full title · Of Mice and Men
author · John Steinbeck
type of work · Novella
genre · Fiction; tragedy
language · English
time and place written · Mid-1930s;
Pacific Grove and Los Gatos ranch, California
date of first publication · 1937
publisher · Covici, Friede, Inc.
narrator · Third-person omniscient
climax · Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife in the barn
protagonists · George and Lennie
antagonists · Curley; society; the cruel, predatory nature of human
life
setting (time) · 1930s
setting (place) · South of Soledad, California
point of view · The story is told from the point of view of a third-person omniscient
narrator, who can access the point of view of any character as required
by the narrative.
falling action · Lennie runs away from the barn; the men return and
find Curley’s wife dead; Curley leads a mob of men to search for
and kill Lennie; George finds Lennie in the clearing and, while retelling
the story of life on their farm, shoots him in the back of the head.
tense · Past
foreshadowing · Lennie petting the dead mouse, Lennie being run out
of Weed for the incident involving the girl in the red dress, and
Lennie killing his puppy—all of which anticipate Lennie accidentally
killing Curley’s wife; the death of Candy’s dog, which anticipates
the death of Lennie; Candy’s regret that he didn’t kill his old
dog himself, which anticipates George’s decision to shoot Lennie
tone · Sentimental, tragic, doomed, fatalistic, rustic, moralistic,
comic
themes · The predatory nature of human existence; the importance
of fraternity and idealized relationships between men; the impossibility
of the American Dream; the destructive imbalance of social power
structures in American society
motifs · The corrupting power of female sexuality; strength
and weakness; loneliness and companionship
symbols · The clearing in the woods; Lennie and George’s farm;
mice; Candy’s dog; the heron that plucks water snakes from the stream;
Curley’s boots; Lennie’s puppy
