Introduction

Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men

In this course, Professor John McRae (University of Nottingham) explores John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. We begin with a broad introduction to the world of the novel, focusing in particular on life in America during the Great Depression and the idea of the American Dream. After that, we go through the novel section by section, providing close reading and analysis of character, plot, themes, motifs, language, symbolism – and more.

Notes:
(1) Page numbers refer to the Penguin edition of the text. Students using a different version of the novel may encounter slight differences in page numbers.
(2) Please be advised that this course contains frequent references to the n-word.

Introduction

In this module, we provide a broad introduction to the world of ‘Of Mice and Men’, focusing in particular on the changing fortunes of the United States before and after the Great Depression, Steinbeck’s own work as a “bindlestiff”, the themes of desperation, hope and the American Dream, and the significance of the title – taken from a poem by Robert Burns.