Compare And Contrast The Movie And Of Mice And Men

When one is at a loss, would ending the life of a beloved one be the only solution? In the phenomenal novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck in 1937 and the MGM film adaptation directed by Gary Sinise in 1992, it certainly is. The story centers around two main characters, George and Lennie, and their journey to pursue the impractical American dream. During the Great Depression, it is merely an impossible task to achieve the dream everyone strives to meet. However, the dream is unaccomplished as George ends the life of Lennie. The production of both the novel and the film can easily cause controversy and debate on which has presented the main themes more effectively. In fact, some may say the film is better at connecting with the viewers, having a stronger appeal towards audience with the acting and the framework. Yet the novel is doubtlessly

The novel is definitely the superior between the two when it comes to expressing the main theme of the whole story: loneliness. Although the film also includes the theme of loneliness, the novel better shows the importance of such a fundamental theme. All the characters struggle with loneliness in one way or another. One example of loneliness that is shown would be Curley’s wife. Despite the fact that she is a flirtatious woman and is described as a ‘tramp’ by the men on the ranch, she suffers loneliness due to her husband’s powerful control and restrictions. In fact, when she has a nice conversation with Lennie in the barn, she says “I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself” (Steinbeck 88). Not only is Curley’s wife restrained in the ranch with all the men, she is also not allowed to communicate with any of them. She shows that she has strong hope for her future, although it is highly