Essay Of Mice And Men Differences Between The Book And Movie

When turning a novel into a film there are bound to be changes made, some bigger than others. There are many reasons for alterations to be made but sometimes these changes have an effect on how the audience perceives the movie. The novella, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, was turned into a film by Gary Sinise but, there were notable changes made to the film. Sinise’s decision to alter the scene in Crooks’ room results in a loss of character development, seen in characters Crooks, Curley's wife, and Candy. All three of these characters were strongly constructed in the novel and by leaving out this key scene in the film, the viewers are left with a lack of better understanding of these characters.
In the film Crooks was barely an important

character, the time Lennine spent in his room was insignificant compared to the rest of the movie while that was not the case in the novel. Crooks was forced to stay in his own room alone and away from everyone else. Although no one thought about it Crooks had dreams like every other character in this novel and in the novel, it is seen how impossible it is for him to achieve it because of social level. When Candy comes into his room looking for Lennie, Candy tells Crooks about their plan to get a place of their own, while at first cynical, Crooks wants in. “...If you guys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep why I’d come an lend a hand.” (Steinbeck 76) In the 1930’s it was hard for black men, he had to do the same work as everyone else for less pay and was treated horribly. Crooks just wants a place of his own where he can work and be happy until Curley's wife comes in and reminds him he is less than everyone else and won't be going anywhere. That is when Crooks realizes that she is right and that getting a place of their own is just a dream. “Well, jus’ forget it, I didn’ mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.” (83) In the film this interaction never happens because Curley's wife never comes in so the audience never gets to understand Curley on that level, we never get to see that even though he pushes everyone away he has dreams too.
One of the loneliest of the people on the farm, Curley's wife, was excluded from the barn scene as well which had a large effect on her development as a character.

Curley's wife is forced to live on this farm full of men with nobody to talk to. She had a dream of being in the movies but her mom wouldn't let her so she married Curley in spite of her. When she comes into Crooks’ room and hears about their plan to get out of there she's instantly jealous. “Whatta I care?... I tell ya I could of went with shows...An’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs…” (73) This scene was an important example of how insecure Curley's wife is, anyone that has better than her, she makes it a point to make sure everyone knows she could've had better. When Candy tells her to leave them alone she goes after Crooks just because he is black. “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.” (81) Curley's wife has this constant need to have more power than everyone else around her because of how Curley treats her. She's stuck in a powerless one-sided relationship so her first reaction to someone actually getting out of here is to shut it down. Without this scene in the movie, Curley's wife doesn't seem that trapped when in fact she is. In the novel, she seems like this hopeless girl looking for any sort of rescue and that's not the case in the

film.
The character Candy is an old man that has been working on the ranch for years.

He befriends George and Lennie almost instantly. Candy was one character that was not apart of the scene in Crooks’ room. In the novel Candy enters, looking for Lennie only to find him in a black man's room. At first, he is unsure how to act, saying he’s never been in Crooks’ room before but as soon as Curley's wife comes in he defends Crooks and Lennie. Curley's wife picks on Lennie, teasing him about beating Curley up until Candy steps in, “You let this guy alone. Don't you do no messing aroun’ with him. I'm gonna tell George what you says. George wont have you messin’ around with Lennie.” (88) By leaving this out in the film, the audience misses out on the bond between Lennie and Candy. Even after Curley's wife goes after Crooks, a man Candy has never talked to before, Candy tells her, “You better go on home now...” (81) Candy didn't have to say anything to Curley's wife but he still did because he realizes they all have to stick together when it comes to Curley's wife. It was unfortunate that Sinise decided to leave this scene out because it was a moment of allegiance between Candy and Crooks even though they never had a conversation before

this.
The barn scene was a major part in better understanding these three characters and without it, the film doesn't have the same effect on the audience. Crooks seems like just a time filler in the film and it's not known that he indeed has dreams despite what the men around him think. The audience also never get the bond between Candy and Crooks which was important because it was unheard of for white men on the farm to talk to the black men. Most importantly, Curley's wife never got the proper description she deserved so they audience doesn't fully understand her and her struggle. Any film will have this happen and that is usually why most will say the book is always better than the movie.