FREE ESSAY ON OF MICE AND MEN

OF MICE AND MEN

OF MICE AND MEN 
KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS 
SETTING 
This book is set in two places. It starts beside a stream, close to the Salinas River, a
few miles 
South of Soledad. It then moves to a ranch, where the major part of the story is set. At
the end of 
the novel, the setting comes back to where it started. 
The stream introduces George and Lennie. They are on their way to a near-by ranch. The 
surrounding land is thick in vegetation and has its own wild life. Men frequent it, as
there are ash 
piles made by many fires and the limbs of the sycamore tree have been smoothed by the
many 
men who have sat on it. 
The ranch, where the major part of the story takes place, appears isolated and lonely. It
includes 
a ranch house, a bunkhouse where the ranch workers live, a barn, and a harness-room off
the 
barn. 
CHARACTERS 
Major Characters 
George - the protagonist and main character of the book. He is a caring, compassionate,
and 
understanding human being who dreams of owning his own piece of land. 
Lennie - the obedient friend of George. He has a child's mind and a giant's body. It is
these 
contrasting qualities that cause him problems. 
Old Candy - one of the lonely ranch workers. He is a cripple, working as a 'Swamper'. 
Crooks - a black ranch hand. He is sensible and neat, with a mind of his own. He is a
lonely 
character, who is discriminated against, due to his race. 
Slim - a ranch worker with leadership qualities. He commands respect from all on the
ranch. 
Curley - the boss's son who is a light weight boxer. He picks fights with everybody on
the ranch. 
Curley's wife - the only woman on the ranch. She is very flirtatious. 
Minor Characters 
Carlson - a brutal man. He objects to Candy keeping his old dog. 
Whit - a ranch worker. He is sent to town to fetch the Sheriff after Curley's wife is
murdered. 
The Boss - a 'mice fella' (in Candy's words). He is more concerned about his work on the
ranch 
than anyone else. 
CONFLICT 
Protagonist: The protagonist of the story is George. He is the kind-hearted ranch hand
who is 
concerned about his friend Lennie and watches out for him. 
Antagonist: The antagonist of the story is George's trying to care for the handicapped
Lennie. 
Because he has a giant's body and a child's mind, Lennie accidentally kills Curley's
wife; at the 
same time he kills the dream of owning a farm that has kept George and Lennie positive
about 
the future 
Climax: The climax occurs when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife. George knows that
he 
can no longer save Lennie, for Curley will want revenge. 
Outcome: Of Mice and Men ends in tragedy. George feels compelled to mercifully kill his 
friend and companion, Lennie, in order to save him from a brutal death. The death of
Lennie also 
marks the death of the beautiful dream they have been nurturing. 
MOOD 
The dominant mood of the story is that of expectation. This mood is developed through the

dreams of the major characters. The other mood that prevails is premonitory, of impending

doom. There are also other moods evoked through the actions of the characters reflecting
sorrow, 
pity, and brutality. The novel ends on a tragic note. The mood at the end is definitely
one of 
depression and frustration. 
PLOT (Synopsis) 
One evening, two men, on their way to a ranch, stop at a stream near the Salinas River.
George, 
who is short and dark, leads the way. The person following him is Lennie, a giant of a
man with 
huge arms. During their conversation by the stream, George repeatedly asks Lennie to keep
his 
mouth shut on the ranch, suggesting that Lennie has some kind of problem. After supper
and 
before going to sleep, the two of them talk about their dream to own a piece of land. 
The next day, George and Lennie travel to the ranch to start work. They are given two
beds in 
the bunkhouse. Then Old Candy introduces them to almost everybody on the ranch. They meet

the boss and the boss's son Curley, who is quite rude. They also meet Curley's wife when
she 
comes looking for her husband. She wears heavy make-up and possesses a flirtatious
attitude. 
George warns Lennie to behave his best around Curley and his wife. He also suggests that
they 
should meet by the pool if anything unfortunate happens to either of them on the ranch. 
George and Lennie are assigned to work with Slim, who is sensible and 'civilized' and
talks with 
authority. George finds Slim an understanding confidante, and a bond forms between the
two of 
them. When Curley wrongly accuses Slim for talking to his wife, Slim gets very angry.
Curley 
apologizes to him in the bunkhouse in front of everybody, but his apology is rejected.
Curley 
vents his frustration on Lennie, trying to pick a fight. Lennie does not hit back
initially, but when 
George asks him to, Lennie obliges and crushes Curley's hand. Curley agrees that he will
not tell 
anyone about his hand, for it would mean losing his self-respect. 
While working on the ranch, George and Lennie continue to dream about owning their own
piece 
of land and make plans accordingly. Old Candy, one of the ranch hands, overhears their
planning 
and asks to join them. He even offers to contribute all of his savings to purchase the
land. George 
and Lennie accept his proposal. 
One evening, Lennie, looking for his puppy, enters the room of Crooks; since he is the
only 
black man on the ranch, Crooks lives alone, segregated from the other ranch workers.
Candy 
enters, looking for Lennie; the two of them tell Crooks about their dream of owning their
own 
ranch, but Crooks tells them that it will never happen, foreshadowing the truth. Curley's
wife 
comes in and interrupts them. When Crooks objects to her presence in his room, she
threatens 
him with a false rape charge. 
Later on, Lennie is seen alone in the barn, petting his dead pup. He has unintentionally
killed it 
by handling it too hard. Now he is grieving over the loss. Curley's wife walks into the
barn and 
strikes up a conversation with Lennie. As they talk, she asks him to stroke her hair. She
panics 
when she feels Lennie's strong hands. When she raises her voice to him, Lennie covers her

mouth. In the process, he accidentally breaks her neck and she dies. Knowing he has done

something terrible, he leaves the ranch. When the ranch hands learn that Curley's wife
has been 
killed, they rightly guess the guilty party. Led by an angry Curley, they all go out to
search for 
Lennie. They plan to murder him in retribution. 
George guesses where Lennie is and races to the pool. To save him from the brutal
assaults of 
the ranch hands, George mercifully kills his friend himself. Hearing the gunshot, the
searchers 
converge by the pool. They praise George for his act. Only Slim understands the actual
purpose 
of George's deed. 
THEMES 
Major Theme 
The major theme of the book, Of Mice and Men, is that a dream, no matter how impossible
to 
obtain, can forge friendship and give meaning to life. George and Lennie dream of owning
a 
little farm of ten acres, with a windmill, a little shack, an orchard, and animals. The
dream keeps 
them going and lightens the load of their work. It also solidifies their friendship. 
Minor Themes 
One of the minor themes is the tragedy of mental retardation. Lennie never intends to
harm 
anything, neither the puppy nor Curley's wife. He is simply too slow to realize his own
strength. 
His retardation is the cause of his downfall and death, in spite of George's trying to
help him stay 
out of trouble. 
The pain of loneliness is another theme of the book. All the main characters, including
George, 
Lennie, Candy, Crooks, Curley's wife, and Slim, express the sadness caused by their
feelings of 
loneliness. The craving for company and the longing for sharing real emotions make these

characters very human. 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
JOHN STEINBECK 
Born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California, John Ernest Steinbeck was the third of
four 
children. Though poor, Steinbeck had a normal childhood and attended public school,
graduating 
from Salinas High School in 1919. As a student, he had an inclination towards reading and

writing, which was encouraged by his mother, a schoolteacher herself. He was a frequent 
contributor to the school magazine. 
Steinbeck studied at Stanford University from 1920 to1925. Although he intended to become
a 
marine biologist, he never completed a degree. The courses that attracted his attention
most were 
zoology, English, and classical literature. While at Stanford, he wrote frequently and
was often 
published in the college newspaper. After leaving the University, he worked at a variety
of jobs. 
He went to New York, determined to become a writer. Between 1925 and 1927, he attempted
to 
earn a living as a reporter and a free-lance writer, but was unsuccessful. Disappointed,
he left 
New York and returned to the West Coast, where he met his first wife, Carol. 
Steinbeck's first novel, Cup of Gold (1929), is based on the life of Sir Henry Morgan, a
famous 
English pirate of the sixteen hundreds. His next work, The Pastures of Heaven (1932), is
a 
collection of stories about the people on a farm community near Salinas. In this work,
Steinbeck 
focuses on the struggle between human beings and nature. These first two books received
scant 
attention. Finally in 1933, Steinbeck achieved success with his short story The Red Pony.

Steinbeck's next novel, Tortilla Flat (1935), dealt with the migrant workers and poor
farmers. In 
Dubious Battle (1936) realistically portrays the labor strife in California during the
nineteen 
thirties. This novel also sets forth Steinbeck's concept of group humanity through the
character 
of Doc Burton. This concern reappears in The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and The Sea of Cortez

(1941). Of Mice and Men (1937) became a best seller and was adapted for the stage and a
movie. 
In 1940 Steinbeck went on an expedition to the Gulf of California (also called The Sea of

Cortez) with his friend Ed Ricketts, a marine biologist. Steinbeck shared with him a deep
interest 
in biology. The result of this trip was a joint publication, The Sea of Cortez: A
Leisurely Journal 
of Travel and Research. The book is in two parts. The first part narrates the voyage and
records 
various conversations and speculations, and the second part describes the marine
organisms 
collected by the men. 
Other works include Cannery Row (1944), The Wayward Bus (1947), The Pearl (1947), Burning

Bright (1950), East of Eden (1952), Sweet Thursday (1954), and The Winter of Our
Discontent 
(1961). East of Eden is Steinbeck's longest and most ambitious work. It follows three
generations 
of a Californian family from 1860 to the First World War. The title refers to the family
strife, 
which parallels the conflict between the Biblical figures of Cain and Abel. 
Steinbeck received the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
He died 
on December 20, 1968, and is buried in Salinas, California, the place of his birth and
setting for 
many of his novels. 
LITERARY/HISTORICAL INFORMATION 
Started with a tentative title of Something that Happened, the book, Of Mice and Me, took
the 
form of an extended short story. Steinbeck rejected the initial version of the story, for
he felt that 
he had been unable to keep his own voice and viewpoint out of its narration. Steinbeck
reworked 
and expanded the story, adding more characters. He also added more dialogue, taking
particular 
care to reflect the accent and dialect of uneducated farm workers. It is said that a
large section of 
the book was rewritten by Steinbeck again, for his original manuscript was chewed up by
his 
dog. 
The working title of the book, Something that Happened, was changed when his best friend
Ed 
Ricketts suggested the present title and introduced him to Robert Burns' poem 'To a
Mouse'. The 
words of the poem are as follows: 
The best laid schemes o'mice and men 
Gang aft agley. 
And leave us nought but grief and pain 
For promised joy. 
The poet talks about man's enslavement to forces of nature which he cannot control,
destroying 
hopes and dreams. This is what happens with George and Lennie. 
CHAPTER SUMMARIES AND NOTES 
CHAPTER 1 
The book opens with a detailed geographic description of the countryside around the
Salinas 
River, a few miles south of Soledad. As two men walk from the dusty road to the cooling
stream, 
the native rabbits scurry away. George, a short man, is seen first. He has sharp features
with a 
thin and bony nose and restless eyes. He also has strong hands and slender arms. George
is 
followed by Lennie, a huge man, built like a bear. His giant arms hang like pendulums at
his 
side. Both men are dressed in denim trousers, denim coats with brass buttons, black hats,
and 
blankets, which are wrapped around round their necks. 
Lennie is thirsty and dips his mouth into the green water, drinking like a horse. George
stops 
him, for the stream appears stagnant. George remarks that Lennie would drink from a
gutter if he 
were thirsty. George refreshes himself and lies down to rest. Lennie splashes in the
water and 
then joins George. 
When George talks about going to the ranch, the forgetful Lennie does not seem to
understand. 
When Lennie inquires once more about what they are going to do there, George grows
impatient. 
Lennie apologizes, saying that he tries hard not to forget things. George explains to him
once 
again that they are going to work on a ranch, which is located nearby. He warns Lennie to
refrain 
from talking to anyone at the ranch and begs him to behave. 
George notices Lennie reaching into his pocket and asks him to hand over whatever he is
hiding 
there. Lennie hands him a dead mouse that he has found along the road and put in his
pocket to 
pet. George throws it away in disgust. He then reminds Lennie that whenever he pets
things, it 
seems to get both of them in trouble, as it did on their last job. Lennie has already
forgotten what 
has happened there. 
George sends Lennie to look for some sticks so they can build a fire and prepare dinner.
When 
he returns, George sees that he is wet and carrying only one stick. He immediately knows
that 
Lennie has retrieved the dead mouse from where he has hurled it. George asks for the
mouse, 
and Lennie resists giving it to him. George explains that a dead mouse is not a fit pet
and 
demands that Lennie hand it over, which he does reluctantly. George then sends Lennie off
to 
look for wood again. When Lennie returns with enough sticks, they build a fire and warm
up 
three cans of beans for supper. While the beans are heating, Lennie asks for ketchup to
go on his 
beans, even though it should be obvious that they have none. George is suddenly irritated
with 
his friend's slowness and angrily explains all the things he could do without Lennie,
including 
going to a cat house, drinking lots of whiskey, and keeping a job. 
Lennie knows that he has put George in a foul mood. Although he does not understand why 
George is angry, he still tries to make up, saying that he will go away to some far-off
hills and 
live in a cave if George does not want them to stay together. George is touched by his
friend's 
simplicity and honesty and reacts in a very understanding manner. He reassures Lennie
that he 
does not want him to go away. Lennie then asks George to tell him again about their
dream. 
George explains how the two of them are going to save their money and buy a ten acre
farm, 
where they can raise rabbits, cows, pigs, chicken, and cherries. 
After dinner, George decides they should spend the night by the stream and head to the
ranch in 
the morning. He then reminds Lennie again about not talking to other people on the ranch.
He 
also tells him that if there is ever trouble on the ranch, Lennie should return to this
same site and 
hide in the near-by bushes, where George will come and find him. Lennie promises to
remember 
the place. They drift peacefully off to sleep, thinking about the little farm they want
to own. 
Notes 
The book opens with a detailed description of the physical landscape around the Salinas
River, 
which Steinbeck knew very well. He then gives a physical description of the two major 
characters, contrasting George's small stature and Lennie's giant body. George appears
first, 
leading his friend and suggesting that he is in control. Almost immediately, it becomes
obvious 
as to why, for Lennie is slow. Steinbeck describes him eagerly snorting water from the
stagnant 
stream as if he were a horse. When he sees what Lennie is doing, George commands him to
stop, 
for he does not want his friend to get sick. Suddenly, the stage is set for the entire
novel. Lennie 
is retarded, and George's role is to watch over and protect him. 
Lennie's character as an innocent, immature, unthinking, and highly dependent character
is 
developed in this section. He splashes in the cool stream like a child. He constantly
forgets things 
that he is told or has experienced, even though he tries and tries to remember; he cannot
even 
remember having to escape from the last town because of trouble. He naively puts a dead
mouse 
in his pocket for a pet, not understanding that it is dirty and unfit. He asks for things
that are 
impossible, demanding ketchup for his beans. George knows Lennie's limitations and
watches 
out for his friend. 
Quite contrary to Lennie's gigantic body, which can do the work of two or three men, his
spirit is 
tender and gentle. Like a child, he is fond of petting soft things, like a mouse or
rabbit. When he 
upsets George, he offers to go away and live by himself in a cave. He constantly dreams
of 
owning a small farm, where he can raise some rabbits as pets. His fondness for small
creatures is 
symbolic of his identification with them. Just as rabbits are delicate and need to be
protected 
from preying animals, Lennie has to be constantly looked after by George. 
George shows that he is a sensible man, who understands how he must care for Lennie. For
his 
friend's own good, he knows that he must treat Lennie like a child, giving him the same 
instructions several times and disciplining him to encourage proper behavior. George
recollects 
the problem created by Lennie at their previous work place, when he touched and held the
soft 
dress of a little girl until she screamed for help; the incident forced them to quit
their jobs and 
run from town. As a result, he repeatedly warns Lennie to refrain from touching things or
talking 
to the other workers on the next ranch. He also tells Lennie that if there is ever
trouble, he should 
return to the stream and hide in the bushes, where George will come and find him. 
George is also shown to be caring and compassionate. Although he grows irritated with
Lennie's 
requests and questions, he regrets being mean to him and reassures him that he does not
want 
him to go and live in a cave. He also constantly watches out for his welfare, insisting
he not 
drink the stagnant water or carry the dirty mouse. He also explains to Lennie more than
once 
how he should act on the ranch so that he can stay out of trouble. Most importantly, he
includes 
Lennie in his dreams, planning to take his friend with him to his ten-acre farm that he
wants to 
buy and promising him that he can raise rabbits there. 
It is important to notice the close bond that exists between the two men. Although George
does 
grow frustrated with Lennie's handicaps, they genuinely care about one another and plan
their 
future together. George states, Guys like us. . .got no fambly. . .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. In the
company 
of each other, they do not feel loneliness in this stark and lonely landscape. This will
be in sharp 
contrast to the loneliness that the other workers feel on the isolated ranch. 
It is also important to notice the foreshadowing that occurs in this first section of the
book. 
Lennie is fascinated with soft things; he hides the mouse in his pocket for it has a soft
touch, and 
he dreams of raising soft, furry rabbits. The fact that Lennie does not know his own
strength is 
also explained when he says, 'I'd pet 'em (mice), and pretty soon they bit my fingers and
I 
pinched their heads a little and then they was dead.' George makes it clear that Lennie's
petting 
things has gotten them into trouble before. He also explains that they have had to leave
other jobs 
quickly because of problems caused by Lennie. All of these facts foreshadow the trouble
that 
will occur on the new ranch. 
It is finally important to remember that the title of the book is Of Mice and Men. In
this first 
chapter, both mice and men are introduced and discussed at length. 
CHAPTER 2 
The next morning, George and Lennie reach the ranch around ten o'clock. They go to the 
bunkhouse, a long rectangular room filled with beds and shelves made of apples boxes. The

room also has a table for playing cards. An old ranch hand assures George that the boss
is a nice 
man and that the place is very clean, in spite of the insect repellent that George spies
on his bed. 
The boss enters the room and inquires of George the reason for being a day late to work.
George 
explains that they had to walk a long way. When the boss asks for their names, George
tells him 
both names and explains that Lennie is a slow thinker but a strong, hard worker. He also
says 
that Lennie is his cousin, who he has watched after for a long time at his aunt's
request. 
After the boss leaves, George reminds Lennie once again about behaving correctly and not

talking needlessly to the other ranch hands or to the boss. Candy, an old cripple who
does some 
of the small chores on the ranch, overhears their conversation. When George confronts
him, 
Candy denies hearing a word. Curley, the boss's son, interrupts them; he has come looking
for 
his father. When he spies Lennie, he begins asking him questions. George always answers
for 
Lennie, which angers Curley. He rudely demands that Lennie answer him directly in the
future. 
When Curley leaves, Candy tells George that the young man used to be a lightweight boxer
and 
picks fights with everybody, especially men that are bigger than he. As a forewarning,
George 
proclaims that Curley had better not attempt a fight with Lennie. Candy then tells George
about 
Curley's new wife. He describes her as a flirtatious woman who has eyes for every man on
the 
ranch. After Candy leaves, George warns Lennie about Curley and tells him not to lose his

temper around him, no matter what happens. He also reminds Lennie of the hiding place by
the 
stream. 
Curley's wife enters, looking for her husband, and stays, flirting with George, even
after she is 
told that Curley has gone. Lennie, staring at her, outwardly shows he is impressed with
her 
beauty. After she leaves, George tells him he must not stare at her again and warns
Lennie that 
any contact with the lady will cause a direct confrontation with Curley. Lennie is scared
and 
upset. He wants to leave the ranch and says that this ain't no good place. . .it's mean
here. 
George reminds him that they must earn some money if they are ever to have their own
farm. 
Lennie understands and agrees. Ironically, their staying on the ranch destroys the dream.
For 
once, George should have paid attention to Lennie's intuition. 
Slim, a ranch hand that commands respect, comes into the bunkhouse for lunch and strikes
up a 
conversation in a friendly tone. He asks George and Lennie to become part of his team.
Carlson, 
another ranch hand, walks in and talks about Slim's dog having a new litter of pups. They
decide 
to give one of the puppies to Candy to replace his old, blind, and stinking mutt. When
Candy and 
Carlson leave, George promises to ask for one of the puppies for Lennie. He instinctively
knows 
that his friend wants one for a pet. 
Curley comes in again, looking for his wife. When he leaves the room, George has a
premonition 
that Curley will cause problems. 
Notes 
In this second chapter, Steinbeck vividly describes the remaining important characters of
the 
story. Candy is pictured as old, bored, and physically handicapped, with a wooden stick
for a 
right arm. He is a keen observer as he goes about his chores and knows about most things
that go 
on at the ranch. He is compared to his old mutt, his constant companion. The boss of the
ranch is 
the second important person introduced in the chapter. Although described as a nice man,
he is 
irritable by nature and voices his displeasure when George answers the questions
addressed to 
Lennie. The boss' son, Curley, is next introduced. He comes in with his hands covered in

Vaseline, for he wants them to remain soft and smooth for his wife. Although he is short,
he is 
solid, having trained as a lightweight boxer. He is also vain and rude, trying to mask
his 
insecurity and inferiority complex. To hide his weaknesses and size, he acts big and
tries to pick 
fights, enjoying hurting someone. He is a total contrast to Lennie, who is huge in
stature and 
hates hurting anything. As a person, Curley definitely introduces a note of the ominous
into the 
novel. 
Curley's wife is introduced next. She is painted as a vulgar woman who is quite proud of
her 
position on the ranch as the boss's daughter-in-law. She wears heavy make-up and flirts
with 
every man on the ranch. Not understanding her appearance or her motives, the innocent
Lennie 
thinks she is pretty. Slim is a friendly man, who asks Lennie and George to join his
team. He is 
described as a man in his late thirties, who loves his job and is neat and clean. He is
also a 
thinking man, who ponders things. When he learns Lennie and George are together, he 
comments, 'I don't know why many guys don't travel together. Maybe the whole world is
afraid 
of each other.' 
Again in this chapter, Steinbeck demonstrates how George protects Lennie. He answers the

boss's questions about Lennie, even though it causes the boss to be angry. He does the
same 
when Curley questions Lennie. After learning about Curley's background, George warns
Lennie 
to stay away from him. He also tells Lennie he must never again stare at Curley's wife.
George 
obviously senses that things are not going to be easy for he and Lennie on the ranch with
Curley 
and his wife around. As a result, he reminds Lennie once again about the hiding place in
the 
bushes by the stream. In spite of his slowness, Lennie also has an ominous feeling about
the 
ranch and says, This ain't no good place. 
In addition to his intense devotion towards Lennie, George has a strong moral sense. Even

though he does not like Curley, he does not like it when the men tease Curley for wearing
a 
glove full of Vaseline. He says, That's a dirty thing to tell around. George is also
pictured as 
being concerned about cleanliness, inspecting his bunk for bed bugs and asking questions
about 
the insecticide on the shelf. His cleanliness is in direct contrast to Lennie, who
carries a dead, 
dirty mouse in his pocket and thinks nothing of drinking stagnant water. 
This end of the chapter focuses on the fact that Slim's dog has given birth to puppies.
Carlson 
and Slim decide that Candy's old, blind dog needs to be killed and replaced with one of
the new 
puppies. The manner in which the death of the dog is planned suggests the violence and
brutality 
of life on the ranch. When Lennie hears about the puppies, he immediately wants one for a
pet. 
The kind George promises to ask Slim for one. 
It is important to notice the clear, simple style of this chapter. There is considerable
dialogue that 
reveals much about the characters. Using the third person, impersonal narrator, Steinbeck
also 
gives a clear, crisp picture of the events that transpire in the bunkhouse, without
making any 
personal comment. He begins the scene by describing the physical bareness of the ranch
and the 
bunkhouse, creating a feeling of foreboding; by the end of the chapter, he has created a
fully 
ominous feeling, due to the personalities of Curley and his wife. Both George and Lennie
have a 
bad reaction to the ranch. 
CHAPTER 3 
It is evening in the bunkhouse, and George is seen thanking Slim for giving one of his
puppies to 
Lennie. The modest Slim says it was nothing, for he might have wound up killing more of
the 
puppies anyway. Slim then comments that Lennie is a very hard worker and asks about their

friendship. George says that they have grown up together, sharing good times. He also
tells Slim 
that Lennie is dumb but not crazy and gives the example of when Lennie jumped into the
river 
without knowing how to swim. Slim listens to George very attentively and adds his own 
observations about Lennie, saying he is definitely not a mean guy. He then asks George
why they 
had left their previous job. Though hesitant at first, George tells him about the episode
when 
Lennie touched the dress of the young girl, explaining that he was wrongly accused of
attempted 
rape; as a result, they had to run for their lives. When Lennie walks in, George is quick
to see 
that he has a puppy hidden in his shirt. George explains that handling it too much can
hurt the 
puppy and commands him to take it back to the barn; Lennie obeys. The way Lennie behaves

makes Slim comment that he is just like a kid. George agrees. 
Old Candy walks into the bunkhouse with his old dog and asks for a drink of whisky for
his 
upset stomach. When Carlson arrives, he comments on the stinking smell of the dog in the
room. 
After much conversation in which Candy defends his old dog, Slim and Carlson persuade him
to 
get rid of the dog and promise a new puppy in its place. When Candy agrees, Carlson gets
his 
gun and leads the dog outside into the darkness. A gunshot is heard in the distance, and
Old 
Candy is visibly upset. 
When George sits down to play a card game with Whit, Crooks comes in looking for Slim. He

complains about Lennie messing around with the pups. George tells Slim to drive Lennie
away if 
he is creating problems. George turns to the card game, but Whit does not seem
interested. He 
talks about Curley's wife and tells George about their Saturday night jam up at Susy's
place, 
which has clean chairs and clean girls. George agrees to go with them, but says he will
not spend 
any money on the women. He is saving his money for the farm. 
Carlson returns, cleaning his gun, and Lennie is with him. While Whit and Carlson are
sharing a 
joke about Curley's wife, Curley himself barges into the room, asking the whereabouts of
Slim. 
Curious about what is going on, Whit follows Curley out, leaving Lennie and George
together. 
George inquires about the happenings inside the barn. Lennie assures him that he is not
getting 
into any trouble. Lennie then starts a conversation about their dream, and George
describes each 
and every detail as he sees it. 
Listening in on the conversation, Old Candy is interested in their plan and says he will
give them 
his savings, about 300 dollars, if they will let him join them. He does not wanted to be
treated 
like his old dog and promises to do lots of the work. Though George hesitates initially,
he 
accepts Candy's proposal, for 300 dollars is one-half of the money they need and brings
them 
closer to the fulfillment of their dream. 
George decides to send off a down payment on the farm in the amount of one hundred
dollars. A 
clamor outside the room puts an end to their conversation. Slim, Carlson, and Curley
enter the 
room. Slim is quite furious with Curley for wrongly accusing him of talking to his wife.
Curley 
then tries to pick on Carlson, but he also dismisses him blatantly. Candy joins in the
fray and 
laughs at Curley for using a glove full of Vaseline to make his hand soft for his wife. 
Unaffected by all the commotion, Lennie smiles as he continues to dream of the farmhouse.

Curley misinterprets his smiling and picks a fight with Lennie. Although he hits Lennie 
repeatedly, Lennie remembers the warnings and does not defend himself against Curley.
George 
is outraged by the situation and encourages Lennie to strike back. Lennie quickly crushes

Curley's right hand and throws him down. When George expresses his fear of losing their
jobs, 
Slim strikes a deal with Curley. He promises not to tell anyone about how Curley is
injured if 
Curley does not tell his dad about the incident. The vain Curley agrees to Slim's plan
before he is 
taken to he hospital. 
Although injured and bleeding himself, Lennie feels guilty about hurting Curley and
repeatedly 
asserts that the whole thing was not his fault. He begs George not to be mad at him and
wants to 
make sure he will still get to go to the farm and tend the rabbits. George is not the
least bit angry, 
only troubled. 
Notes 
Lennie is further developed in this chapter. Slim says he is likable and compliments him
as a 
hard worker. He wants to know more about George's friendship with him. George explains
that 
Lennie is slow, but not crazy. He shares a significant incident with Slim. Once George
told 
Lennie to go jump in a river. Lennie, not understanding the comment, obeyed his friend 
literally, even though he did not know how to swim. When George rescued him, Lennie was
very 
appreciative, forgetting that it was George who told him to jump. It is obvious that
Lennie has 
great respect for and child-like trust in George. 
Slim is also developed in the chapter. He is a leader amongst the ranch hands, commanding

respect. It is also clear that he is mentally superior to the other workers. He
appreciates the kind 
of friendship that George and Lennie share and recognizes its rare quality. He also
learns to look 
at Lennie through George's eyes, seeing him as a child who must be guided and
disciplined. He 
is also self-confident and is not afraid to stand up to Curley when he falsely accuses
him. 
A portion of the chapter is devoted to Candy and his dog, and there are many parallels
that can 
be drawn between that pair and George and Lennie. Candy is devoted to his dog, and, in
return, it 
follows its master everywhere. In a similar manner, George is devoted to Lennie, who will

follow him anywhere. Candy's dog emanates an awful odor which goes unnoticed by Candy; 
they've been together for so long that Candy has gotten used to the stench. Similarly,
Lennie can 
be a nuisance and a pain, but George is so used to his presence that he barely notices
Lennie's 
odd ways. Candy agrees to have his dog killed, for he realizes that it has become a
social 
nuisance. In a similar manner, George will kill Lennie, since he is judged to be a threat
to 
society. After Candy agrees to the killing, he turns toward the wall, unable to face the
dog or the 
people. Before George shoots Lennie, he asks the latter to look away. After his dog's
death, 
Candy feels lost and alone, foreshadowing how George will feel after Lennie is gone. 
Steinbeck portrays the harsher side of life through Carlson. On a superficial level, he
seems 
totally brutal, caring only about his own discomfort in regards to Candy's dog. In truth,
his 
suggestion that the dog be killed and replaced with a puppy is practical advice, for the
animal is 
very old, blind, crippled, and stinking. Carlson volunteers to shoot the dog to spare
Candy from 
having to do it himself. Later, Candy says he should have shot the dog himself. But
Carlson sees 
it as an act of mercy, just like George's shooting Lennie is intended to be an act of
mercy. The 
reactions of the men to the two deaths is very different. In honor of Candy, they
maintain a 
respectful silence until they hear the gunshot announcing the dog's death. Their
conversation 
afterwards is muted and respectful. After Lennie's death, the men show no sensitivity to
George; 
only Slim appreciates what has happened and shows George any concern. In truth, they seem
to 
value the life of a dog more than the life of Lennie. 
Although the dream of the farm is a recurring image in the first two chapters, it takes
on a new 
significance in this chapter. George and Lennie are different from the other workers on
the farm 
because they have a dream, a purpose. Their life has more meaning than going down to
Susy's 
place. When Candy hears about the plans of George and Lennie, he wants to join them,
hoping to 
find peace and contentment in his last days. Now that he has lost his dog, his faithful
companion, 
he has nothing and belongs nowhere. He offers his life savings of 300 dollars for the
chance to 
go with them and promises to work hard. At first George hesitates to include Candy, but
he 
realizes that Candy's proposition leads them closer to the fulfillment of the dream and
accepts it. 
The irony is that George and Lennie really do come close to fulfilling the dream. Had
they been 
able to leave the ranch, Lennie's tragedy would have been avoided. 
The first real conflict that Lennie has on the ranch occurs towards the end of this
chapter. 
When Slim and Carlson refuse to fight with Curley, he deliberately picks on Lennie,
striking 
him. Lennie remembers George's warning and obeys, trying to stay out of trouble and not 
striking back. When George sees what is happening, he urges Lennie to defend himself. In
the 
ensuing fight, Curley is thrown to the ground and his hand is crushed. Curley agrees to
say that 
his hand was crushed in a machine, not telling his father or the other ranch hands the
truth, for he 
is ashamed of his defeat. The reader is aware, however, that Curley will want his
revenge. 
After the fight, Lennie feels guilty, for he did not mean to really hurt Curley. He
simply does not 
know the power of his own brute strength, foreshadowing the tragedy at the end of the
novel. 
Lennie is also fearful that he has displeased George. His main concern is that he will
not be 
allowed to go to the farm or have any rabbits. 
CHAPTER 4 
Lennie arrives at Crooks' room looking for his pup. At first, the black man, who is a
loner on the 
ranch, is hostile towards him, saying that black men do not mix with white ones. His
proud 
attitude changes, however, when he observes Lennie's childish conduct. He finally invites
Lennie 
into his well-kept room, but he does not know how to treat him. Crooks is at first cruel
to Lennie, 
teasing him about George not returning from the city. Lennie protests that such a thing
would 
never ever happen. Lennie then tells Crooks about the plan to buy a farm, and Crooks
speaks 
about himself, telling of his childhood. Lennie then turns the conversation to his dream
of 
owning rabbits. Crooks tells him that his dream is never going to be a reality,
explaining that 
many men have the same dream but never save enough money. 
Searching for Lennie, old Candy makes his way to Crooks' room. He is invited inside,
where he 
and Lennie have a conversation about the farm. When Crooks learns that they have saved
almost 
enough money to buy some land, he becomes interested in the dream and expresses a wish to

join them, working for his keep. 
Curley's wife walks in, looking for her husband. The men tell her he is not around and
ask her to 
leave. She desperately tries to strike up a conversation with them and complains about
her 
loneliness and how people treat her. She also says that she does not believe that
Curley's hand 
was caught in a machine. In the conversation that follows, Candy reveals the dream of
owning a 
farmhouse to her. She reacts in a discouraging and condescending manner. She also finds
out the 
truth about her husband's crushed hand. 
The private Crooks grows upset about all the people in his room. He demands that Curley's
wife 
leave immediately, which upsets her. Before she departs, she threatens him with a charge
of 
attempted rape. 
After she leaves, George arrives, looking for Lennie. He is upset to find Candy and his
friend in 
the black man's room, telling him about the plans for the farm. He insists that they
leave. As they 
walk back to the bunkhouse, Crooks shouts to Candy that he can forget about him going
with 
them to the farm. The black realizes that his dream of comradeship can never be realized
with a 
white man. 
Notes 
This chapter emphasizes the theme of loneliness. Crooks, the only black man on the ranch,
is 
forced to live in isolation in a shed in the barn. Because of his race, no ranch hand has
ever come 
to visit him at his room, and he is routinely excluded from their activities. Because he
feels the 
prejudice of the other workers towards him, he has grown proud, aloof, and defensive. 
Because of his simplicity, Lennie does not see Crooks's color. He accepts him only as
another 
human being and thinks nothing about going to his room, looking for his pup. At first,
Crooks 
will not allow Lennie to come inside, saying that black and white do not mix. When he
first hears 
Lennie talk about the plan to buy a farm, he scoffs at the idea. When Candy reveals that
they 
almost have enough money saved for the land, Crooks wants to join them, hoping to escape
his 
isolation and loneliness. 
Curley's wife is also shown to be a lonely woman in this chapter. She craves an emotional

attachment with somebody who is understanding. When she protests against the unfriendly 
attitudes of the men on the ranch towards her, she is actually complaining about the
sense of 
isolation in her life. She obviously dislikes her husband and stays with him only because
she 
does not have any alternative. She is also shown to be a very prejudiced woman. When
Crooks 
demands that she leave his room, she threatens to charge him with rape, which would mean

certain death for a black man. 
Steinbeck, through the comments of Crooks and Curley's wife, states that most great
American 
dreams are shattered, foreshadowing that George's dream will not become a reality. Crooks
tells 
Lennie about the thousands of ranchmen who dream of owning a piece of land and who fail
to 
save the necessary money. Curley's wife complains about the man who did not live up to
his 
promise of obtaining her dream, getting her into the movies. It is important to notice
that when 
Curley's wife enters the room, she prevents the men from talking about their dream, just
as her 
death at the end of the novel prevents them from obtaining their dream. She is also
indirectly the 
cause of George having to face loneliness -- without Lennie for a friend and companion. 
CHAPTER 5 
A sad Lennie is alone in the barn on Sunday afternoon. He indulges in a monologue with
his 
dead puppy. He has accidentally killed it while they were playing. He is afraid that now
George 
will not let him have any rabbits on the farm. He thinks about burying the pup and not
telling 
George about it; but he knows that George, as always, will sense the truth. 
Curley's wife walks into the barn. Lennie takes a defensive stance against her, for
George has 
warned him to stay away from her. She, however, forces herself on him, growing emotional

when Lennie refuses to talk to her. She notices the dead puppy and tells him not to worry
about 
it, for no one will be upset. She also talks about her childhood and tells him about her
loneliness. 
She explains her story about the guy who promised to get her into the movies and failed
to do so. 
She even tells Lennie about how much she dislikes her husband. As she talks about her
broken 
dreams, she occasionally checks to see if Lennie is listening. 
Lennie keeps telling Curley's wife that he is not supposed to talk to her, but she
ignores him. 
When he tells her that he wants to raise rabbits, she asks why he likes them so much.
Lennie 
explains how he loves soft things. She asks Lennie if he would like to stroke her soft
hair. When 
Lennie does so, she grows fearful at the strength she feels in his hands. Raising her
voice, she 
asks him to stop. Lennie is scared that George is going to hear her, so he covers her
mouth with 
his huge palms in order to quiet her. He begs her to be quiet and bemoans the fact that
she is 
going to get him into trouble. She struggles to get away, but his strength is far too
great for her 
fragile body. With no intention of harming Curley's wife, he shakes her and accidentally
breaks 
her neck, just as he has accidentally killed his puppy. 
Lennie realizes the terrible mistake he has committed. He then remembers what George has

asked him to do in case of trouble. He picks up the dead puppy, quickly leaves the ranch,
and 
heads to the stream to hide in the bushes. 
Old Candy comes searching for Lennie and finds Curley's wife, who is dead. He is stunned
by 
the sight and runs out to tell George about it. On seeing the body of Curley's wife,
George is 
dumbfounded. He realizes that Lennie is responsible for her death; but he also knows that
it had 
to have been an accident. Lennie is incapable of intentional murder. He also knows that
Curley 
and the other ranch hands will have no mercy on Lennie. George must think and act
quickly. He 
asks Candy to inform the others about the incident, and he heads back to the bunkhouse.
Before 
he looks for Curley, Candy curses the dead body, blaming her for ruining his plans for
the farm. 
When summoned, Curley is quick to guess who the culprit might be. He swears to kill
Lennie as 
soon as he is found. He organizes a search party, and tells the men to grab their guns.
George 
begs Curley not to shoot Lennie, but he does not agree. The men set out, armed with their

shotguns. Carlson reports that his gun is missing, and everyone assumes that Lennie has
it. 
Notes 
The accidental death of the puppy in Lennie's strong hands is intentional foreshadowing
to 
prepare the reader for the accidental death of Curley's wife in Lennie's strong hands. As
the 
chapter opens, Lennie is seen in the barn, grieving over the dead pup. He senses that he
has done 
something wrong, but feels it is not bad enough to cause him to hide in the bushes. At
the same 
time, he knows that George will not be pleased with him and worries that he might not be
able to 
have any rabbits. 
Curley's wife happens to appear in the barn when Lennie is most sad and vulnerable and,
in spite 
of Lennie's opposition, sits next to him. She tells him not to worry about the dead puppy
and 
talks about her unrealized dreams and the loneliness she feels on the ranch. Lennie talks
about 
the farm that he and George are going to buy and the rabbits he is going to raise. When
she 
learns how much Lennie likes soft things, she flirtatiously asks him if he wants to
stroke her soft 
hair. 
Unfortunately, Lennie does not know how to be gentle; his large hands are just too
powerful. 
Curley's wife grows fearful, screams for him to stop, and struggles to get away. To
silence her, 
he covers her mouth and shakes her. As always, Lennie does not realize his strength and
breaks 
her neck. When he feels her limp body, he knows he has done something really terrible. He
picks 
up the dead pup and heads for the stream to hide in the brush. 
Even though the scene in the barn must have been a violent one, Steinbeck is careful not
to 
convey that image. He simply shows Lennie whimpering as he covers the mouth of Curley's 
wife, begs her not to scream, and shakes her. Then he reveals her death with total
simplicity, 
stating, And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck. The style is remarkable,
for the 
words capture the suddenness of the act and the stillness of the moment. 
In earlier chapters, the author has carefully developed Lennie as a totally naive
innocent. He 
remains the same innocent character, even after Curley's wife is killed. It is clear to
the reader 
that Lennie intended no harm, and there was no malice. In fact, he is totally perplexed
over what 
has happened in the barn. The only thing he knows is that this is trouble, and he needs
to go 
and hide in the bushes. He also knows that when George finds out that he was talking to
Curley's 
wife and what has happened to her, he will be angry and probably not let him have any
rabbits. 
When Curley rightly guesses who the culprit is, he wants revenge on Lennie -- for his
wife's 
death and for his crushed hand. He tells all the men to arm themselves for a search
party. Carlson 
reports that his gun is missing, and the assumption made by all is that Lennie has taken
the pistol. 
The reader, however, knows that Lennie has headed straight to the bushes and realizes
that 
George had a purpose in going to the bunkhouse alone. 
It is important to realize that the death of Curley's wife causes yet another shattered
dream. 
Candy is first to realize what will happen to their plans for the farm and curses her
dead body for 
destroying his hopes. George also knows that nothing will ever again be the same. He begs

Curley not to kill his friend, but there is no agreement. Ironically, George had earlier
complained 
that Lennie's presence in his life prevented him from doing normal things; now he will
find that 
life without Lennie causes the real abnormality for him. He, like the other ranch hands,
will learn 
to live a life of loneliness. 
CHAPTER 6 
Waiting for George, Lennie feels proud that he has remembered about coming to the stream,
but 
he feels terrible about Curley's wife. He suddenly has a vision of his Aunt Clara talking
to him. 
She scolds him for his irresponsible behavior and for causing George trouble. When she 
disappears from his sight, a giant rabbit appears in her place. Like Aunt Clara, the
rabbit also 
reprimands Lennie and adds that he is not worthy of tending rabbits. It also relays that
George is 
very upset with him and is going to beat him, but Lennie refuses to believe it, for
George has 
never been cruel. He screams out for George, who soon appears and quiets him. Lennie 
confesses his mistake, and George tries to reassure his upset friend that everything is
going to be 
all right. In the conversation that follows, George repeats the dream to Lennie, who gets
excited 
and asks George to buy their farm right away. 
When the voices of the ranch hands come closer, George asks Lennie to look away and try
to 
picture the farm in his mind. As Lennie stares out across the stream, George continues to
talk 
about the rabbits and tells Lennie he will soon be in a place where no one can hurt him.
As he 
speaks, George takes Carlson's pistol and raises it behind Lennie's head, without the
latter 
noticing. George pulls the trigger, and Lennie falls down dead. Hearing the gun shot, the
men 
rush towards the sound. They are surprised to find the dead Lennie with George standing
next to 
him. The men ask if Lennie had Carlson's gun, and George nods a 'yes'. The men praise
George 
for a good job. Only Slim has any understanding of what has really happened. He tells
George 
that sometimes things just have to be done and insists upon buying George a drink. As
they 
leave, Slim assures George that you hadda. . .I swear you hadda. 
Notes 
Steinbeck has masterfully and powerfully created the last chapter. The novel ends by the
stream, 
in the same place it began. The repetition of the setting binds the story together. The
pastoral 
setting by the stream, however, is not as peaceful at the end of the novel. Between the
start and 
finish of the book, there have been a series of deaths. Candy's dog has been shot to put
it out of 
its misery, and Lennie has killed his puppy by petting it too hard. Most importantly,
Lennie has 
accidentally killed Curley's wife, which he knows is a terrible thing. As he sits by the
stream 
waiting for George, he is very troubled, and his imagination runs wild. He has visions of
his 
Aunt Clara and of a giant rabbit. Both scold him for his irresponsible behavior and the
trouble 
that he has caused George. 
The chapter is filled with pathos. Lennie knows he has done something bad, but his simple
mind 
is unable to grasp the depth of trouble that he is in. He has no idea that his act is
punishable by 
death. His only concern is that George will be angry with him and might not let him tend
the 
rabbits. He even thinks again about going off and living by himself in order to save
George from 
having to put up with him. When the big rabbit in his vision taunts him, saying he is not
worthy 
of tending rabbits and that George is going to beat him for his behavior, Lennie cannot
take it. 
He tells the rabbit that George would never be mean to him. Not wanting to hear more,
Lennie 
then covers his ears and screams for George. 
When George arrives at the stream, he already knows what he must do. He cannot allow the

ranch hands to cruelly kill his friend; instead, he will use Carlson's pistol to do the
horrible deed 
himself. He does not want to be like Old Candy, regretting that he allowed someone else
to kill 
his best friend, his old dog. George also knows he will perform the act as quickly,
kindly, and 
mercifully as possible. First, however, he wants to calm Lennie down. He paints for him a

picture of their planned farm and asks Lennie to look away and imagine it. George wants
Lennie 
to die in happiness, believing the dream will come true. He also does not want Lennie to
realize 
what is happening to him; he does not want his friend to feel betrayed. It is important
to realize 
that Steinbeck shows George's action to be one of mercy and kindness. He is faithful,
loving, and 
compassionate to Lennie to the very end, selflessly doing the thing that is hardest for
him to do 
in life. 
Curley is furious, almost irrational, in this last chapter, but ironically the death of
his wife wins 
him great sympathy and support from the ranch hands. Until her murder, everyone on the
ranch 
had hated Curley. Now everyone rallies around him against Lennie. They also rally around

George when they realize he has killed Lennie. Earlier the men had shown great concern
for 
Candy over the killing of his dog. Unfortunately, they do not show the same respect and
concern 
to George over losing his companion and friend. Slim is the only one who understands how

George feels. As they walk away together for a drink, the mood is tragic. All hope for a
better 
future for George or Candy is lost, for the dream has died with Lennie. 
OVERALL ANALYSES 
CHARACTERS 
George 
George is the protagonist and one of the two main characters in Of Mice and Men. A 
compassionate, kind, responsible, patient, and understanding man, he faithfully watches
out for 
Lennie, his retarded friend and constant companion. When Lennie gets into trouble, George

always helps him find a solution or get away. George is also shown to be a thinking
person. He 
knows he must discipline Lennie in order to help him, and he is often seen telling Lennie
what he 
has done wrong and what he must do to improve. He is also a planner, telling Lennie where
he 
should go if there is trouble on the ranch. He also works hard to make the dream of owing
a ten- 
acre farm become a reality. Unlike the other ranch hands that squander their money on
women 
and drink, George refuses to spend a dime frivolously, saving everything to make the
dream 
come true. He wants to buy the farm so that he and Lennie can live there, free from
problems and 
constraints caused by society. 
Sometimes George is portrayed as an angry man, for he gets frustrated with Lennie's
slowness. 
Although he scolds and even screams at him, he is never intentionally mean or cruel.
Several 
times George thinks about what he could do if Lennie were not around, but they are just
idle 
thoughts. George is legally free to desert the retarded man at any point in time;
emotionally, 
however, he is entirely bound to Lennie, as his protector and companion. Lennie also
keeps 
George from feeling the isolation and loneliness that possess the other ranch hands. 
Because George cares for Lennie so deeply, he cannot allow him to die brutally at the
hands of 
Curley and the angry ranch hands. After painting the picture of the farm in Lennie's mind
one 
last time, he takes Carlson's pistol and mercifully shoots his friend, in a totally
selfless act of 
kindness. It was a terribly difficult thing for George to do, and at the end of the book,
Steinbeck 
paints him feeling lost and alone without his faithful companion and without a dream to
keep 
him going. 
Lennie 
Lennie is George's friend and constant companion, who is mentally retarded and highly 
dependent on George. He suffers from a child's mentality within a giant's body. He is
innocent 
and forgetful like a child. He is also attracted to small, soft things because of his
child-like, 
gentle nature. Unfortunately, he often harms the things he loves accidentally. As a huge
man 
with heavy arms and powerful hands, he does not know or understand his own strength. 
Lennie idolizes George, his kind caretaker, almost like a god. In Lennie's eyes, George
is totally 
kind, faithful, and good. He tries hard to remember everything George tells him to do and
obeys 
him implicitly without asking any questions. Even though Lennie did not know how to swim,
he 
jumped in a river one time when George jokingly told him to do so. Because Lennie is
slow, 
forgetful, and powerful, he causes trouble for George wherever they go. They had to leave
the 
last job because Lennie reached out and grabbed the dress of a little girl and would not
let go. 
When she screamed, the townspeople came and blamed Lennie for attempted rape. 
Lennie never means to cause problems. He did not mean to kill his puppy and greatly
regrets that 
it is dead. He tries to stay away from Curley and his wife, as George suggested. She,
however, 
comes to Lennie in the barn and tells him he can stroke her hair. When he is too rough,
she 
begins to scream and Lennie panics. When he covers her mouth and shakes her to be quiet,
he 
accidentally breaks her neck. 
Throughout the book Lennie is portrayed as a dreamer. He longs to go and live on a farm
with 
George, away from the pressures and frustration of a society that always gets him in
trouble. He 
constantly dreams of raising soft rabbits to be his pets on the farm. He senses that
there are 
problems on the ranch and with Curley and begs George to take him away to the farm. At
the end 
of the novel, when he and George talk by the stream, Lennie again senses trouble and begs

George to get the farm quickly. When George pulls the trigger, Lennie is dreaming about
the 
farm and the rabbits, therefore, dying happily. 
Candy 
Candy is a very old ranch hand who is crippled and lonely. Steinbeck paints him as the
sad, 
stereotyped symbol of old age, a man whose life is void of friends and hope. His dog, who
is his 
only companion, is very much like him, old and crippled; but he also stinks and is blind.
As a 
result, the ranch hands insist that Candy allow them to shoot the old mutt. When the dog
is dead, 
Candy truly has nothing, no reason for existence. Then he overhears George and Lennie 
discussing their dream of owning a farm. Candy asks permission to join them and offers
his life 
savings to help purchase the land. He wants to live his last days with a feeling of peace
and 
belonging. At the end of his days, Candy does not want to be treated like his old dog. 
When Candy finds Curley's wife dead, he is emotionally devastated and curses her body,
not 
because she has been killed, but because she put an end to his dream. He instinctively
knows 
who has killed Curley's wife and what will happen to Lennie. As he realizes there will
not be a 
farm without Lennie, His eyes are blinded with tears. He is left only with the reality of
his 
lonely and isolated existence on the ranch. 
Curley's wife 
Curley's wife, the only woman on the ranch, is really a minor character in the story. In
fact, she is 
never actually named in the course of the book. She serves only as the instrument of the

destruction of Lennie and the dream. Steinbeck is not kind in his brief portrayal of her.
She is a 
coarse, vulgar woman who wears too much make-up and flirts with every ranch hand. She has

married Curley only because she had no other offers. Her true dream was to become an
actress, 
but the man who was supposed to help her get in the movies failed her. 
Like all the characters on the ranch, other than Lennie and George, Curley's wife feels
very 
lonely and isolated. She seems to hate her husband, as evidenced when she compliments
Lennie 
for crushing Curley's right hand and granting permission for him to crush the other if
need be. 
She constantly looks for company and longs for an emotional attachment, seeking it in all
the 
wrong ways. It is strongly hinted that she has committed adultery, for Curley is always
on the 
lookout for her whereabouts, as if fearful of her disloyalty. It is her loneliness and
her flirtatious 
ways that lead her to her death. She sits beside Lennie in the barn, even though he
protests 
against it. Then she asks him to stroke her hair. It is a fatal mistake for her, because
Lennie 
cannot be gentle. When she screams out of fear for his strength, Lennie panics. He covers
her 
mouth and shakes her to be quiet; in the process he breaks her neck. 
Curley 
Curley is the boss' son, who has a short stature and a large temper. To make up for his
small size, 
he became a lightweight boxer. Now he constantly tries to pick fights, especially with
people 
bigger than himself, gaining great pleasure over their defeat. Curley's attitude suggests
that he 
has a grudge against everyone whom he meets. He is overly possessive of his wife and
suspects 
that every man on the ranch desires her. He wears a glove full of Vaseline to keep his
hand soft 
for her and it becomes a source of constant jokes amongst the ranch hands. Though he
seems to 
love his wife, he is an immoral character, visiting brothels on Saturday nights. 
When Curley picks a fight with the giant Lennie, he bites off more than he can handle.
Lennie 
quickly crushes his hand, and Curley has to be taken to the hospital. He vows to get
revenge on 
Lennie. His opportunity comes quickly. When Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, her

husband shows no mercy. He quickly organizes a search party to look for Lennie and
promises to 
kill him immediately. Although Curley has been hated for his meanness throughout the
book, the 
ranch hands now rally round him. 
Armed and ready, they go off with Curley to search for Lennie, eager for blood.
Ironically, 
George stands in the way of Curley's being able to get his revenge, for he mercifully
kills Lennie 
to save him from Curley's wrath and a brutal death. 
Slim 
Compared to his co-workers, Slim is confident in his conduct and clear in his speech. As
a result, 
he is treated with respect on the ranch. Steinbeck portrays him as a thinker, His ears
heard more 
than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of
understanding 
beyond thought. He is quite surprised to see the loyalty and companionship of George and

Lennie and comments, Ain't many guys travel around together, I don't know why. May be 
everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other. He is a good judge of people
and 
quickly understands, that in spite of his size, Lennie ain't mean. When Lennie crushes
Curley's 
hand, it is Slim who convinces him not to tell anyone about his fight with Lennie. He is
also the 
only one to understand why George has shot Lennie at the end of the novel and reassures
him 
that he had to do it. He then insists upon taking George into town and buying him a
drink. 
PLOT (Structure) 
Of Mice and Men is almost a long short story, divided into six chapters. Steinbeck takes
great 
care to develop the tragic plot in a classical fashion. The first two chapters are
largely expository, 
describing the isolated setting, introducing the characters, and developing the
relationship 
between Lennie and George. The rising action begins in the third chapter with the
confrontation 
between Curley and Lennie. When the huge man easily crushes Curley's hand, his strength
is 
actually seen for the first time and foreshadows that there will be trouble on the ranch.
The fourth 
part of the book focuses on the theme of loneliness and develops Curley's wife, who is
shown to 
be a lonely woman, constantly seeking company. In the fifth chapter, her loneliness leads
her 
into the barn, where she engages Lennie in conversation. It has been clearly foreshadowed
that 
nothing good can happen in this encounter. In fact, Curley's wife is the instrument
causing the 
tragic ending of the book. In a flirtatious manner, she asks Lennie to stroke her soft
hair. When 
she feels his powerful hands that do not know how to be gentle, she panics, screams for
help, and 
brings about the climax of the novel. When Lennie covers her mouth and shakes her to be
quiet, 
he breaks her neck. The sixth and final chapter includes the falling action and
inevitable outcome 
of the tragedy. Lennie must be punished for killing Curley's wife, even though it was
truly an 
accident. To save his friend from a cruel end in Curley's hands, George shoots Lennie
himself. 
Because it is a short novel, it is tightly held together. The opening scene of the book
pictures 
George and Lennie beside a stream; the last chapter of the book is the same setting. In
the first 
chapter, George tells Lennie to come back to the stream and hide in the bushes if there
is trouble 
on the ranch. In the next four chapters, George reminds Lennie of the hiding place, and
Lennie 
tries hard to remember it. In fact, in the sixth chapter, he is very proud of himself for

remembering to come to the stream and wait for George. The end of the novel works and is

believable because Steinbeck has taken great care to emphasize the hiding place
throughout the 
book. 
Two themes also hold the book together. In the first chapter, George and Lennie talk
about their 
dream of owning a farm; Lennie is particularly enthralled with raising rabbits there. In
every 
chapter of the book, the dream of the farm is discussed, and Old Candy convinces George
and 
Lennie to let him join them in their dream. Curley's wife scoffs at the dream; Crooks
does too at 
first, and then contemplates joining them on the farm, hoping to find a place where he is
not 
treated with such prejudice. The dream, however, comes to an abrupt end with Lennie's
death. 
Before George shoots him, he asks Lennie to picture the farm in his mind, for he wants
him to 
die believing the dream will come true. 
The theme of loneliness is also seen throughout the book. The actual setting of the farm
is lonely 
and isolated. The ranch hands share a bunkhouse with one another, but have no family and
no 
emotional ties. One by one they express their loneliness. Old Candy begs to go the farm,
so his 
last days can be filled with companionship and happiness; he fears being treated like his
old dog. 
Crooks, because he is black, is forced to live in a shed by himself and is not allowed to
interact 
with the white workers. Because Curley's wife is miserable on the ranch and dislikes her

husband, she also feels isolated. Because George and Lennie have each other, they are the
only 
ones on the ranch who do not feel the misery of loneliness. Unfortunately, after George
has to 
kill Lennie, he becomes the loneliest of all the characters. He has lost his best friend
and his life's 
dream. 
THEMES 
Major Theme 
The major theme of the book is the beauty of a dream, for it gives a person a purpose in
life. 
George and Lennie dream of owning a farm that they can call their own and where Lennie
can 
raise rabbits and stay out of trouble, free from the constraints of society. Both men
constantly 
keep this dream in front of them. In fact, Lennie asks George to repeat the dream over
and over. 
George, himself, refuses to frivolously spend any money, for he is saving every dime to
buy the 
land. The dream keeps both of the working; it also keeps them close. 
Curley's wife and Crooks, two cynics, scoff at the dream of Lennie and George as being 
unrealistic, but Candy sees its possibility and its beauty. He offers to give his life
savings to help 
make the dream a reality, for he wants to join George and Lennie on the farm, living out
his last 
days in happiness. When the two men accept Candy, he suddenly has a new lease on life;
the 
dream has given him hope for a better future. 
At the end of the novel, the dream dies. As soon as Candy sees the body of Curley's wife,
he 
understands his own loss of a dream and curses her for it. George also knows the dream
has died 
with Lennie's death, and the novel ends with his going off to spend his money on liquor.
He no 
longer has a reason to save his pennies. Without a dream, his life is sad and
meaningless. 
Minor Theme 
The pain of loneliness is another key theme of the novel. Early in the book, George sets
the 
lonely mood by stating, 'Guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the
world.' 
Candy becomes the picture of total loneliness caused by age. He is rejected by all for
being old 
and handicapped. His only company, his faithful, old, blind dog, is taken from him and
killed; 
Candy fears that he will be treated the same way in the future and wants to join Lennie
and 
George on the ranch. Crooks is the picture of total loneliness caused by prejudice.
Because he is 
the only black man on the ranch, he is forced to live alone in a shed of the barn, and no
one will 
have any interaction with him. As the only female on the ranch, Curley's wife also voices
her 
loneliness. She says, 'I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.' Slim is also a
lonely man 
and says, 'Maybe everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other. Only Lennie
and 
George are spared from the feelings of loneliness that pervade the book, for they have
one 
another. 
IRONY 
The major irony in the book is that George kills Lennie because he loves him. He wants to
spare 
Lennie from dying a brutal death at the hands of Curley and the other ranch hands who are

enraged over the death of Curley's wife; therefore, he selflessly does the terrible deed
himself, as 
a merciful act to his friend. Ironically, George steals Carlson's pistol to use; it is
the same pistol 
that killed Candy's old dog in order to save it from suffering and misery. Ironically,
the ranch 
hands felt great sympathy and sorrow for Candy over the loss of his dog; but they feel no

sympathy for George over losing his best friend and companion. Slim is the only one who 
realizes the irony of the shooting, and he tries to comfort George by telling him you
hadda do 
it. 
Throughout the book, George has openly complained that Lennie is a real pain. He dreams
of 
what he could do if not caring for his retarded friend and pictures himself not burdened
by 
Lennie. He thinks of drinking whiskey and going to cat-houses. Ironically, during the
course of 
the novel, George chooses not to do any of the things he has dreamed about doing, even
though 
he is free to do them; the other ranch hands even try to tempt him. But George does not
want to 
frivolously spend money that could be saved for the farm. At the end of the novel, thanks
to 
Candy's contribution, the three men are close to realizing their dream of owning a farm.

Ironically, the dream dies with Lennie. George is now a free man, without the burden of
caring 
for someone. Ironically, he is miserable in his loneliness and misses his constant
companion
GLOSSARY 
A Glossary is provided below of various colloquial terms. The words are presented in the
order 
in which they appear: 
'coons' - racoons 
split-wedge - a crack or tear which is triangular in shape. 
jungle-up - a camp for tramps who spend the night in just about any place. 
bucking grain bags - carrying bags of grain 
bindle - a bundle binding all the necessary things with a cloth or blanket 
cat-house - whore house 
foundin' their tail - working really hard 
blowen' in our jack - spending or wasting all our money. 
Burcap - a coarse canvas for wall coverings etc. 
pants rabbits - fleas 
swamper - a cleaner 
grey-backs - ice 
gimme my time - give me my salary 
tick - mattress cover. 
stable buck - the black man in charge of the stable 
brang - brought 
little skinner - a driver of a small mule team 
rassel grain-bags - load bags of grain 
flapper - mouth 
she got the eye - eyeing men, a flirt 
two bits - a quarter 
whing-ding - an expression meaning approval 
enchre - a card game played by two people 
roll up a stake - save up money 
looloo - a loose woman 
hoosegow - prison 
yella as a frog belly - cowardly 
welter - welterweight, a category in boxing 
bootry hatch - lunatic asylum 
baloney - deceptive talk; nonsense 
doped out - thought out 
jack you outa the sewer - keep you out of trouble 
fambly - family