What does the title OF MICE AND MEN mean?

Question

can someone tell in easier words

Answer 1

The best laid schemes of mice and men:

Meaning - The most carefully prepared plans may go wrong.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/62050...

http://www.answers.com/topic/of-mice-and...

http://www.answers.com/%20of%20mice%20an...

THE BUSINESS ASPECTS OF THIS PROVERB ARE SIMPLE:

The best laid plans of mice and men.....often go awry. Let's face it, the real problem is that the marketing dept. and the game development dept. may work for the same company, but the right hand doesn't always know what the left hand is doing. Release dates are best guesses, and I think people are so excited they are working themselves into a frenzy.

We again see how, in the words of Thomas Carlyl, the poet "rises to the high, stoops to the low, and is brother and playmate to all nature." This is, by readers gentle and readers simple, acknowledged to be one of the most perfect little gems that ever human genius produced. One of its couplets has passed into a proverb:- "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, gang aft agley."

Answer 2

Most of these posts are true and accurate. I e Robbie Burns poem. But could Steinbeck have also played with the words namely some of the characters act like "men" while others like mice lacking moral or physical strength/ I ll leave you to figure out who is who!  

Answer 3

It refers to a a line in a poem "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns.

"The plans of mice and men often go awry."

The original Scot dialect was:

"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men

Gang aft agley,"

Burns also wrote "Auld Lang Syne" which is song on New Years: "Should old acquaintance be forgot ..."

Answer 4

Oh, it's from this Shakespeare poem or something

Answer 5

its a reference to a poem by Robert Burns called "To a Mouse".

To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough

1785

Type: Poem

    Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,

    O, what a panic's in thy breastie!

    Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

    Wi' bickering brattle!

    I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,

    Wi' murd'ring pattle!

    I'm truly sorry man's dominion,

    Has broken nature's social union,

    An' justifies that ill opinion,

    Which makes thee startle

    At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,

    An' fellow-mortal!

    I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;

    What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!

    A daimen icker in a thrave

    'S a sma' request;

    I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,

    An' never miss't!

    Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!

    It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!

    An' naething, now, to big a new ane,

    O' foggage green!

    An' bleak December's winds ensuin,

    Baith snell an' keen!

    Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,

    An' weary winter comin fast,

    An' cozie here, beneath the blast,

    Thou thought to dwell-

    Till crash! the cruel coulter past

    Out thro' thy cell.

    That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,

    Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!

    Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,

    But house or hald,

    To thole the winter's sleety dribble,

    An' cranreuch cauld!

    But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

    In proving foresight may be vain;

    The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men

    Gang aft agley,

    An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

    For promis'd joy!

    Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me

    The present only toucheth thee:

    But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.

    On prospects drear!

    An' forward, tho' I canna see,

    I guess an' fear!  

Answer 6

It's from "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns

I think the line goes:

"The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley."



Meaning things don't work out as one intends!

Answer 7

Of Mice and Men is a classic, and also one that I have never read, though it is on my list to read this winter.  However, there are numerous free on line resources that can help you with your study of this novel, most of which analyze the story, discuss themes and symbolism and other literary devices, and give character sketches.  If you do a search you will find many helpful resources.  Additionally hundreds of questions have been asked here on Y!A about Of Mice and Men so do a search for it in the Yahoo Answers search window and you will find lots of Q’s and A’s that should help you.    

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/t...

http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/mi...

http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/prose...

Answer 8

It is from a line in a Robert Burns poem. "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.

Read more poetry!