment them as much as possible.
The foreshadowing that Steinbeck uses is very efective in the novel. The difficult decision that George must make at the end of the novel is similar to a choice that Candy is unable to make earlier, a decision the old man later regrets.
'Of Mice and Men' may not be the "feel good novel of the year" (of any year) but it is an extraordinary piece of fiction and one of the best novels of the 20th century. I highly recommend this novel (unless you're a sucker for happy endings). - 2007-04-17, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- 9th grader
- Look, I know people love this book. "It brilliantly captures the working man's life during the great depression....vivid pictures of the surroundings...one of the best things you will ever read..." and so forth.
I didn't hate this book. It does tell a good story, and the overall feeling fo the novel is one I enjoy. I like some of the characters, Crooks is a particular favorite.
I just don't find Steinbeck to be a very good writer. Obviously he can weave a good tale, and he sets the mood well, but his descriptions are bland and unnecessary. He does exactly what one is not supposed to do when writing: he tells, he does not shoe. I don't need to know that the tar bucket hanging from the wall has a wrinkled old rag dangling out of it. The amount of flies buzzing through the air has no bearing on anything, and serves only to fill the otherwise descriptionless pages.
Each chapter follows the same style. There is that needless and boring description, followed by an introduction to a character. Usually these characters are doing something iconic or performing an act that defines them. Whether it be solitaire, reading or petting mice until they die, there is an overly symbolic paragraph about each character.
Then comes the dialogue. There is much of it, and it pretty much fills all those 108(?) pages. The novel is written more like a play, with each character taking turns to speak and then listening patiently and apparantly thoughtlessly. You never get to see inside these characters heads. They simply speak and sit around. There are only faint allusions to the actual work that they do.
But hey, this book is a classic, and all the intelligent people love it. Maybe it is cool to praise it beyond its merits, because look, it says Steinbeck on the cover. I want to fit in. I want to be considered educated. Let me try to slurp Steinbeck a little:
This book creates a breathtaking backdrop of loneliness and hopefulness. The painstakingly detailed bunkhouse serves as metaphor for the isolation that these poor working men faced. As the characters fight to survive in a world of hardship and hard labor, they learn that friends are more important then money, and that dreams make life worth living. One of the top 3 books I have ever read.
That was difficult. Now I am simply a mindless drone, a sheep following the crowd. At least I fit in with the intelligent people. Maybe I should go reread THE SUN ALSO RISES. Another timeless classic, right - 2007-04-12, 4 of 7 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Excellent!!!
- This book is one of the best books that I have ever read. It had plenty of humor and plenty of good lessons that one can use for the rest of their life. Steinbeck did an excellent job. I recommend this to anyone that wants to enjoy a good book.
- 2007-04-04, 1 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A masterpiece of classic American literature
- Undoubtedly one of the finest works to come out of 20th Century America, John Steinbeck's celebrated classic remains one of the best things you'll ever read, period. We all know the story by now: George and the dim-witted but well-meaning Lennie are making their way across the American wasteland in pursuit of a dream. Naturally, things end up taking a wrong turn, with some very tough decisions to be made for almost everyone involved. Steinbeck's story still packs a punch, and the interplay between George and Lennie is arguably some of the best written dialogue between two characters, well, ever. The subtlety of Steinbeck's themes are wonderfully understated, and the final act is one of the most haunting scenes you'll ever read. That being said, if you've never read Of Mice and Men, you have been missing out. There is a reason that this book is revered as much as it is. Of Mice and Men is a masterpiece of classic American literature that everyone should read, and by the time the book gets going, you won't be able to put it down.
- 2007-04-03, 1 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
