Economic Analysis; Of Mice & Men

Every period of U.S history has produced unique varieties of American literature. The great depression (1929-41), the most severe economic crisis the nation had ever experienced, was no exception. Talented writers produced an array of books, some crafted books that revealed much about Americans caught in the economic devastation of the depression. John Steinbeck was one of the best known American novelists of the mid-20th century. His frequent topic was the plight of the misfits, the homeless and the hopeless in a fast-changing America. An initial reading of Steinbeck`s `Of Mice and Men` reveals the cruel path Individuals comes face-to-face with in pursuit of happiness and freedom (freedom being the private ownership of land and one`s rewards from it), as illustrated for example by the killing of Lennie by George, who, by then realises it was the end of their dream. Upon further analysis, however, it has become evident that critics have failed to realise the economical view that can also be derived from this novel.

By undertaking a comparative analysis of the text, it is clear that though goods and services vary from individuals pursuing dreams, respectively, they are both dependent variables. This is evident in the life of George and Lennie, Crooks, and the ranch sellers. As such, the novel continues to be relevant today by reflecting the importance of the notion of demand(d), supply(s) and their determinants, not only in a market but also in the society and the lives of individuals.

According to Economics, price is the monetary value that a good or service possesses, but comparing it to the context of `Of Mice and Men`, we will equate price to the natural plight individuals go through to achieve their dreams, also, demand is an economic principle that describes a consumer`s desire and willingness to pay a price for a specific good or service ( In comparison to the context of the novel, we shall equate this to the entire individuals willing to follow their dream of freedom), quantity demanded (Qd) is the total amount of goods which individuals want and are able to buy (in comparison to the novel, we equate this to the number of individuals that are able to achieve their dreams). Supply is another economic principle that describes the total amount of a good or service available for purchase ( also, this will be equated to the number of external figures that are able to provide help to these individuals in pursuit of their dreams, for example, the owner of the ranch that employed George and Lennie). Lastly, quantity supplied(Qs) is the number of goods and services supplied at a given price, (disregarding the price, we will look at quantity supplied as the number of external figures that actually provide help and contribute indirectly to the realisation of the individual`s dreams). Below is a diagram to demonstrate the effect of price on demand, supply, quantity demanded, and quantity supplied. Recalling from what we discussed above, we therefore conclude that an increase in the plight individuals go through to achieve their dreams (Price, from $4 to $6) would mean a decrease in the number of people that are able to achieve their dreams (quantity demanded (Qd) ), and an increase in the number of external figures that provide help to these individuals (Qs), because they know now that since the stakes are higher, individuals who are willing to do more to achieve their dreams will work more for less or for the same benefits they received earlier.

But we see also, that at the initial price ($4), individuals got the exact amount of help from external figures that they needed. We call this point equilibrium point, where the number of individuals seeking help equals the number of external figures providing help. The equilibrium effect was greatly emphasised in the struggle of George and Lennie.

Although the term `struggle` is used for George and Lennie, indeed there was no much struggle at all. We recall that equilibrium is where help needed, equals help provided. We see this in the context of the book, where George says "You remember about us goin` in to Murray and Ready`s, and they give us work cards and bus tickets?" (Steinbeck 5) It was no stress for George and Lennie to get the work cards, because the work they needed was available. In `Principle of microeconomics`, it is stated that "the equilibrium price is sometimes called the market-clearing price because, at this price, everyone in the market has been satisfied: buyers can buy all they want and sellers can sell all they want to sell." (Mankiw, Kneebone, McKenzie, and Rowe, 81), similarly at the equilibrium in `Of Mice and Men`, the plight is not that of a stressful one, as individuals and external figures are both satisfied, individuals can work all they want to get the necessary funds to help them achieve their goal, and external figures can also employ as much as they want, as they get cheap labour. While these two may be in perfect position to achieve their goals, others experience fluctuations in their plight.

Crooks, the stable buck, who happened to be a nigger, had experienced varied plight fluctuations that pushed him out of the market and back into it. For Crooks, we may well assume that his price began at $6 in the above diagram, because at $6, we recall there is a decrease in the number of people able to achieve their dreams, that decrease meant Crooks was taken out, because, seeing as Crooks was a nigger, land ownership was hard or even impossible for him, we notice in the context of the novel, he once lived on a ranch owned by his father, but was later taken away from his father, this made him realise he could not achieve that dream, he acknowledged this in saying "The white kids come to play at our place, an` sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol` man didn`t like that. I never knew till long later why he didn`t like that. But I know now." (Steinbeck 77) But as George and Lennie came, so did hope for Crooks that he could go along, and partake in the dream, thereby decreasing his plight (price) down to the $4 at which everyone is satisfied.

In this situation also, we see that that the number of external figures that provide help (Qs) is greater than the number of individual that are able to achieve their dream, in `Principle of Macroeconomics`, this is described as a `surplus`(Mankiw, Kneebone, McKenzie, and Rowe, 82). Surplus can be of a great disadvantage to external figures, because at this point, the number of people able to achieve their dream has fallen (Qd), meaning less people working to achieve goals as some have given up or have gone in pursuit of some other dream that involves less suffering.

Surplus is a disadvantage for external figures such as ranch owners, because seeing as less people are working, they will either need to be paid more to do more jobs, or the pay would have to be increased to attract more workers. The ranch owners that were planning to sell the ranch to George and Lennie proved that a surplus is a deprivation on the benefits from selling the ranch. Seeing as people were dropping out of the dream pursuit meant not much people were interested in the ranch anymore, so the price had to be set at a reasonable price, which is below what it would have been sold for disregarding the surplus. "Well I could get it for six hundred bucks" (Steinbeck 65), these words of George to candy signifies that indeed, this was a bargain price, and this was brought about by the surplus being experienced by the external figures (Qs).

In `Principle of Microeconomics`, the authors emphasized that the surplus can be abolished by cutting prices (Mankiw, Kneebone, McKenzie and Rowe 82), in this case price equals plight, so when the ranch owners cut prices, they also reduce plight, thereby increasing Qd and due to the loss of benefit, decrease Qs.

In conclusion, it is clear that while one`s cruel path to freedom is a significant theme in Steinbeck`s `Of Mice and Men`, a comparative analysis of the characters reveal that although goods and services may have nothing in common to individuals and their dreams, they both still remain dependent variables. This is evident in the complex life of George and Lennie, the situation of Crooks, and the Deprivation of the ranch sellers. Because the notion of demand and supply still prevail today in today`s society, and the idea of dependent variables still impact meaning into the interaction of demand and supply, the novel continues to be relevant today by showing the reasons why dreams are attainable by some and not all individuals. Works Cited

Mankiw, Kneebone, McKenzie and Rowe. Principles of Macroeconomics. Thomson Nelson, 2008.

Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New york: Viking Press, 1969.