Of Mice and Men in popular culture Of Mice and Men in popular culture Of Mice and Men is a novella by John Steinbeck, which tells the story of George and Lennie, two displaced migrant workers in California during the Great Depression (1929–1939). The story is set on a ranch a few miles from Soledad in the Salinas Valley. Since its initial publication in 1937, it has been frequently referenced in popular culture. Homages to the characters Lennie and George have been especially popular in American cartoons and animated films. The "New York Times" reviewed the 1939 film based on the novella thusly: Theatrical cartoon shorts of
Of Mice and Men (1992 film) dead and informs George, and the two realize their dream will never happen. Curley leads a mob which chases after Lennie intending to lynch him. George finds Lennie first and, wanting to spare him a violent and painful death at the hands of the mob, calms Lennie by retelling their dream. As George gets to the part where Lennie gets to tend the rabbits, he shoots Lennie in the back of the head. The scene then returns to George in the boxcar, heading South, remembering their old dream and his memories of Lennie. The first experience Sinise had with Steinbeck's