Did you know?

… that the game of Horseshoes is mentioned in several classic American novels and movies?

In the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the ranch hands play horseshoes in their spare time. Here are a few of the passages where he mentions horseshoes:

Through the open door came the thuds and occasional clangs of a horseshoe game, and now and then the sound of voices raised in approval or derision.

There was a clang of horseshoe on iron stake outside and a little cheer of voices.

It was Sunday afternoon. . . . From outside came the clang of horseshoes on the playing peg and the shouts of men, playing, encouraging, jeering.

So what prompted Steinbeck to use the game of horseshoes in this story? Here are three scholarly explanations of the symbolism of Horseshoes:

• The game of horseshoes is symbolic of the characters’ hopes and dreams for a better future. Horseshoes is a game that requires precision and skill, just like achieving one’s dreams.
  
• The characters in the novel hold onto the hope of owning their own land and living a better life, similar to how players aim to throw horseshoes onto a stake.
  
• The game also represents a sense of camaraderie and community, as it is often played by multiple people.

Can you name any other books/movies in which the game of horseshoes appears?