Of Mice and Men Genre

Realism, Tragedy

Tragedy is characterized by seriousness, and usually features some main character who experiences a reversal of fortune from good to bad. This reversal is always brought about by an innate flaw of the character, or by a mistake that he or she makes. In this case, George’s flaw is his trust in Lennie – a mistake that even he realizes by the end of the book. In the final section, George stands over Curley’s wife’s body and says, "I should of knew…I guess way back in my head I did."

Of Mice and Men is a typical tragedy with an atypical main character. Tragedies traditionally center on main characters who are big-shot-important-leader types, whose falls from grace are steep drops from great heights. George doesn't fit this description, which makes this book rare and intriguing. In endearing us to George, Steinbeck shows that all men matter, and that no one’s story is more or less important than anyone else’s. Common men can also be the heroes of their own lives – or the victims of great tragedy.

Of Mice and Men employs a very particular type of realism called "naturalism," which is a literary and philosophical movement that seeks to apply the scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings. Naturalist novels often explore the world as a place where you have to fight to survive in a universe that has no morality and doesn’t care about you. It’s not unusual for naturalist novels to end in degradation and despair.

Given Steinbeck’s interest in the plight of America’s poor, it makes sense to use the gritty, straightforward style of this genre: it conveys the stories of "real" Americans, without making them seem pathetic or victimized. The strength of realism is that you don’t need to be sold with emotional bells and whistles – the lives of people alone are enough to move you.