Of Mice and Men story
Of Mice and Men is a 1939 American drama film based on the 1937 play of the same name, which itself was based on the novella of the same name by author John Steinbeck. The film stars Burgess Meredith, Betty Field, and Lon Chaney Jr., and features Charles Bickford, Roman Bohnen, Bob Steele, and Noah Beery Jr. The film tells the story of two men, George and his intellectually disabled partner Lennie, trying to survive during the dustbowl of the 1930s and pursuing a dream of owning their own ranch instead of always working for others. Starring in the lead roles were relative Hollywood newcomer Burgess Meredith as George and veteran actor Lon Chaney Jr. (the son of famed silent film actor Lon Chaney) as Lennie. Chaney had appeared in more than 50 films by that point in his career, but Of Mice and Men was his first major role. Betty Field's role as Mae was her breakthrough role in film.
20 total · 4 choice · 10 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| friendship | choice | George and Lenny were partners in their pursuit of the American dream. They were inseparable from each other for their own reasons. |
| hope | choice | The story follows two itinerant laborers, George and Lennie, who, despite their lives of hardship, clung to a dream of one day owning their own farm. The old man Candy overheard them and got caught up in the dream as well. |
| the desire to pursue one's dream | choice | George and Lennie dreamed of buying a farm of their own. Candy overheard them and got caught up in the dream as well. |
| the need for companionship | choice | George and Lenny were partners in their pursuit of the American dream. In the end, George was forced to shoot Lennie. Before doing so he reflected on how he had often told Lennie, disingenuously one must assume, that he'd rather be on his own than have to look after Lennie. The black farmhand Crooks said George traveled with Lennie merely for having someone to talk to and keep company with. |
| choosing whether to kill someone to spare them suffering | major | George ended up shooting Lennie himself rather than leave Lennie to the bloodthirsty vigilantes that were hunting him. |
| controlling partner | major | Mae was under the thumb of her suspicious and domineering husband, Curley. |
| father and son | major | Jackson ran a farm together with his son, Curley. |
| husband and wife | major | Curley was so jealous about his wife, Mae, that he punched people on the mere suspicion of them having been near her. |
| inferiority complex | major | Curley resented "big guys" due to his own small stature. |
| master and pet | major | Candy was very attached to his old sheep dog and remonstrated when people suggested he ought to put it down. Various people were given puppies. Lennie accidentally killed his. |