Of Mice and Men

[Amethyst]

I just read it last night for English. It never ceases to amaze me that books this...pointless...can win huge awards. Maybe I'm just a jaded member of my generation, but I really think that the school could be exposing children to better literature instead of outdated crud like this. (And To Kill a Mockingbird, but that's another rant altogether.)

So...any other thoughts?

[Twinkle]

I love that book! It almost made me cry, haha. So many hidden themes that make it worthwhile.

[Lady Night]

If it doesn't have a young wizard it it, kids think it's crud (don't get me wrong, i love books with wizards in them myself but...of mice and men is a really good book, and something you probably won't really apreciate till your older...that's the sad part about reading all these books in gradeschool and highschool, you never know how much they really apply to life till your out in the "real world" so to speak.

[Charisma]

I don't remember if I read the book, I think I might have just seen the movie. I know, I know, this is a place for book reading, but I think I did read part of it. What I do remember is that it was a good story. I liked the movie, and usually the books are better. I can't imagine it being that bad of a book. Now that I think harder I read the book but I can't distinguish from my memory what was in the book and what was in the movie.

[Carson]

They don't let you read more modern stuff as most of it is bile. Of mice and men is a classic, I enjoyed reading it.

[Kuri]

I really enjoyed Mice of Men. I suppose from one perspective the book is pointless, but to me it did have points and made some good ones about human nature, etc. I opted to read the book last year because I had finished the required books. I don't remember everything from the book, but I remember the drift of it. I loved the book.

[Eidolon]

Welllllllll...*muses* I've never read that book, but we just finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird in my English class. At first I thought it was rather stupid and mostly pointless, but through the class discussions you end up thinking about it more, and I would have liked the book if I hadn't had to read it twice because the class goes so slowly.

So maybe you should try to appreciate the book and think about it on a deeper level

[Nikita]

Of Mice and Men wasn't one of my favourites, but I still enjoyed it.
When first reading classics, I find them to be a bit boring, but once I get in to discussing them and further exploring themes, ideas, etc. I love them.
And wow, don't get me started on To Kill a Mockingbird, it's my favourite classic.

[Igg]

I'm very fond of Of Mice and Men.

If you think its 'outdated crud'....
Well see what Lady Night said "that's the sad part about reading all these books in gradeschool and highschool, you never know how much they really apply to life till your out in the "real world" so to speak."
People so often read them and think they're irrelevant because they're set in the past and a situation you're not in. Try looking more at the principles and ideas explored through the location and characters, because they can apply easily to modern-day.

For example, it offers a sympathetic view of people like Lenny, who are obviously...well, put it this way...Lenny reminds me of an autistic person. Very much so. And it does ask you to look a little deeper at these kind of people.

[lynniepoo]

Of Mice and Men was definitely a novel I enjoyed, but only after viewing the movie. As I took two english classes in which this was required reading, I found the first read through to be dry, tasteless and horribly written English.

After viewing the movie on television, I found that I enjoyed the second read through to a much more estatic degree. To find connections to the characters, I find is more difficult, sitting in the 21st century in front of my snazzy computer, but the movie gives you that historical mindset necessary to enjoy the reading of this novel.

The simplicity of the story I find quite charming... to compare it to To Kill A Mockingbird is wrong. -__- TKAM I started reading and quickly threw down, begging my english teacher for another selection to read instead (I got Othello, which was much better, IMHO)... Catcher in the Rye was another 'classic' that didn't sit too well with me. To each their own, I suppose.

[Chao]

I just read it last night for English. It never ceases to amaze me that books this...pointless...can win huge awards. Maybe I'm just a jaded member of my generation, but I really think that the school could be exposing children to better literature instead of outdated crud like this. (And To Kill a Mockingbird, but that's another rant altogether.)

So...any other thoughts?

It's not pointless.
Perhaps you didn't understand the themes of the novel.
Books like that are timeless classics, and calling it "Outdated Crud" is rather harsh.
I finished reading the book the other day, then in my Literature class the movie was shown. I must say it took effort not to cry during the final scene.
The fact that people in my class were laughing as if a mentally kittens person was a stand-up comic upset me.
This book was undoubtedly the saddest I have ever read.
Please feel free to name some "Better Literature" to expose children to.

[Ashes]

I just read it last night for English. It never ceases to amaze me that books this...pointless...can win huge awards. Maybe I'm just a jaded member of my generation, but I really think that the school could be exposing children to better literature instead of outdated crud like this. (And To Kill a Mockingbird, but that's another rant altogether.)

So...any other thoughts?

Go back again and try actually reading it. Think content, form and words.
I wouldn't say you were jaded. The complete opposite in fact.

I love Lenny.

[DiscordantNote]

I read it for English recently myself, and I enjoyed it. But then again, my teacher designed the class in a way that explained the book very well, so I got a much deeper insight of the story than I would have otherwise. If you think it's a boring book, try to find someone who really understands it to explain the key points to you in detail. It may help you view it in a different, better light.

[Asthaloth]

if its the book im thinking of...
i hated it, stupid book.
i'll stick to the good classics thankyouverymuch.
animal farm for starters, not read that in a while.

[Igg]

Wow, thanks for that useful contribution, Sath.