Of Mice and Men: A Reflection

I first read Of Mice and Men (1937) as an adult, a few days before I was to teach it to my sophomores years ago. I had wanted a quick read; at 103 pages, it fit the bill. What I remember from that first reading is that I was hooked within the first five pages, that I didn't like George much at first, and that I gutted by the ending. Other than Flowers for Algernon (1966), which I had read my freshman year of high school, I hadn't wept as much reading a book as when I finished Of Mice and Men. (My Sister's Keeper [2004] by Jodi Picoult and The Fault in Our Stars [2012] by John Green are two others that have since provoked such a similar response).

Looking back, I guess I wasn't much of a good reader because Steinbeck had foreshadowed the ending from the very first chapter. In any case, I followed up my reading with seeing the 1992 film adaptation. Despite my newfound familiarity with the story, the movie, too, left me emotionally wrecked.

I don't recall any specifics about my students' response to the book my first year teaching it, but I do remember the response from others, many of whom have been my reluctant readers. Of Mice and Men has been the only book (so far) that has hooked every student at whatever grade I've taught. Admitted not-readers have independently taken the book home to finish on their own over a weekend because they could not wait to finish it with the class. Most have visibly wept at the ending, asking why did I have them read such a wrenching story. A few were inspired to read other works by Steinbeck. In all, my experience with sharing this story with students over many years has been magical.

In that time, my love of the story has grown and so has my admiration of Steinbeck's skill as a writer.  Each year that I've read it, I've picked up on something new. It wasn't until the last school year that I realized the circular and contrasting imagery between the first and last chapter, (which, to my extreme delight, one of my most disengaged and unproductive students picked up on immediately after reading it this year) and the heaven/hell subtext in the dialogue between George and Lennie in the last chapter.

For many of my students who don't like to read, Of Mice and Men is as close as they've come to understanding the "portable magic" that Stephen King asserts books are. Nuanced and complex, the book is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Therein lies its power. Of Mice and Men is truly a gem of a masterpiece that I hope many read and love.