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The novel 'Of Mice and Men' was written in 1963 by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck was born on the 27th February in Salinas, California.

The novel was set over three days, during the time of the New York Wall Street stock market collapse. This lead to a prolonged period of economic depression, which meant that people had failed businesses, lived in harsh poverty and some even suffered long term unemployment. The economic depression attracted migrants to California in search of work. Most men migrated from ranch to ranch on short term, poorly paid contracts.

George and Lennie personify the dream of the migrant worker, the dream to own their own piece of land and have a chance to settle down in 'the promised land' which California represented. They haven't a dime to their names or a place to lay their heads, but they strive for a better life; they long for self-respect, independence, freedom from fear, a future, a place to call home and work that they love.

Power is a central theme in the novel and is explored by Steinbeck in many ways. For example, Curley and Slim show contrasting views of authority. Curley embodies his authority on the ranch, rather than his father; who is in fact the boss. In the novels vision, Curley represents the vicious and belligerent way in which social power tends to manifest itself. Curley's presence is always felt as a threat to other characters as he can explode violently, and also unpredictably. Slim; on the other hand, bears a natural authority on the ranch. On page 50, Candy tells George that "Slim don't need no high heeled boots." Steinbeck uses this phrase to link Slim to Curley. Curley parades around the ranch in heeled boots, and by stating that he doesn't need them implies that Slim has natural power and presence. We see this authority on in section three, when Candy's dog gets shot. "Candy looked helplessly at him, for Slim's opinions were law." This is a significant quote and highlights that Slim has the say in most things....