Of Mice & Men
English Lit: Edexcel IGCSE Of Mice & Men, topic 1.1.4
The Origins of the Title: Of Mice and Men
Of Mice and Men was drawn from a poem by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.
To a Mouse
- The title of the novel is thought to be taken from a poem by Robert Burns (1759-96) called ‘To a Mouse’:
- “The best laid schemes o’ mice and men / Gang aft agley / And leave us nought but grief and pain / For promised joy!”
Connections - poem and plot
- The line “Gang aft agley” translates roughly to “often go wrong”, and it is easy to see how this fits with George and Lennie’s ill-fated plan to own their own farm.
- The poem suggests that we are able to make plans that are well thought out and detailed, but that ultimately they can still go wrong.
Steinbeck's purpose
- Steinbeck’s point seems to be that, even though these plans might not work out, they are essential because they give us the hope to keep going.
Test yourself on Of Mice & Men
Who wrote 'To A Mouse'?