Of Mice and Men
essay by Lisa Ruzzi

Gary Sinise
is director and
actor in the
1992 movie
based on
the novel.

_____________________________________________

"Hey, George, tell em' like you done before." said Lennie.

"Tell em' what?" said George.

"Tell em' how the book and da movie were different and da same. You know, like you done before," said Lennie, with a look of excitement in his eyes.

"Awright I'll tell you. But you gonna let me tell it Lennie, or no tendin' rabbits for you," said George.

"Sure George, I don't say a word."

George spoke as if he told this story many times before, "Well, for the most part the novel and the movie were pretty much the same if you ask me. I mean the people and the words they used were damn near the same in the book as they were in the movie."

"George, tell em', tell em' how I played in da movie. Tell em' how I talked 'bout tending da rabbits!" said Lennie, while he twisted his fingers together with joy.

"Of course, Lennie, you ain't changed much from the book. Why, you played the best. Always talkin' 'bout them rabbits and how you were gonna get a new pup from Slim."

"George, tell em', tell em' how the book was different from da move. Tell em' dat George."

"Well, in the book now when we made it to that there ranch, now we got to talkin' a lot in that bunk house, talkin in the poor light in there, but in the movie they would have us outside in the field while we worked or out on that there front porch to that bunk house." George said.

"Why did they go and do that, George, why?" Lennie said with confusion.

"Well, I see it as the people who watched the movie would get plain bored if the whole movie was in that bunk house." said George.

"Tell em', how the movie made everyone seem so lonely and how ain't nobody had anyone to talk to. Tell em' how we have each other..."

George continued, "Well, now Lennie you know this here story by heart. Why don't you tell it?"

"Oh no George, I forget some a da things and you tell it better."

"Well, in the movie they changed up a few things. There was a part they done added in when Curley's wife was outside talkin to us 'bout how lonely she was," said George. "Now Lennie, I got somethin important to say so you better off puttin your hands and coverin your ears.

"Oh sure George, I'll cover them." said Lennie.

George continued, "Well, the parts where Lennie gone and killed Curley's wife seemed to happen more suddenly in the...Lennie, what I tell you 'bout them ears--you know when we get back home there be no tendin' rabbits for you."

"Oh George, I was just foolin', George. I can't hear nothin George, nothin."

"As I was sayin, it reminded me when I had to do way with my buddy Lennie here. In the book I may have seemed more harsh, since you're just readin' the words, but in the movie you could see my affection for him because he's my buddy. And in the movie I gone and shot him so quickly so as he don't feel it and I know he was thinkin' bout them rabbits. I guess that's all I had to say. Hey Lennie, you can take those hands of yours down now."

"Hey George, can we go home now so 's I can tend dem rabbits on the fatta the land, George, can I!"

"Sure Lennie, what you say we get on outta here and have us a good time." said George.

And so they did.