John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men takes place in California during the Great Depression. The novel is about two men, George Milton and Lennie Smalls, traveling around trying to find work while everyone is struggling to make money. George is small and clever while Lennie is muscular and has a mental disability. They find work on this farm located near the Salinas River in Soledad, filled with other men trying to make a living. George and Lennie want to start a farm filled with many animals but most importantly, rabbits. George and Lennie must work over obstacles but in doing so they reveal isolation and loneliness residing in every character. Lennie’s mental disability and muscular build gives others a target to make themselves feel superior and treat Lennie like he has no purpose and would not be able to live in the outside world by himself. In the end, all…show more content… Written in the time of the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men portrays this because Lennie Smalls and George Milton are two men who are trying to make a living. Lennie and George just want to buy a nice farm with animals but they have to overcome many obstacles. give relates to real life because there are colleges, families to build, and businesses to create, but there are many obstacles to overcome before arriving at the finish point. Many people also isolate disabled people because they are seen as stupid and lesser than people who do not have a disability. Lennie represents all of the people who have disabilities because he has his own ideas and dreams but no one lets him speak out and share his ideas. Another problem in society that relates to Of Mice and Men is that Crooks was isolated because of his skin color and many African Americans are still isolated this day because their skin is not white. Even though the book was written in 1937, most of the idea that John Steinbeck wrote about still apply to common life