Mark McVeigh
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
Just Right
Just Finished 107


1) I just finished Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The ending of the book was boring and didn't wrap the story up in any way to make it interesting. After a while of living on the farm Lennie finds himself in a situation with Curly's Wife that ends badly. Lennie began by petting her hair but she freaked out and started screaming. Lennie reacted to this by putting his hand over her mouth and shaking her violently to try and get her to shut up. He ended up breaking her neck and killing her because of his amazing strength and stupidity. He then realizes how bad the situation is and runs off to the bridge that the book started off at. Lennie recaps what he had done and through visions he decides that George will not be mad at him and they will get through this together. A few minutes later George arrives knowing what happened and starts to forgive Lennie for his actions and telling him everything is alright. Lennie asks him to retell the story of the rabbits and George did so. As he was telling the story George raises the pistol he had taken from the barn and shoots Lennie in the back of the head. Slim and Carlson arrive then to find Lennie's body but only Slim knows what really happened and so Slim and George walk away leaving the little town behind.

2) I did not enjoy Of Mice and Men at all. I felt that there was no real meaning to the book. There was no real obstacle that George and Lennie had to overcome nor was there a main protagonist or antagonist. I believe that there is nothing that the reader comes away with that they didn't have going into the book. There was no message or meaning.

3) The theme I have noticed the most in this book would have to be hope. This is expressed throughout the book many times. Both Lennie and George have hope that they will one day own the farm George is always talking about. Candy and Crooks also had hope for a new life. Candy was dreaming to get out of the farm and onto a new life and it was very realistic for him. Whereas for Crooks he knew that because of his race he had no chance of becoming more than he is now but he did believe that for one moment while in the barn with Candy and Lennie.

4) My favorite character is Lennie. This is because he is a nice person. He is always putting a smile on someones face and he always has one on his. Although he is mentally challenged he still can do everything a normal man can do and more. He has twice the strength of a normal person but that does not make him a monster because he is the complete opposite. He has twice the care and compassion for people than anyone in this book.

5) My least favourite character is George for one reason and one reason only. He is a murder. Some people make the argument that he killed Lennie out of care and compassion but I believe that no matter what Lennie does George should always be on his side. He had the choice of running away with Lennie but he was such a selfish person that he decided that Lennie should die just to make his own life easier. In my opinion I do not see any difference between him and any other murderer.

6) I think the ending was bad and not fitting. I say not fitting because it was not the sort of ending anyone expects, but it wasn't a surprise ending. It wasn't a book that the ending was completely different than you imagined so it makes the book a whole lot better but yet it just confuses you and leaves you wondering why would the author even write the book. It did not end the story in such a way that wrapped up the whole book but it just ended very abruptly and it seems to me like the author just wanted to stop writing.