Recently, my 9th grade class read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The story is about two men who travel together, pursuing their American dream while facing hardships. One of the main characters, George, is a small, fast, smart man, and seems to always have a plan. Lennie, a strong, mentally challenged man, is always unintentionally causing problems. While looking for work, they get a job on a ranch and that’s where the story starts.

When George and Lennie reach the ranch, there is the threat of problems, starting with a small, snotty man antagonizing the main characters and a lonely, flirty women, and ending with two murders. The book has many hardships for the characters.

Steinbeck employs some great writing techniques throughout the novel, such as foreshadowing and suspense. One thing that really stood out to me was the intense conflicts, such as racial discrimination and objectifying women.  I think the author portrayed those problems clearly with examples. One aspect I didn’t particularly like was that the author wrote such a short book. There were only about one hundred twenty pages in it and only six chapters. I think it would have been better if the author included more in the story and added a few more plot twists. I also like the climax, but not the resolution. I felt like it was a sudden end. It didn’t explain what George did after the climactic scene.

Overall, I think this book was a good book. It examines the search for the American dream and the many ways people fail to realize this dream.  I think that you should definitely read this book if you haven’t already.