15 All Time Great Novels Series -3 'Of Mice and Men' is a nove | MukeshRishit's English Lit & Language

15 All Time Great Novels Series -3
"Of Mice and Men" is a novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937. The story is set in California during the Great Depression, and it follows the lives of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, as they travel from place to place looking for work.

The novel opens with George and Lennie arriving at a new job on a ranch. They are both looking forward to working there, but they are also aware of the challenges they will face. George is a small, quick-witted man, while Lennie is a large, slow-witted man with a mental disability. Because of Lennie's condition, George is responsible for taking care of him and making sure he doesn't get into trouble.

At the ranch, George and Lennie meet the other workers, who are all loners with their own dreams and aspirations. One of the workers, Candy, is an old man who lost his hand in an accident and is now afraid of being fired. Another worker, Curley, is the boss's son, who is jealous and violent. He is also married, but his wife is lonely and unhappy, which causes problems for the other workers.

Despite the challenges, George and Lennie remain hopeful about their future. They have a dream of one day buying a small piece of land and living off the land, but they need to save up enough money first. However, their dream is threatened when Curley's wife is found dead and Lennie is accused of the crime. George is forced to make a difficult decision to protect his friend and their dream.

In the end, George realizes that he cannot protect Lennie from the world and decides to shoot him to put him out of his misery. The novel ends with George alone on the ranch, mourning the loss of his friend and the end of their dream.