Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

1. George and Lennie are cousins and they are trying to find work during the Great Depression.  George is intelligent but arrogant while Lennie has a mental retardation but has incredible strength.  George and Lennie find work at a ranch where they meet Curly and Candy.  Curly is the ranch owner's son and doesn't like either Lennie or George.  George and Lennie's plans are to make enough money until they can buy a ranch of their own.  This is what motivates Lennie and George to keep work during these rough times.  Eventually Curly's wife flirts with Lennie, and Lennie hugs her until it breaks her neck.  This is of course an innocent hug and Lennie did not realize his strength, but Curly doesn't care.  Curly gathers men to hunt Lennie, while George takes Lennie to run away.  George can hear the men right behind them and George3 is forced to kill Lennie himself to save him from the torture the men would put him through.
2. The theme of the book is the corruption of the American dream.  John Steinbeck has written other books that have a similar theme such as Grapes of Wrath.  He shows this theme by expressing George and Lennie's desire to make enough money to own their own ranch one day, but that never happens for them.
3. Steinbeck tone throughout the book was empathetic.  Readers can identify with the main characters and truly feel sorry for them when things go awry.  George has a difficult task of looking after Lennie.  Lennie is the most innocent strong man there is and yet when George is forced to kill Lennie, not a single reader will be left with a dry eye.
4. Steinbeck uses indirect characterization to identify with the characters.  George shows his personality by talking to Lennie.  The reader finds out that Curly is an arrogant hot-head when he tries to pick fights with Lennie.  He uses a serious diction when George and Lennie are speaking to show their deep connection with each other and show that George really cares for Lennie.  George also speaks to Lennie very seriously to show that George doesn't try to treat Lennie any differently.  This shows the serious syntax of the book that Steinbeck presents.