Of Mice and Men Discussion Questions

Steinbeck intended to name this story “Something That Happened.” Instead, he named it Of Mice and Men. Do you think the final title describes this work better?

Steinbeck titled this work Of Mice and Men after reading a poem called “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns, where the poet regrets accidentally destroying a mouse’s nest. Several of the book’s central themes resonate with the poem—the constant threat of violence and death for the vulnerable; the destruction of life; the casual violence that threatens the characters, in the instance of Curley’s wife and Lennie; and even the mouse that Lennie kills accidentally at the beginning of the book. The characters’ destiny in the book is not different from the mouse nest that is ruined in Burns’ poem—they are all fated to die in violence that is beyond their control.

How does Steinbeck portray Curley’s wife, the only female character in the novel?

Similar to the other characters, Steinbeck’s initial portrayal of Curley’s wife is a stereotype. She is a sexual tease, who uses her beauty to flirt and manipulate the men on the ranch, thereby causing her husband jealousy. She wears too much makeup and is dressed like a “whore” with red fingernails and red shoes with ostrich feathers. She is called a “jailbait” or “tart” by the ranch hands. Lennie, however, is fascinated with her, which George notices and warns him to stay away from her as she is considered a troublemaker. The only woman in the play of some significance, she is not even named by Steinbeck, which has led to critics commenting on how the author reduced her to a straitjacketed role, whose only power is her sexuality, aimed at causing trouble, who is a dreaded figure for the men and who must be avoided by them at all cost.

Her frequent appearances confirm the impression of her being an evil temptress, equivalent to the serpent in Eden. She is there to make the men fall from grace, to create mayhem. For instance, she threatens Crooks to have him lynched when he doesn’t show her the respect due to her as the wife of the boss’ son. Her death at Lennie’s hands destroys the dream of the idyllic Eden for George and Lennie.

However, it is only at the end in the barn during her final conversation with Lennie does Steinbeck allow her to have her own story—the vanquished dream of being a Hollywood star and how she is in a loveless marriage. It is also only after she is dead that Steinbeck describes her as sweet and young, pretty and simple. While a few critics argue that this emphasizes that even the worst among us have elements of innocence, a few others suggest that only with her death, Curley’s wife as a woman ceases to be a threat and can now be restored as an angel without vice.

Can George’s action of choosing to kill Lennie at the end be justified?

Despite being his devoted friend and protector, George is confronted with the hard decision of killing Lennie. He is aware that if he doesn’t kill him, Curley and his men will lynch and murder Lennie to avenge the death of Curley’s wife. That would be a far more torturous and humiliating end for Lennie to leave him to a bunch of murderous men who have never appreciated him. The only other option left is for George to give a dignified ending to his friend, thereby ensuring minimal suffering. The end of the novel argues that people at the lowest rung of society are left with only the most terrible and violent choices.

In tragedies, the central character comes to a realization about life or choices made. How far would this argument apply for Of Mice and Men?

The most significant realization that George arrives at in the end is the loss of his dream and the dissolution of his friendship with Lennie. All along George was different from the other migrant laborers because he had Lennie as his constant companion in a world which is otherwise solitary. It is their friendship that made them unique among all the lonely souls. This foundation further was the reason for their dream of owning a farm and being independent. However, with Lennie’s death, all these dreams are dashed, and George realizes that he never really had a chance. While Lennie was a devoted friend, his intellectual disability and his enormous strength were always a liability, which finally became fatal. Of Mice and Men’s ending is hence tragic because despite his best intentions, George’s future comes to an end with Lennie’s death.

How does Candy’s old dog work as a powerful symbol in the novel?

Candy’s dog is a symbolic representation of anyone who has outlived their purpose or utility at the farm. He was once a fine sheepdog, but with his debilitating age, he is of no use to the men now. The fact that Candy is emotionally attached to his dog, considering he raised him since he was a puppy, means nothing to the other men. Carlson repeatedly insists on having the dog killed, which underlines how in this world, the cruel laws of nature—disposing of the weak and handicapped—dominate. There is no space for the softer emotions of life. Just like his dog, Candy is apprehensive that because of his old age, he too will not be welcome at the ranch anymore. Candy’s regret that he should have done the deed himself rather than leaving it to a stranger foreshadows the tragic ending of the novel where George chooses to end Lennie’s life himself rather than let the other men do it.