The author remains true to the nature of tragedy by introducing the story with the George's vision of a serene farm that George and Lennie dreams to own one day and the strong brotherhood that they both develop in the 'promised land'. The title of the book Men and mice denotes the fact that men and be related to mice in one way or the other and this help come up with at genre of book which describes the fate of men in the hand of universal events like death; just as the mice can easily be squeezed to death in the hands of man. All these develop a sombre but optimistic mood that reader is kept hopeful of the future yet confronted by the harsh reality of life. The author has managed to show this by allowing the workers to relive their dreams and fantasies of their free and great future when they will be able to live their dream lives.
The author has created some conflicts to foreshadow the theme of the story for example when he describes the doom that looms in the clearing which the two travelers George and Lennie stumble upon. He describes it like Eden yet danger loomed there as he says rabbits sit like gray, sculptured stones and hurry for cover at the sound of footsteps and this predict the dangers of the world that threatened the life of Lennie and Georges dreams. In addition the author foreshadows the imminent tragedy that waits every weak creature when he reveals the dead mouse in the Lennie's pocket.
The author portrays the theme of brotherhood and male fraternity where every man will be free and able to be accepted as they are. This he achieves when George envisions of an alluring Eden-like farmland that they are convinced to own and even crooks inquires if he will be given a garden to hoe. This is also achieved when he allows the characters to relive their dreams by George describing the farmland, crooks hoeing his garden and Curley's wife becoming a movie star.
The author also portrays the theme of predatory nature of human existence when crooks confesses that life isn't good alone and Curley's wife admits that she is not fulfilled with her marriage and ends finding comfort in hands of strangers like Lennie. Tension in the book arise from the characters weakness for example the most of Lennie's miseries are borne from his inability to control his immense strength and Curley's insecurity with his inability to satisfy his wife leads him to hatred for big guys like Lennie.
In conclusion, the Steinbeck's book of mice is an exemplary artistic literature that explores the predatory nature of human existence and to proof the fact that the oppression doesn't necessarily come from the strong and the wealth but is also borne of the weak; just like the way the weak (Crooks) wanted to destroy the weakest (Lennie) such a behavior is oppressive .Also it clearly shows the impossibility of living a life free from obstacles and challenges especially in this harsh and predatory world which is incapable of holding such relationships.
