Symbolism in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck had originally intended his novel to be titled Something That Happened. By that, he meant that sometimes, nature and fate operate completely on their own. Because humans did not create them, fate and nature are not confined to the categories of good and bad, which are human terms. Therefore, by titling the story Something That Happened, Steinbeck was going to say that sometimes things just happen for no good reason, like Lennie’s death. Tragic as it was, it was just another act of fate and nature.
The real title of the book is just as symbolic. The title Of Mice and Men comes from a poem by Robert Burke. “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, leaving us grief and pain instead of promised joy.” The quote is symbolic of the story. George and Lennie had made many big plans, all shattered by fate. Instead of the joy they would have found in their dreams, George is left alone with the pain of loss. The loss of a dear friend, and perhaps a dream...