Published in January 1937,
Of Mice and Menmarks a deliberate change from Steinbeck's previous work,
In Dubious Battle(1936). In this new project, Steinbeck chose to work within a narrower framework:
Of Mice and Menconcentrates on a small number of characters as Steinbeck tells the story of migrant ranch laborers in carefully detailed settings. Only a short time before the composition of
Of Mice and Men, thousands of itinerant single men had roamed the Western states following the harvests. Beginning in the second half of the nineteenth century, their numbers rapidly increased, reaching around 125, 000 by 1900. At the same time, the need for migrant workers was declining: farm-hands were being replaced by machines. Steinbeck's novel takes place against this backdrop of dwindling…
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Citation: Meyer, Michael J.. "Of Mice and Men". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 October 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3159, accessed 26 April 2024.]
