1. By John Steinbeck Of Mice and Men By John Steinbeck

2. John Steinbeck 1902 - 1968 John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His most famous books were written in the 1930s and 1940s, and are set in California. They deal with the lives and problems of working people. Many of the characters in his books are immigrants from Mexico or from other parts of the United States who went to California looking for work or a better life.

3. Steinbeck and the American Dream Like most of Steinbeck’s works, he addresses the American Dream. In Of Mice and Men he questions “Is the American Dream attainable for all people?" In Of Mice and Men he questions “Is the American Dream attainable for all people?"

4. Historical Background Of Mice and Men, published in 1937, takes place during an era in United States history called the Great Depression.

8. Setting The novel is set near the town of Soledad, a real town in southern California. The town lies on the Salinas River, an area with which Steinbeck was well acquainted as he was born in the town of Salinas, further North. Climatic changes had turned large areas of the American west into a dustbowl of infertile land.

9. Setting

10. Setting

11. Themes A theme is a broad idea in a story or literary work or a message or lesson conveyed by a written text. Themes are a statement about an idea, not a single word like love or companionship. This message is usually about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas.

12. Themes Most themes are implied rather than explicitly stated. The theme is different from the superficial outlay of the text; it is normally the meaning of the text on a deeper, more abstract level.

13. Themes Themes in Of Mice and Men include: –Companionship –Loneliness –American Dream/Dreams –Outcasts –Hope –Powerlessness

14. Characters George: –small but smart, –takes care of Lennie, –sometimes has bad temper and is mean to Lennie, but overall really loves Lennie, –sacrifices a lot of his life to take care of Lennie

15. Characters  Lennie:  big man, strong worker,  mentally disabled,  loves to pet things that are soft,  frequently getting George into trouble,  panics when confronted,  looks to George to tell him what to do

16. Themes: Loneliness –It effects many of the characters and Steinbeck seems to show that it is a natural and inevitable result of the kind of life they are forced to lead. Violence –The novel has many examples of a kind of needless violence. Dreams –Dreams are one way in which the characters combat the loneliness and hopelessness of their existence.