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48 Hour Book Challenge: Of Mice and Men

Pages:  118

Time Spent:  2:42:55.7

So this is a classic and I am sure most people know the ending, but SPOILER ALERT. 

This is a short novel, yet John Steinbeck gives us plenty of characters that we understand completely, especially George and Lennie.  He also gives us the ultimate ethical dilemma.  George and Lennie are friends, on the run from one town, and looking for work to buy land of their own.  It's a dream, some would say a pipe dream.  George has become Lennie's caretaker after the death of Aunt Clara.  He knows not to play pranks on Lennie or rile him up.  Lennie is simple, he does what he's told, and he's big, like a machine.  But George's biggest charge is keeping Lennie safe from himself.  See, with Lennie being so big and not having the mental capability for self-control, he hurts things even when he doesn't mean to.  And this leads to the ultimate act of friendship, or is it betrayal, as George keeps his friend safe from harm once and for all.

Ok, so that's not really a review, but more of a synopsis.  I like Steinbeck, he can do so much with so little and he proves that again here.  There isn't much more I can say.