Cover of Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men

by John Steinbeck

1937 · literary fiction · children

Set in 4 places · 4 primary
Sense of Place
5/5
Description · Open Library (CC0)

The second book in John Steinbeck’s labor trilogy, Of Mice and Men is a touching tale of two migrant laborers in search of work and eventual liberation from their social circumstances. Fiercely devoted to one another, George and Lennie plan to save up to finance their dream of someday owning a small piece of land. The pair seems unstoppable until tragedy strikes and their hopes come crashing down, forcing George to make a difficult decision regarding the welfare of his best friend. The novel is set on a ranch in Soledad, CA. Author Frank Bergon recalls reading Of Mice and Men for the first time as a teenager living in the San Joaquin Valley and remembers how he saw “as if in a jolt of light the ordinary surroundings of [his] life become worthy of literature.” Steinbeck works to propagate the notion that meaningful stories emerge from the marginalized; that even those on the fringes of society can make deserving contributions to the literary canon. Source: http://www.steinbeck.org/about-john/his-works/ ---------- Also contained in: - [Cannery Row / Of Mice and Men](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL23172W/Cannery_Row_Of_Mice_and_Men) - [Grapes of Wrath / The Moon is Down / Cannery Row / East of Eden / Of Mice and Men][1] - [Novels and Stories 1932-1937](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL23167W) - [Short Novels of John Steinbeck](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL23185W/The_Short_Novels_of_John_Steinbeck) - [Steinbeck](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL23183W/Steinbeck) - [Steinbeck Pocket Book](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16051131W/The_Steinbeck_Pocket_Book) [1]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL23165W/The_Grapes_of_Wrath_The_Moon_is_Down_Cannery_Row_East_of_Eden_Of_Mice_and_Men

Screen adaptations
  • Of Mice and Men (1939)film
  • Of Mice and Men (1992)film
  • Of Mice and Men (1937)stage

Set in

  • Salinas Valley, California · United States
    Great Depression ranch country
    ★ primary
  • Soledad, California · United States
    The ranch where George and Lennie find work is a few miles south of this real town
    ★ primary
  • Weed, California · United States
    Town George and Lennie fled after the incident with the girl in the red dress
    ★ primary
  • Salinas River · United States
    Opening and closing riverbank scenes, a few miles south of Soledad
    ★ primary

More by John Steinbeck

Books set nearby