In many ways, the situation in the book, "Of mice and Men" is very similar to the recession we are going through today. The great depression started in 1929. It took a whole world war to get out of it. Now, in 2008, the stock market crashed again. Not as bad as 1929, but still enough for banks such as Washington Mutual to fail, and for hundreds of thousands of jobs to be lost. George and Lennie are in the same situation as many farmworkers. They are also migrants so it could be hard for them to land a job. In this economy, many people have lost their jobs, just like in the great depression. Right now, we are in a recession. This isnt as bad a a depression but it is still bad. George and Lennie are victims of the dust bowl. The dust bowl happened when people used the lad too much and took out protective grass. Soon, the ground turned to unfertile sand and dust and nothing could be planted on it.
In the book, they often fantasize about having their own place with rabbits, chickens, a stove, and many other amenities. Being poor, George realizes this cannot happen. When they meet a new person named Candy, he offers to help them finance their dream if he can live with them in their new home. They only have to work another month to pay for it. The trouble is, they get in trouble with Curley and him and Lennie get into a fight. This jeopradizes their chances for getting the land and the house where they can live off the "fatta" the land, says Lennie.
Today, many farmworkers are looking for jobs. the migrant farmworkers are out of jobs and are looking for new ones. Many companies have laid people off and over 10% of people are out of jobs today in the United States.
In the book "Of MIce and Men", people everywhere are feeling the sting of the economy. People work on farms for a month the quit to find better pay or they are just worn out.
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