Geography of Mice and Men

Geography of Mice and Men

Land, both literal and symbolic, plays a key role in John Steinbeck's novel of Mice and Men. The mystique of place and space guided migrant farmers like Lennie and George, both of whom craved a place they could call their own. In fact, Steinbeck's book captures the essence of American expansionism and manifest destiny, dreams that often remained distant and illusory. Land and place were important to the author, who self-consciously incorporates the geography of his native California into novels like of Mice and Men. In particular, Steinbeck captures the geographical essence of the Salinas Valley in south-central California, wherein of Mice and Men is set. The two main characters, Lennie and George both relate strongly to the land; they toil on it and land-ownership is an integral part of their dreams for a better future. Central to their desire for land is its agricultural viability. The Salinas valley was in their time used primarily for cattle ranching. In fact, the bulk of the tale involves Lennie and George's life as migrant workers on a ranch in Salinas. Prior to their stint there, the two friends worked in a similar capacity in Weed, California, which is located farther north near Mount Shasta. Although Steinbeck describes Salinas in far more geographical detail in of Mice and Men, both places imply an earthly paradise to which Lenny and George aspire. Therefore, in Steinbeck's of Mice and Men, geography means more than just a place to call home or land to cultivate; it represents freedom, independence, success, and spiritual liberation.

Of Mice and Men is a tragic tale of friendship and broken dreams. George and Lennie are migrant workers. Although their original birthplaces are not openly divulged in the novel, it is highly possible the two men came from one of the plains states like Oklahoma. Okies comprised a large portion of migrant workers in California during the turn of the century, when of Mice and Men was set. At the outset of the novel, Lennie and George get off a bus in Salinas and spend the night camping outdoors. George finds the two men work on a nearby ranch. Lennie is mentally challenged and acts much like a child. He does not know his own size and so although he loves petting soft furry things like bunny rabbits, he frequently crushes them to death unwittingly. George is more than a friend to Lennie: he is his protector.

Lennie and George soon run into trouble on the ranch. The ranch owner's son Curley is a mean man, and his wife seems to be a manipulative flirt. One night Curley's wife asks Lennie to caress her hair, knowing he enjoys touching soft things. Lennie unintentionally pulls her hair too roughly and when she screams out for him to stop, Lennie panics and accidentally breaks her neck.

Knowing that he committed a crime, Lennie flees the farm. He runs to a spot that George had designated should such an emergency arise. A lynch mob from the ranch hunts for Lennie, so George tracks him down first and after a few touching moments of true bonding and friendship, George shoots Lennie mercifully, before the angry mob can get him.

Of Mice and Men ends much the same way it began: with rich, lyrical descriptions of the local geography and landscape. Salinas means "salt marsh" in Spanish. Marshy waters make up much of what Steinbeck describes in the novel. At the end of the book, Lennie and George meet at a watering hole, their secret spot. Here, Lennie sees a heron, a grand, green water bird. Hungry, the heron tries to capture some water snakes slithering around its feet. Although marshy, the surrounding areas are also heavily wooded; the lynch mob arrives through the woods nearby. Moreover, Steinbeck notes that the landscape is rather hilly.

Undoubtedly Weed was far more mountainous than Salinas, however. While Lenny and George do not describe Weed in any detail, it is clear they worked there for a while. In fact, a similar situation occurred in Weed as in Salinas: Lennie got in trouble for flirting with a girl, and his innocent intentions were misunderstood.

In any case, the nature of migrant work makes land take on a mystical meaning for men like Lennie and George. Throughout of Mice and Men, the two friends dream out loud about the future, when they will own a big piece of land together, raise farm animals like the rabbits Lennie loves so dearly, and cultivate crops. However, as migrant workers, Lennie and George cannot become attached to any one area. They are forced to move from place to place depending on where they can find work, or in their case, where Lennie can survive without getting into trouble. Even if they did become established workers at any one farm, however, it is unlikely that Lennie and George would have been able to save enough money to eventually buy their own land and manifest their dreams.