Of Mice and Men also reflected Steinbeck's personal experiences. ... One of the books that influenced him the most was the Bible, though he was never a religious man (O'Connor, pp 15-6). Steinbeck believed that a book (the Bible) was much realer than experience (O'Connor, p16). ... Throughout the entirety of the book, there are numerous references to God, Jesus, Moses, and Biblical stories. ... Steinbeck, John, Of Mice and Men, Triangle Books, New York, 1938. ...

• Word Count: 1509
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

The main theme of the book is the fear of loneliness and the need to dream that all men innately have. ... Racism against blacks is especially evident in Of Mice and Men, in which Crooks, a black disfigured man, is forced to live in a different place than all the other white men. ... The role of the family in Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath is very apparent. ... She is devastated yet again when her child is born stillborn, but at the end of the novel she feeds a dying man with her breastmilk. This is symbolism for the maturity she has achieved over the course of the book. ...

• Word Count: 1752
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School