Of Mice and Men should be taught in the English curriculum to today’s teenagers as it is a novella involving the important themes of striving to achieve the dream, friendship, loneliness, violence, and justice which are issues that are very relevant in today’s society. These themes are represented throughout the book in ways that relate directly to today’s teenagers and some of the issues they face. The themes represent dreams of success and also racism during the 1930s, things that are still occurring today.
Of Mice and Men is a breathtaking book about two men trying to live through the Great Depression while grasping for the American Dream. George and Lennie had been through so much together and had known each other for a long time and had to depend on each other for food, warmth, and shelter. Throughout the book Lenny asked George to tell him about how they were going to get a place and live together, despite their personalities and dedicated hard working mindsets, reality showed up and got in the way of their American Dream.
The belief in the “ American Dream” is when men become millionaires, rising up out of the ordinary life. As seen in the novel, California is still today a symbol of hope for riches and fame and a reminder of reality. We see everyday stories of people seeking fame and fortune in Hollywood. That’s why Of Mice and Men is still relevant to today’s teenagers. It’s an allegory for anyone who has a dream, or who has big “plans”. Whether it’s George’s dream of financial stability and a long and happy life, or Curley’s Wife who thinks she “could have been in movies”, many of the characters in Of Mice and Men have a dream. Just like the teenagers of today, Steinbeck’s writing makes that message very clear and that message is still relevant today which is why this book should remain part of the
Although there are clearly things that keep the novella in its time, there are plenty of examples of poverty today as well. The reader also doesn’t have to have lived through racism or the Great Depression to understand it. We still see and hear racist things today, although it’s doubtful we would be so accepting of it these days. There aren’t many readers today who would accept Candy’s story about Christmas and how the men “let the nigger come in” at Christmas only for someone to “take after” him, along with the anecdote that if Smitty had been allowed to use his feet, he’d have “killed the nigger”. This use of language makes the reader especially a teenager understand the themes of racism and poverty and is a wonderful way of engaging them. This is another reason why this novella should be part of the English reading list,
The theme of cruelty and abuse to women is portrayed throughout the novella. This is very much relevant today as we protest against violence towards women. Teenagers who read about Curlies wife can see how badly she is treated by her husband and those on the ranch. It’s also a positive for teenagers to see how women were treated back then and how far we have come since the 1930s. However, violence against women is still an unacceptable factor in society.
Curley's wife's death is one of the most confrontational deaths in the novella. Lenny accidentally kills Curley's wife by shaking her so hard that her neck breaks. Lenny likes animals and soft things, but he is a big, strong man. Curley's wife finds Lenny in the barn mourning the death of his puppy, and she tries to comfort him by allowing him to stroke her hair. Lenny then gets overwhelmed by the experience, grabs her hair too hard, and makes Curley's wife upset. She eventually starts screaming and Lenny covers her mouth and starts shaking her to try and make her stop, which leads to her death.
The novella portrays cruelty on Curley's wife to be a representation of how women were treated then and how people saw women without really knowing them. Curley's wife is treated disrespectfully by most of the men on the ranch. The men do not think highly of her at all. “Seen the new kid yet...why, Curley's wife...well ain’t she a looloo.”(pg51) Foul language towards Curley's wife is continuously hurting her through the use of “slut” or “tart” or she dresses like a “whore”. This demonstrates that there is not only physical violence toward women but also mental violence. This should be taught to teenagers to show the effects of cruelty and violence both physical and mental are not acceptable to females. This is another strong reason why this novella should be part of the English reading list.
In conclusion, mice and men should be kept in the curriculum.