In hopes of improving essay editing, an Of Mice and Men summary has been provided:

Published in 1937, John Steinbeck’s highly acclaimed novelette/play Of Mice and Men details the tragic and brutally naturalistic story of two migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, as they find themselves caught up in the unforgiving and bitter wind of the Depression era. Inspired by his own days as a bindlestiff in the 20’s, Steinbeck sought to capture the hopelessness and the isolation that characterized such migrant workers of the time as they moved from one place to another, always hungry for more work and food.

The story begins with George chastising Lennie for causing the two of them trouble in Weed, California where Lennie, George’s simple-minded and mentally handicapped companion, had touched a woman’s blouse out of curiosity and had inadvertently made him and George the near-victims of a lynch mob. George, however, forgives Lennie and tells him about the farm they will one day share and George is overjoyed by the concept of tending the rabbits. Together, the two form a rare bond in a listless world – a theme rampant throughout the rest of the story. As George tells Lennie, “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . . With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.”

When they arrive at their next ranch job, George and Lennie meet a handful of characters such as the wise Slim, the old and handicapped Candy, the racially divided and discriminated Crooks, the hot-headed son of the ranch owner Curley, and Curley’s promiscuous wife. George warns Lennie to behave despite his simple-mindedness or else he will not get to tend the rabbits. Together in the bunkhouse, the boys become weary of Candy’s ancient dog and, despite his reluctance, persuade him to allow the boys to put it out of its misery in exchange for one of Slim’s new pups (one of which is also given to Lennie). Candy then relents in misery, feeling that he should have been the one to do it. The conversation turns again to the farm and the dream suddenly becomes palpable when Candy offers to put in his part of the cost. Curley appears, furious over his wife’s debauchery, and takes it out on Lennie. After getting permission from George, Lennie crushes Curley’s hand with little effort. Later, while George and the boys go out on the town one night, Lennie meets Crooks, a negro man who suffers Lennie until he finds that, like himself, Lennie has been segregated against because of forces outside of his control.

After accidentally killing his pup, Lennie finds sympathy in Curley’s wife. In this moment of sympathy, the theme of loneliness and hopeless dreams pervades even her as she tells her own tragic story of her unwanted marriage and failure to become an actress. She does not sense danger in Lennie and in this tragic mistake allows him to satisfy his love of petting soft things by touching her hair. When his strength becomes too much, she tries to scream and, much like the mouse and the pup, he accidentally kills her and then runs from the ranch. A lynch mob is formed by Curley and the gang while George is forced to ponder a final solution for Lennie’s mistake.

The last chapter brings Lennie back to the safe haven George had told him to return to in case of any mishap. Stark imagery of a heron devouring an unsuspecting snake presents an ominous symbol for the fate of the troubled Lennie. Lennie fears he will no longer be able to tend to the rabbits and in his mental anguish is rebuked by hallucinations of his aunt and a large rabbit. When George finally appears, a scene very similar to the beginning is replayed: Lennie under the criticism of George, George forgiving him, and the retelling of the farm to satisfy Lennie’s fantasies. Only this time, George has Carlson’s gun pointed to the back of the head of the unknowing Lennie. George has come to the horrid realization that such an idea of owning a farm in the time he and Lennie are living is utterly hopeless and he knows that he and Lennie must part so that he will no longer find himself attached to such high aspirations. Reminiscent of Candy’s regret over not having put down his own dog, George knows that he must be the one to do it and not Curley. In the bitter end of the story, Slim is the only one to understand George’s pain; his feelings ultimately confuse the others, because in this tragic conclusion to Of Mice and Men, the idealization of friendship and hopes of bettering one’s lot in the time and life of the migrant worker is fruitless and unobtainable, and in the killing of Lennie, George removes himself from an elevated state to that of one like every other migrant worker, where no real bond exists and life is riddled with cheap thrills simply to get by day by day. To end this Of Mice and Men summary and to use an important quote so that it may aid in essay editing, it is crucial to recall Crooks earlier words to Lennie which thus burn bleakly and relentlessly at the end of the story: “Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’… Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.”

John Grant is a professional book reviewer for several websites and UK papers.

I know I’ve had a lot of posts about movies lately, but I think they can easily relate to writing novels. After all most movies are based on books. Anyway, enjoy this guest post!

There are many different types of action that film makers can utilise to grab the viewer’s attention – guns, swords, fist-fights, chase scenes and more. Sometimes, however, several of these are used in one scene, to great dramatic effect.

Casino Royale

Casino Royale is a fine example of this. As Bond goes after Sebastian Foucan, they begin with a chase on foot through a crowded market place. Leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, the two men leap and bound over stalls, pulling down awnings and scattering produce. Ending up on a building site, Foucan pulls a gun, but Bond goes one better. Stealing a bulldozer, he cuts a swath through the site, and as Foucan’s shots are all deflected by the giant shovel, he turns to run once more. A workman throws dynamite at the two fighters, but they dodge, and leave the explosion behind them. Foucan then proceeds to make a daring climb to the top of a crane, and leap down again in a series of improbable, but not impossible, jumps, leaving Bond hanging precariously many hundreds of feet in the air. Yet another chase ensues, this time through a residential building, and Bond finally gets his man – only to find himself in the sights of no less than six rifle holding men.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCA7c0_tO-Q (To embed)

The Matrix: Reloaded

In The Matrix: Reloaded, as Neo, Trinity and Morpheus aid in the escape of a man known only as ‘The Keymaker’, the fight begins in an underground garage. Knives are drawn, and the trio fight the deadly twins, who have the ability to make their forms insubstantial at will. Realising this form of combat is useless against such opponents, Trinity and Morpheus bundle the Keymaker into the back of a car, and the chase is on. Leaving Neo to fend off any enemies who are left behind, the rest begin a crazy chase down the freeway. At this point the guns come out, and the combination of bullets and petrol makes for some pretty impressive explosions. As the car becomes invaded, Trinity grabs the Keymaker and steals a motorbike from an unsuspecting rider. There follows an awesome display of driving skills as she weaves in and out of traffic, dodging bullets and fending off enemies, finally ducking between two lorries where Morpheus is waiting to haul the Keymaker to safety.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLtbQLv9-NA  (To embed)

The Bourne Ultimatum

The Bourne Ultimatum is a two hour riot of action of all descriptions. From start to finish, it is jam-packed with fist fights, shoot outs, and chase scenes encompassing entire cities. Jason Bourne must defend himself against hundreds of attackers, in every way, shape and form. With explosions on every corner, martial arts skills not often seen in the West, and a plethora of pistols, rifles and other stolen weapons, Bourne is a hero for the new era.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlHwct4D3Pw&feature=fvst (To embed)

Many new movies have tried to emulate this dramatic mixture of action, and Vue cinemas bring you the best of the best.

Enjoy this guest post about the Hunger Games. I admit that I didn’t think I’d like the book, but I got into it. I have yet to see the movie, but from what I’ve heard, it’s pretty good.

Books and movies about a world after the collapse of civilization (Dune, Farenheit 451, Soylent Green) hold a consistent nihilist appeal, but Hunger Games adds a new modern twist to the theme: citizens in this post apocalyptic world are forced to fight to the death on what must surely be the ultimate reality T.V. show.

After an unsuccessful revolution to oust the leaders in the “Capitol” (modern reality once again?) who have brought the nation to the edge of ruin, the citizens of the rest of the United State haves been defeated and subjugated. The country is divided into 12 districts, and each district must send two young contenders to fight in what is known as the “Hunger Games”, where their fellow citizens are entertained by watching these contestants fight to the death. Sixteen year old Katniss, after her younger sister is chosen as a contestant in a lottery, volunteers to take her place. Katniss is from a tough, poor mining region of Panem, as the new United States is now known.

Katniss is determined to survive, and yet, despite her coldness and nerves of steel, her vulnerability makes her extremely likable. Her teammate, Peeta, refuses to lose his humanity despite the inhuman conditions, but Katniss recognizes that in order to survive, she has to disconnect from her normal human emotions and become a survival machine. In an interesting comment on the superficiality of the games, and most especially of the audience that watches them, Katniss has to be made over to be more photogenic for her T.V. appearances, despite the fact that her death is the ultimate goal. She rises above her emotions towards the game organizers by removing their humanity in turn, looking upon them as odd little pets. There is no way to prepare for these games, since the methods, locations and circumstances change with each contest. And the contestants must not only win the games (survive) but also the approval of the audience. In an age-old theme, Katniss and Peeta are the underdogs, fighting against opponents who are stronger and better trained than they are.

The book and the movie are gripping and tense, with characters who will appeal to audiences who now understand the dynamics of reality shows: surviving and remaining strong while accepted and popular by the group. Except on this island, they get more than voted out.

Since this is the first of a series, it is inevitably a cliff-hanger, with all of the unresolved issues hopefully to be addressed in the sequels.

If you are fascinated by post-apocalyptic worlds and stories then you might want to consider hiring someone to help you write about one.  You should use the best background check available as well as ask your partner to sign a non-discloser and copyright agreement before you hire them.

Enjoy this guest post about chase scenes! I grew up watching the famously looong one from What’s Up Doc.

Throughout cinema history, there have been hundreds of spectacular chase scenes, gripping the viewer as characters race through crowded back street, fight against on-coming traffic and over-turn innocent bystanders’ cars. Often coming to a fiery conclusion, these are some of the most exciting scenes in the world of films.

Ronin – Paris Chase

Take Ronin – a nine minute car chase through the streets of Paris, and unique for it’s time in that one of the cars is driven by a female, this is a car chase never to be forgotten. There is plenty of action to be had, with massive pile-ups being caused on the Parisian motorways, the majority of the chase being conducted against the flow of traffic, and over-turned lorries aplenty. Culminating in a drive over a bridge, an upside-down landing by the protagonist, and a daring rescue by a crew of workmen from a flaming vehicle mere seconds before it explodes, all whilst under fire from De Niro, this is an unforgettable scene of destruction.

Ben Hur – Chariot Scene

Not all chase scenes are about the car though – the chariot race scene from Ben Hur, with teams of horses frantically racing through the gladiatorial arena is outstanding. Capturing the ancient Roman love of the gruesome spectacle, the makers of Ben Hur have outdone themselves. Spinning blades on the wheels of chariots hack at the heels of horses, screaming crowds urge the drivers on to ever greater risks, and thrown riders can only watch helplessly as other teams of horses thunder towards them as they lie prone in the centre of the track. Freedom or death seems to be the order of the day, and the emperor holds the key to both.

Ben Hur – Chariot Race by andybe29

Blues Brothers – Mall Chase

The mall chase from the Blues Brothers must be included here, even if simply for the epic trail of destruction it leaves behind. Possibly the only totally indoor car chase ever seen on the big screen, this scene begins with the brothers driving into a shopping mall through the window of a toy shop. Leading the police a merry dance through store fronts, stalls and windows, shoppers dive out of the way of the old Dodge and its pursuers into the mountains of broken glass, and the scene ends only as the brothers exit the mall – through another window.

Italian Job – The Getaway

The absolute classic car chase scene, however, has to be from The Italian Job. Although this film has since been re-made, nothing can beat that original race through the streets of Italy. The red, white and blue minis never pick up as much speed as their faster pursuers, but are driven charmingly in perfect unison, creating a dance that even the motorbike riders cannot keep up with. Driving on rooftops, leaping across buildings, down steps, through tunnels and even on water, these cheeky little cars are so perfectly in tune with each other that they are an absolute delight to watch.

Vue cinema hopes that new films 2012 will bring more of the same.