Of Mice And Men Movie And Movie Essay

John Steinbeck 's book Of Mice and Men is a piece of literature that everyone is familiar with in one form or another. There have been countless stage productions of the book and three film adaptations. The most recent film version was in 1992, and it starred Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. While the film version remains mainly true to the original book, there are a few differences that are noticeable. While many think that a film can actually enhance a story by adding a visual to the text, it often times falls short. In dealing with the loneliness of the characters of the story, the book does a much better job of conveying not only their loneliness, but also the despair and desperation that each character feels when confronted with loneliness.

In both the film and the book, Candy is often isolated from all the others. Because of an injury to his hand, he can 't work out in the fields, so much of his time is spent alone shuffling around the ranch doing small jobs. His one and only constant companion is his dog. It is a very old dog that he has had since he was a pup. Again, both the book and the film do a good job of showing the affection that the dog and Candy have for each other. However, the book does a much better job of conveying the importance of the dog to Candy after the dog is shot. In the film scene, Carlson broaches the subject of killing Candy 's dog to put him out of his misery. Candy looks anguished but gives in fairly quickly. Once Carlson takes the dog, he lies back on his bed and just waits for the sound of the gunshot. The men resume their card game. (DVD) Although it is obvious Candy is sad about the dog, it does not have the same emotional impact that the book does. In the book, Steinbeck better conveys Candy 's anguish and desperation to save the dog. He tries to put Carlson off by offering different arguments as to why not to shoot the dog. His arguments include that it might hurt the dog, that Carlson doesn 't have a gun, that tomorrow would be a better day and that he doesn 't mind taking care of him (44). He even pleads silently for help. "Candy looked about unhappily"(42). "Candy looked helplessly at him,

In the movie, this part of the story takes place a couple of days after the dog has been shot. Candy overhears and quickly offers up his money to help with the dream. (DVD) In the book, the event happens on the same night as the shooting of the dog, when the emotions of the characters are still raw and on edge. The other men have left the bunkhouse and George and Lennie begin to talk about their future plans. In the film version, Candy is visible in the background, but in the book he is not mentioned as the other two men talk to each other. The reader, as well as George and Lennie forget Candy is in the room until ask if George knew of a place. The text says that he was excited and eager when he speaks (56). It describes how he sat up on the edge of his bunk. He had just lost his only friend, but now here was an opportunity to not be alone. Here is a chance for him not to be lonely. He is so desperate for that, that he is offering every penny he has in the world plus his future earnings to a couple of strangers. He knows this is his only chance. "You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn 't no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody 'd shoot me. But they won 't do nothing like that. I won 't have no place to go, and I