In his story Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck not only alludes to the text of Robbie Burns' poem "To a Mouse," but also parallels many of the concerns of the poet. The concerns that Burns and Steinbeck referred to are many of the general concerns of people who lived during the Romantic period. This period in history was a time of great social reform, the Industrial revolution, and the French Revolution. People began to develop new ways of thinking, elevation of the common man became popular, and it was believed harmony with nature was the source of all goodness and truth. Passion, rather than reason was emphasized and full expression of the emotions was favoured.

Compassion was a recurring theme during Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men as well as significant concern of the Romantic Period. It deals with the effects of loneliness and man's need for a caring...