by Ten Bottemiller

Of Mice and Men is a famous classic novel by John Steinbeck that is often read in schools across America. I, however, never read Of Mice and Men in a class, so I decided to pick it up and read it in a single day.

Since many Bellbrook students are or will be in AP English Literature, I decided to review this book because it’s a perfect example of one that may be used on the AP Exam. Additionally, it’s compelling and short, so it’s a quick and easy read that will leave you thinking. 

The novel follows two men, George and Lennie, who have a shared dream of owning their own farm during the tragedy of The Great Depression.

George is a small, witty man who essentially bosses Lennie around and takes care of him. Lennie, on the other hand, is big, mentally disabled, and doesn’t know his own strength, causing him to often get into messy situations and kill small animals.

Lennie doesn’t mean any harm, though, shown by his love for soft things and the comfort he experiences from petting them. His disability causes him to misinterpret social cues, forget things he’s been told, not experience the same prejudices as other characters, and have a sense of innocence.

The two of them go to a ranch to make money and work towards their goal where they meet other key characters like Curley, Curley’s wife (she never receives a name), Candy, Slim, and Crooks. While enduring this work, they daydream about their future farm and the rabbits they’ll own, which is Lennie’s favorite part of the fantasy.

However, I’ll leave the rest of the novel up to the imagination, because experiencing it first-hand is truly special.

The relationship between the two main characters seems a bit rough, but they do truly care about each other. George wants more than anything to own this ranch and he’s dead-set on not doing it alone. He repeatedly tells Lennie the story of their future and repeatedly assures him that he’ll be able to tend to the rabbits. 

Lennie appears to be scared of George during some parts of the novel, but he honestly relies on George’s judgment due to his mental state. His relationship with other characters consists of little dialogue early-on because George ingrained it into his head to stay quiet and not mess up. This may sound a bit sad, but they both show through their actions that they care about one another and have for a long time. 

While it did seem to fall flat for a bit, at least to me personally, the beginning and the end of the story really make it worth it. Not only is reading Of Mice and Men advantageous for school, it’s also just an incredible read. The ending had me genuinely shocked and in tears; I haven’t cried that hard reading a book in a long time.

I honestly loved the ending; I wouldn’t change it one bit. Tears dropped onto the pages and I couldn’t read well with puffy eyes, but in the end, it left a mark on me, one that I’ll probably think about randomly for the rest of my life.

Not only is the ending shocking and heartbreaking, but it immediately opens room to argue. In an AP Literature setting of literary analysis, you could explore: Why did the characters take this course of action?

There are so many answers and so much evidence to support whatever argument the reader stays true to. I’m not even sure how to interpret it; I’ve chosen to not dwell on it too much because it genuinely starts to take over my brain.

Each and every aspect of this story—setting, characterization, theme— can be analyzed thoroughly to reveal a deeper meaning. So whether you’re in AP Literature or plan to be, or you’re just looking for something to read, Of Mice and Men is perfect. 

I’m not sure I could ever read it again. It just wouldn’t be as special as the first read.