Of Mice and Men/Cannery Row

by John Steinbeck

'Of Mice and Men' revolves around two central characters: Lennie and George. Lennie is a man with the strength of two, but with it the mind of a child — simple, unaffected, and kindly. His whole world centres around George, who steers him through life and protects him when his superhuman strength and child's mind unwittingly entangle him in trouble.

Of 'Cannery Row' John Steinbeck said he just "opened the pages and let the stories crawl in by themselves'. 'Cannery Row' is a street bordered by houses, shacks, and boiler pipes, in which live all kinds of people, good and bad, kind and cruel, the industrious and the idle, who have one thing at least in common — their poverty.

The cover shows a detail from 'Threshing' by Joe Jones in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (photo Don Hunstein)

[copied verbatim from back cover, Great Britain edition]

Genres: Fiction, Classics, American, Classic Literature, School, Novels, 20th Century

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

John Ernst Steinbeck was an American writer. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception". He has been called "a giant of American letters."
During his writing career, he authored 33 books, with one book coauthored alongside Edward F. Ricketts, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and two collections of short stories. He is widely known for the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas The Red Pony (1933) and Of Mice and Men (1937). The Pulitzer Prize–winning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece and part of the American literary canon. By the 75th anniversary of its publishing date, it had sold 14 million copies.
Most of Steinbeck's work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley and the California Coast Ranges region. His works frequently explored the themes of fate and injustice, especially as applied to downtrodden or everyman protagonists.

Reviews

[Billy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cannery Row was fun. It reminded me a lot of Winnie the Pooh, actually. Like Mack and the gang are all gung-ho about doing something really nice for Doc, like throwing him a party or whatever, and that's what the drama is all about: getting a party together and how it becomes a disaster. I loved how he made the story (and characters) like the tides. Doc and Lee Chong always predicted Mack and the gang to f*ck anything and everything up, but they'd let them do it anyway. Accepting it as a natural and important part of Cannery Row. It was a great story.

[Xiao Qiang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a light read, that will completely throw you off your feet. Although peaceful for the majority of the book, Steinbeck surprises us with his ending. This story is about two unlikely friends, George, who is small, quick and smart, and Lenny, big and slow, who are looking for a way to earn earn one acre of land and settle down. However, what stands in front of them is finding work and avoiding the distractions and dangers of life.

[iavies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend these two books to anyone who is looking for a light, peaceful, happy, well written, and entertaining read.

[Bud Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool book. I liked all the stuff about stacking hay and stuff.

[Goya · Rating 4 out of 5]

*only read Of Mice and Men from this edition*

Wow. What a piece of work. Steinbeck has left me speechless with the combination of Lennie’s childish incompetence and George, who bears Lennie’s cross.

I’ve never read a piece of literature with this relationship between men and which is executed with such depth considering it’s an 88page book.

Some stark references and scenes relating to America’s past problems with black lynching and white superiority, even in the small confines of the ranch.

Never better said that one’s strength can be one’s weakness…

[Nancy]

09-08-08

OF MICE AND MEN is one of John Steinbeck's classics. It tells the story of two men who are migrant farm workers in California during American's Great Depression. George is the caretaker of Lenny, a big, strong, mentally-handicapped man who loves soft things, but gets carried away with petting them and touching them, often ending up in disaster for these two men. They can never hold a job for long.

I have read this book many years ago, and I appreciate it even more today as I just recently saw Carlisle Floyd's (?) opera here in Ft. Worth earlier this year.

The theme that stands out to me right now is that nothing is black and white: bad comes with good. E.g., even though Lenny has the kindest heart, without intending to, he causes great harm to those around him.

More next week when I finish it.

Nancy

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why can't I find an entry for just plain "Of Mice and Men"? Anyway, I tried Steinbeck when young and found him grim and depressing, so I quit. Then I discovered Grapes of Wrath last year (yes, me personally, I'm pretty sure nobody had noticed it before) and was blown away, so now I'm cautiously reading his works. Of Mice and Men is one of those books that I'm pretty sure I haven't read, yet I already knew the basic plot line, so I was tensed for the worse all the way through. I think I would have been anyway--clearly no good was going to come of the whole situation. It's exactly the type of book that made me give up on him, but now I can see the beauty and mastery in it as well. I'll be back, Mr. Steinbeck.

[18LoganC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly the book could have held so many more plot twists and it is very unsuitable for early ks3.
However it had many lovely friendships, such as George and Lennie.My favourite part of the book was when they ran away at the end as it packed lots of suspense. I think it was very tragic for most of the book and that there was too much tragedy for me.But if you enjoy books with tragedy and a brilliant friendship,then this book is for you.

[Paul Groos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know of only one author who loves his characters as much as Steinbeck and that is O.Henry. Steinbeck uses the same warm, friendly and understanding tone for all his characters, especially the disadvantaged ones. The whores, the bums, the immigrants, the dimwits. Even when they are occasionally cruel or mean, Steinbeck writes humorously and forgivingly about them.
These are not action packed stories, they are character packed stories full of minor tales of secondary or all together unimportant characters, including several animals. This way Steinbeck paints a vibrant picture of a sad (Of Mice and Men) or a joyful (Cannery Row) situation.
I’d never read Steinbeck before, but he’s skyrocketed to the top of my “wanna read more of” list.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read till page 101, thereby finishing "Of Mice and Men". May pick this up later again, but I can't quite take the depressiveness of Steinbeck at the moment.

[Otillia Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fully recommend this to anyone looking for an easy read with a big message. I can’t get through Of Mice and Men without crying.

[Chris C Cambridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the main characters George and Lennie are two friends that end up working at a ranch in California after being on the run for when Lennie was accused of trying to rape a woman. On the ranch George and Lennie work in the fields lifting barrels of barley and other small jobs. Lennie encounters many problems that he is a part of on the ranch, such as when he broke the ranch-owner son’s hand. George looks out for Lennie on the ranch and speaks for him a lot because Lennie isn’t the smartest fellow you’ll ever meet and eventually George couldn’t protect Lennie from killing a woman. When Lennie did this, he ran into the brush where George told him to go in the beginning of the book in case anything went wrong. George gets him calm and begins talking about how great their live’s are going to be when they get there own farm. George shoots Lennie after they talk, George shoots Lennie because he wanted him to be killed peacefully instead of by an angry mob.

Personally, I really loved everything about this book and might possibly think it was one of the best books I have ever read. The theme of it was a great one because it showed the power of friendship and how strong one can become between to people, even if it means life or death. From this book I have learned that you should love what you have while you have it, because the second it is gone, you are going to miss it. I would recommend this to any kid who loves old-western things, and is into the cowboy life because it contains the life of many of them and tells a great story.

On a scale of one to five, I would definitely rate this book as a 5. I would rate at a 5 because the plot and dialogue of the book were amazing, as well as the meaning the book teaches the reader. I really enjoyed this novel and I think I would enjoy reading it many more times throughout my life because it’s a personal favorite. The author made the reading very clear & easy to read, and the way the author wrote the setting. There is no negatives to this book whatsoever and I believe that I have a thorough understanding of this book now.

[1johnsobo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. This book really was very funny and inspirational. There was some points in the book that were very boring but in the other it was very fun and enjoyable to read. The three reasons why I loved to read this book was for these three reasons. It was funny and because of George.
During the entire book it was really funny. There were many lines in the book that I thought were very funny like "Ya Damn Right Ya God Damn Right" I think that was very important because when a book is funny, it keeps us entertained while reading and I can not read boring books.
The other reason why I read the book Of Mice and Men was because of George. George made that book. He made it with his funny personality, is quotes, and his love for puppies and animals. I think that when I was reading this book that I thought his love for animals was really neato.
In conclusion, I think that this book was reading interestingI was very into the book the whole time. I had fun while I was reading it. I really had a fun expierence and I would perfer this book for anybody who likes to get a good laugh.

[Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In of mice and men there are two main characters and they are George and Lenny. These two guys are really good friends and they live together. George could have chose to leave Lenny or Look over him and George looked over him. George looked over Lenny because Lenny was dumb but strong which is a bad combination because he would never know when something was wrong. Lenny with his tiny brain and strong arms would get them both in to trouble. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a really heart moving book.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I decided to get some summer reading done, and with this book I can kill two at once!

The placement of these two in the book is no mistake: I can't imagine enjoying reading Of Mice And Men as the finish, especially after the fun that was Cannery Row. Cannery Row had fun-loving, easy to trust hoboes who helped throw parties in town that always went crazy. Of Mice And Men's hoboes...less jovial.

[Matt Kruze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another classic social assessment, this time of the sardine canners living along Cannery Row. A charming, witty, engaging view on the many disparate characters who inhabit the Row, some barely surviving one day to the next, others trading on their intellect or business savvy, but all rebounding off eachother to bring together a glorious tale of life so everyday that it's paradoxically refreshing!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Mice and Men is more of a play than a novel, but it does have some nice descriptive passages. Cannery Row is what gets this five stars. A collection of fairy tales set in a magical version of Monterey and populated by drunks, whores, bartenders, bouncers, and the saintly marine biologist Doc. It's a sweet, sad book that wears its bruised heart on its sleeve, and there's nothing wrong with that.

[Liliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lennie and George were to men that were always together. George had hard times with Lennie because of his disability. They both were planning a better future but, they never achieved it because of the trouble Lennie caused.

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

of mice and men, very surprising. good.

cannery row......excellent understanding of human nature and thinking.

[Sally Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

More great Steinbeck! My favorite.

[Devynne_M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I loved in high school in my junoir year

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember when I read this book, but I know I have and it was probably while living in Japan. Enjoyed it.

[Viridiana Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lennie and Gorge are two men who work in a ranch to get money to get there own place. Linnie had a disability that he needed some one to live with him and help him out. At last Gorge killed Linne.

[Monica Navarro Aranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet yet at times hard read.
The old self-preservation, noble good intentions, awful mistakes, the little moments of joy and the long, deep sorrows. So much humanity.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked of mice and men better than cannery row, it did not quite drew my attention. I am happy I am done with this book. Of mice and men had such a sad ending. Cruelly sad.

[Kirara Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful writing with deep compassion as well as understanding of ordinary people.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stories about mental deficients by

[Austin · Rating 1 out of 5]

terrible

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Meet the Ultimate Compassionate Man, the Übermensch of empathy and pity in what looks in parts like

- The Good , the Bad and the Ugly

For other notes you can access:

- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

George Milton and Lennie Small are the main characters of this sad story.

At the beginning of the tale, we find them drifting and looking for work at a farm, having left home because of an incident.
Lennie is very powerful but his mind is that of a five year old or less, being what we would call today challenged.
Nevertheless, his EQ- Emotional Intelligence appears to be higher than that of other personages, like Curley.

As the two friends talk, we learn that Lennie has tried to touch a woman’s dress, just like he likes to feel anything he likes.
That woman started screaming, raising hell and not only that, but she accused the poor man of rape, wrongfully.
Lennie has a mouse with him that he had tried to caress and play with; only he cannot control his strength and killed it.
George warns him:

- Look, if we are to have that small house with rabbits and a cow, you have to stop this!
- I will George

Lennie listens to George blindly and when he was asked once to jump in the river, he did it without worrying he might drown.
The dream they share is the aforementioned small property that they would purchase with the money they save.
George is not altogether at ease with the burden he has to drag with him, regretting once in a while that he is not on his own.
But he is The Good in this story and uneducated and without a steady job as he is, the stature of this hero stands tall and above all the rest.
Compassion is at the heart of so many religions, ethic systems and psychology evaluations and George Milton is:

- The Ultimate Compassionate Man, the Übermensch of empathy and pity

In a way, this has reminded me of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, even if we have a good looking woman playing the Ugly.
The Bad is Curley, the son of a land owner who is one of the most despicable villains we read about, who harms humans for no reason.
When he provokes Lennie, he gets his arm badly broken, for behind the gentle appearance we have another Superman of extreme brute, physical force.
There is an old dog that stinks, the men say, but that is no reason to kill it, even if the animal was rather old.
I would say that euthanasia is an issue here:

- Do you have to kill a pet, just because it smells bad
- And what about a human being?

There is the quandary of Lennie, who is kind and like a faithful dog he obeys George, but is still a menace.
Not only has he this extraordinary stamina, but he panics and is unable to understand what is going on around him.

- What do you do in such a case?
- A mental institution is the obvious answer, but it maybe that so many years ago that would just mean being locked up in a cell, perhaps tied to a bed or in a strait jacket with electric shocks the cherry on top

And finally, what do you do when you see an inevitable end for your friend, your partner- you ease him out, or let others do it, with cruelty.

Emotional and powerful, great story

[Daniel Bravo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Mice and Men was a great read. It is a mixture between light hearted and the roughness of the Great Depression. Lennie is a favorite and it’s unfortunate that he didn’t make it. Harsh language is used in the book.


Lennie is not a bright person but he sure is lovable. George is his friend and although he isn’t smart either, he is still wise and watches out for Lennie.


Lennie and George, at the beginning, had to walk towards a farm to work since they were let off by the previous farm they worked at. They were fired from the previous ranch because Lennie touched a girl’s dress since it was soft.

Once they get there, Lennie is told by George to not say a word. The boss asks them a few things and George says that Lennie isn’t bright but the boss was fine with that.


As the days went by, George befriended Candy and Slim. There was a black man named Crooks on the farm and lives isolated in a small shack.

There was a man named Curley who was the boss’s son who has a wife. Curley is like the commander on this ranch and hates Lennie and George. Lennie eventually fights Curley and leaves him injured.

Later on, everyone except Candy, Crooks, Lennie, and Curley’s wife, went to town. Candy and Lennie were in Crooks shack talking and the wife comes in and talks with them too. Soon after, Lennie goes to the barn to play with puppies and the wife comes over and talks with him. Lennie is soon attracted to her dress and then one thing leads to another and he breaks her neck. Lennie put her in hay and Candy discovers the body. George and the other guys soon come over and Curley knows that it was Lennie. They search for him and George goes to the spot where he told Lennie to go to and finds him. George talks with Lennie about the dream of owning rabbits and their own land. While Lennie was distracted, George pulls a gun on him and shoots him in the head.


The ending was sad and felt bad that Lennie never experienced the rabbits and having his own land to live on. In my opinion, he had to be killed because he did terrible things and was a danger to everyone including himself. At least George doesn’t need to take care of Lennie anymore. Lennie died in a peaceful way, thinking about rabbits and a good life.


This book was a 4/5. It was short; wished it was longer. I’ve been wanting to read this for a while since I heard my brother mention it a long time ago. Now I understand why he thought it was a good book.