'Of Mice and Men' is a famous novel written by John Steinbeck

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YR 10 MEDIA ASSIGNMENT: ‘OF MICE AND MEN’

By Fatima Mir

‘Of Mice and Men’ is a famous novel written by John Steinbeck; Steinbeck was born in 1902 in Salinas Valley, California and he set ‘Of Mice and Men’ during the Great Depression. He based the storyline on his personal experiences and ventures. The novel was later adapted into a motion picture starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinise. This essay will examine various aspects of the film; the films treatment of the story, characterisation, camera work, symbolism, special effects and the use of music.

   The film does not follow the book exactly as several scenes from the novel have been edited to add climax and tension. For example some important aspects of the book have been changed. The first change is George and Lennie going into the boss’ house to meet him instead of the boss meeting them in the bunkhouse; George doesn’t scold Lennie for talking in front of the boss when he strictly told not to say a word; George is introduced to Slim over dinner but in the book they first meet in the bunkhouse; George comes into Crooks’ room to get Lennie while in the book Candy joins Lennie and Crooks and they all discuss the dream, then even Crooks starts to believe in the dream and asks if he can be part of it.

   Some scenes from the book are not included at all, for example Curley’s wife doesn’t threaten Crooks in the film whereas in the book she threatens to frame Crooks for rape purely out of spite because the men reject her company. The hallucinations that Lennie has of Aunt Clara and the rabbit telling him how bad he has been in the last chapter of the novel are not portrayed in the film and when Slim and the other men console George after he has killed Lennie is not shown in the film either.

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   Although some scenes have been cut from the original storyline others scenes have been added to the film. For example the opening of the film which shows the girl running in the red dress and the men chasing George and Lennie (this is only hinted at in the book); the train scene where George and Lennie jump on the train escaping to Salinas Valley and grabbing their work tickets in town; the work scenes which show the power of Lennie’s strength; Curley’s wife talking to George alone in the barn; Curley practicing his boxing skills on his punching bag ...

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