The dialogue in this book was a little disengaging at first. You know how in soap operas the actors sometimes give life histories in the middle of everyday conversations? Such was the case here. In both scenarios it comes across as phoney. It's not that real people don't ever talk about their past, but usually it's not all revealed at once. A reader (or viewer) needs to know the characters' histories of course, but it could be done in way that doesn't distract from authenticity. That said, the story was so great and the characters were so flawlessly written, Steinbeck rescued the tale. A sad tale, it follows the ambitious-but-lower-working-class duo of Lennie and George as they come (at least in their own imaginations) closer to their dream. These two characters are immensely compelling (not to mention the minor characters who lead their own intriguing lives). At first I was drawn to George; a very human character. He uses Lennie to help him reach his goal, but you don't hate him for it. It is obvious that despite this, the relationship is symbiotic. Lennie needs George to care for him and help him reach his goal as well. And it is obvious the two love each other either because or despite of this. As the book progressed though, it was Lennie's character that drew me in. Lennie is a simpleton, to be sure, but he was the best representation of the American Dream (a poor term- aren't most of us in the Western industrialized world living the same dream to some extent?). All of our fancy toys are Lennie's furry friends. We want them and are naive about the consequences; dead puppies or sweatshops. Despite the unbelievable dialogue early in the book, the characters are still believable in themselves. Evil is rarely black and white and Steinbeck didn't forget this for one second.