Of Mice and Men: Interpretive Response At the beginning of the book “Of Mice and Men” when John Steinbeck (the narrator) writes, “They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other; Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders” he introduces us to Lenin and George, we as readers know right away that there is an inequality between the two men: one man is walking behind another. Furth more the two men are dressed identically, it is perhaps a way to point up the idea that inequality will always be part of a relationship— but we should try to make the relationship as equal as possible. Of mice and men is a novel that tells the story of two migrant ranch workers George Milton and Lennie Small who move from town to town in California in search of job opportunities —with the dream of one day having a ranch of their own. Steinbeck idealizes friendship, and the signification of the dream that Lenin and George (later on Candy) share—but also, he emphasizes on the loneliness that certain of the secondary characters feel. Friendship is a significant theme in “Of mice and men”. Approaching the end of section 1 before Lenin and George arrive at the ranch, they camp for the night in a beautiful setting in the bush and George tells Lennie how special their relationship is—which is the core of the novel, in this