You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Enjoy!

Thanks, Janice! Hi Judy, just opening the book now; I love these centennial edition covers and deckle edge paper! :D

YES! YES! YES! I loved all of those things too. You feel the same way I do about Steinbeck's writing -- he understands people. The description of Candy's relief is a perfect example.

Also, what I loved (and had to smile at) was the back and forth tone in conversation by the river with George going from hard-edged to soft in a matter of seconds and Lennie, after all is forgiven, getting in the last word:

"Cause I can jus' as well go away, George, an' live in a cave." hahaha. So sweet.

What Steinbeck does so well is to create scenes. As if you can sense the curtains opening and closing for intermission between chapters.

Slim's questions are valid. It does make you doubt his sincerity in this day and age. But, I think especially when looking back at the times and the itinerant work they did -- each man for himself. Most people would be looking for motive...like us!

And Curly may be looking for his wife, but she surely isn't looking for him! Vaseline hands don't seem to be doing the trick.

Judy wrote: "Oh, yes, totally agree, Mikki. I wasn't picking at Slim. He strikes me as the only "normal" person in the book. He definitely is the most level-headed, business-minded. I just wonder if his questions aren't setting the stage for some revelation later in the book..."

Oh, I knew you weren't! But until the closing scene we never really know and then it is clear. You're finished, right?

If Steinbeck were a character in this book (just by judging the photo), who would he be? :)

OK, I am a bit late but can I join you?

I am half way through the book and I am loving it. It is so not like all those classics that make me read every line twice, making sure I understand it before moving on. This one's so easy and a quick read.

My first thought- I love Lenny. He's just so cute with his innocence. Though I am not sure I empathise with him since he killed all those mice while petting them! Poor Candy's dog too. What a fate!


An example of how well Steinbeck knows human-kind. (And a big reason I love his writing, because he does know human-kind so thoroughly.)
The old man was reassured. He had drawn a derogatory statement from George. He felt safe now, and he spoke more confidently.

Oh yes, this was very analytic of him, Judy.

Was it the "vaseline hand" that got smashed? Hmmm I wonder what his wife will think of that? :-)


LOL! I don't think she would care much, though.



Do you ever look at Steinbeck's picture and think he looks more like a rakish character than a supremely skilled writer? I always think he looks like the type of character in one of his own books that would hang out at a bar until all hours of the night, stumble home drunk and promise to do better. Haha

LOL, Judy! I just looked at his pictures. Somehow I see a striking contrast in his young and more aged pictures. There is this sense of humor and emotionality in his eyes in the younger one while in the aged one, it's more analytic, serious and 'what are you going to tell me that I don't already know' look.

This is the first of his writing I am reading and I'm really enjoying it.

I am heartbroken. Seriously! I can't believe it ended like that. Oh, I loved Lenny.

Ah you caught on dreams, Judy. I think it is a bit of both. Though Curly's wife's regret stopped her from moving on in life; George, Lenny and Candy's made them have a reason to look forward to something.

Yes, I too was struck especially by how Crook was treated for being colored.

It seemed Crooks recognized that he and Lenny both were in situations where they depended on others to "speak" for them.

Oh, so true.

It was good to see how easily everyone opened up to Lenny because they knew he couldn't either remember or know where to use the information.


I liked the fact that how in this little story, Steinbeck manages to give us a view into everyone's life and what holds them back (as you said, Judy). I also empathize with Curly's wife, she really didn't have a life.

The two things I can't understand- why did Crook say to Candy that he didn't mean to go with them (retreating on his earlier statement)? Was it after Curly's wife's behavior that he realized that he wouldn't be able to live with white men, that they won't accept him? Or is it something else?

Also, I don't understand why George killed Lenny. Was it that he had had enough? When he told Lenny in the first place to hide in the brush, did he mean to end it this way even then or was it only when he killed Curly's wife that George realized that he would never be able to have a LIFE with Lenny on his side?

I loved Steinbeck's writing. It is easy to understand, yet he puts in his analytic, deep mind into what he writes.

Have you read Travels With Charley: In Search of America? How is it?

Judy wrote: "No, I have about 30 plus pages that I will read this morning. Are you finished?

I think the real/author Steinbeck would be Slim, but the looking-at-the-picture author would be just one of the hand..."

Yes, I finished last night, but will read through the comments before responding.

Ah, yes, you do explain it better Judy.

Yes, you said it so right, simple in style but complex in thought. :)

I think he promised Lenny's aunt, that he would take care of him. I remember reading something like that.

Judy wrote: "I think George felt he was killing Lenny out of love. He realized he never could keep Lenny in check and consequently someone/something would always losing its life to Lenny. He stuck with Lenny as long as he did to shelter Lenny because he was just a big teddy bear of a man at the heart. When Curly's wife died he realized that he wasn't capable of sheltering him all the time. He knew Lenny wouldn't and couldn't thrive locked up in an institution; he couldn't stand the thought himself, so he felt it was better that Lenny die at the hands of someone who loved and cared for him rather than a slow "death" (to Lenny's dreams -farm with rabbits)in an institution. How did you see it, Mikki?..."

Yes, my thoughts exactly. He took Carlson's luger for the sole purpose of carrying out that act. Think back to what Candy said to George after allowing Carlson to shoot his dog, seen as a "burden" of a companion: "I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to of left no stranger to shoot my dog."

George knew that if the men caught Lennie then the death would be a brutal one. He spared him that.

Ah, yes, Mikki. I didn't relate the two. :)

Judy wrote: "One thing I didn't understand, maybe I missed it, but why did George feel he was responsible for Lenny? Were they related? Or was George just a gruff guy with a big heart? Or was it mutually beneficial, Lenny-muscle, George-brains? ..."

Having grown up with Lennie as a child he eventually took to his natural goodness. On pg 38. He explains to Slim the mean pranks that we would play on Lennie in the beginning. After a potential drowning where George had to save Lennie after following the order to jump in the river. He vowed never again to harm him. He felt a responsibility for his well-being that I didn't question. He needed to care for him somehow and grew to dearly love him.

Judy wrote: "Do you dreams keep people moving through life or do they keep people in unreality or both? ..."

I think that they are capable of doing both. Dreams can either hinder a person's growth if they are not able to actualize them or may serve as an impetus for moving ahead -- goals to acieve if realistic.

In this case I felt that the dreams were necessary in order for them to have a sense of hope that they would one day be their own men. They also served as a type of bedtime story to take Lennie out of the monotony of each day. Like a child he always wanted to know, "and then what?...and then what?" And then there was one poignant part where George (after including Candy)described the house and farm while looking past Lennie, caught up in the vision. The first time that he saw possibility, maybe.

Here's a lyric from a song, Happy Talk (best version is with Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley, which describes dreams nicely:

Happy talk, keep talking happy talk, talk about things you'd like to do,You gotta have a dream, if you don't have a dream,How you gonna have a dream come true?" :D

Judy wrote: "Thanks, Mikki, that makes much more sense. I can't believe how much I forgot in a short little book like that!..."

It's my OCD--I take lots of notes! *sigh*

Judy wrote: most of the main characters had something in their lives that held them back and created prejudice towards them. (George was "held back" by Lenny, Crooks by racial prejudice, Candy by his missing hand, Lenny by his mental handicap, Curly's wife by her marriage and gullibility, etc.)"

That's a great observation. Curley by his own Napeloan Complex.

Judy wrote: "It seemed Crooks recognized that he and Lenny both were in situations where they depended on others to "speak" for them ..."

Here's a line that I loved (again Steinbeck's insight). When Curley's wife came to the barn, Crooks immediately grew quiet and allowed Candy to speak for him. "Crooks had retired into the terrible protective dignity of the negro." I love that and can very much visualize it happening.

What was so nice before the intrusion of Curley's wife was the bonding going on and Crooks being happy to be included for once and in his own quarters! When Candy showed up he says:

"C'mon in. If ever'body's cominin' in, you might just as well." It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger. So nice, with none of them feeling like outcasts.

FYI: The Quote of the Day is from Of Mice and Men!

"Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other."