Of Mice and Men Infographic

A Portrait of the MarginalizedMAIN CHARACTERSLonelinessThe threat and reality of loneliness haunts many of the characters, and the sense of being outcasts shapes Crooks and Curly’s wife.DreamsGeorge and Lennie’s dream of owning their own land gives them hope amid daunting odds, encouraging others like Candy and Crooks to join.FriendshipThe unlikely friendship between the two protagonists is at the heart of the novel, closely tied to themes of compassion and responsibility.RabbitsFixated on animals, Lennie’s actions are motivated by his desire to care for rabbits on the dream farmThe PoolThe location of the first and last scenes; represents tranquility and marks the calm George chooses for Lennie’s deathLennie, Part 1got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why.Of Mice and Men is one of the most frequently assigned—and banned—books in the United States. Though seemingly simple, the story presents complex moral dilemmas. Its principal characters are also hard to define as “good” or “bad,” as each represents a segment of society that faces repression, prejudice, and injustice.MotifsThemesBorn in California, where Of Mice and Men is set, Steinbeck dropped out of Stanford and worked as a laborer and journalist before his novels and stories earned him a living. Many of his famous works (like The Grapes of Wrath) followed California’s laborers, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962.JOHN STEINBECK1902–68Livin’ Off the Lan’Set in 1930s California, Of Mice and Men follows George and Lennie, migrant workers with differing mental and physical capabilities who nonetheless form a strong bond. They dream of owning a homestead to “live offa the fatta the lan',” but when they arrive for work on a new ranch, a tragic set of events unfurls, resulting in Lennie accidentally committing murder and George facing a difficult decision.The Intellectually DisabledLennieItinerant WorkersGeorgeA large but gentle man with childlike mental capabilities, Lennie can’t control his strength.Small, clever, and loyal, George faces a cycle of repression common to ranch workers.The Physically ImpairedCandyAn aging but hard worker, Candy lost a hand in an accident and fears for his future on the ranch.African AmericansCrooksCrooks is denigrated for his race and physically isolated from the other men.WomenCurly’s WifeNameless in the story, Curly's lonely wife flirts for attention and is labeled a corrupting influence.ACCIDENTALLYKILLSBEFRIENDSTHREATENSIDENTIFIESWITHOf Mice and Menby the NumbersRank on the American Library Association’s list of 100 Most Banned Books (2000–09)5THYear the first film version, starring Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr., was released (and nominated for 5 Academy Awards)1939Years Steinbeck wrote propaganda for the U.S. WWII effort, despite being investigated by the FBI after The Grapes of Wrath1943-45AuthorContext

Of Mice and Men

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Of Mice and Men | Infographic