Chin Yew: October 2009

i finally understand this masterpiece story by John Steinbeck.
East of Eden was my first Steinbeck book, and had always
wanted to read Of Mice and Men. reputably, the book was
originally written as a play, and then Steinbeck revert it into
a novel.

reading it, the description and narration feels almost like
the original format it was first intended, where it feels so cinematic,
like you can directly shoot it straight from the book.
which of course, have already been done. twice.
in 1939, the first movie adaptation received 5 Oscar nomination.
the second adaptation in 1992, had John Malkovich starring in it.

the story and writing voice is amazing.
the dialogues are super smooth and had very good rhythm-beat.
the conversations in the book are super indulging,
where sometimes you forget that you are reading a book,
and that you are listening to real life voice-actor talking.

with the thin thickness of the book,
it is full of juxtapose and subtle commentary of
issues like racism, parenting, sociology, woman, evil,
satan, cruelty, greed, ego, economy, sacrifice, happiness.
Steinbeck illustrates mainly the metaphor and meaning
of happiness by making full usage of scenarios, locations,
past, present, character, dialogues,
all juggled very well.

the main reason i love Steinbeck is how
his books had taken away my phobia of reading
'literature' since school time, where i was forced
to read literature books that i don't find interesting at all.

Steinbeck's writing to me feels so modern and punchy.
like design, he uses a very significant style where he commonly
starts with a little abstract and poem-like expression of
the world. like he is narrating on behalf of mother nature,
then he gradually let human-life enters his story. slowly
emerging the human's soul. en-covering human's deepest
desire, slowly, bit and pieces, like the objective of opening
a present but constructed commonly in the sadness of
a dying flower where the petals of the flower slowly dropping.

his story usually ends with the deepest core of the human heart.

and that, i feel 2 things co-existing in his stories;
that we are sad naked creatures of the world
and
"it can be beautiful."

Of Mice and Men,
a definite must read for any enthusiast story writer.

this is the number one book that i'll pass to any
script writers that i might collaborate with in the future,
if they have not read it.

it helps and saves so much time to explain to them,
what well-crafted stories is and what i am looking for.

i'm keen to adapt this book as a play.

the stage-structured-lighting medium can tell this story
so dramatically and artistically.

i'm currently so full of ohm just after reading it
in a go.

i recommend everyone of you now,
who had not read it,
go pick it up now.
it's only 103 pages.

it's one of those books where you can't
stop flipping it, and after finishing it,

your brain starts to reconstruct
what you just read;
sequences from the book, juxtaposing one
another, metaphors and premises slowly forms
and emerges inside you.

like the experience of after a big FLASH of the camera,
and you slowly see the polaroid picture develops itself..

and you go...

"ahhhh............."

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