Book Review: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
They are much more densely written, with language that doesn't come as simply or easily to our minds. They are easy to get stuck on and we give up halfway through.
A short one I chose to kick off with was John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men." Who hasn't heard of this! Even if we haven't completely read the book all the way through, or at all, a large majority of us know the premise and what happens. It's a heartbreaking tale of two friends who stick by each other through the worst of times, one guiding the other blindly into a tough world with few leniencies.
I was intrigued to go from some complex ideas in more modern books to those that were written in simpler times with simpler lessons. If you've ever read Steinbeck, you know his books are chock full of life lessons and atrocities. The whole time I was reading this, I couldn't help but think what it would be like if a book like this came out today. The language, plot, and all details are largely what ultimately put it on the Banned and Challenged Books List. But despite of all that, there lies a huge reason as to why its still wildly sold and reprinted - its shocking, its of a much older time and mindset, and we as modern day humans are still interested in knowing this. Knowing what came before our generation and our parents' generations.
To be honest I had completely forgotten the actual ending to the book. (I'm not going to spoil it for you!) While I knew 90% of what happened, when the ending came I couldn't believe it. Which I don't think I've said about a nearly 100 year old book that everyone's heard about! Books like these, stories written so freely about 'normal life' then, are why we have learned and changed so much. Authors of this time shaped the literary world whether we liked it or not.
While the book is only 107 pages long, it's a good quick read to start off your classics challenge with.
❤ | C
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