Chapter/Section One
Set in the 1930's, Salinas valley (South of Soledad), California. On their way to a nearby ranch where they expected to be employed for temporary work, US. Migrant workers George Milton and Lennie Small rest in the clearing by a river. They had hurriedly left the previous ranch in Weed they were working in because of an incident involving Lennie. Lennie pleads with George to tell him over and over again their dream of owning their own ranch in future, where Lennie's main task will be to tend the rabbits.
Chapter/Section Two
The next day George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and meet most of the main characters in a bunk house: Candy, an old swamper (general labourer); Curley, the boss' son who instantly has a grudge on Lennie for being bigger than him; the boss, who is suspicious as to why George won't let Lennie speak for himself; Curley's Wife, a beautiful and flirtatious young woman; Slim, the top ranch hand who is respected by all the ranch hands; and Carlson, another of the respected hands. Slim's bitch dog recently gave birth to puppies and Lennie begs George to ask Slim if he can have one as a pet.
Chapter/Section Three
Slim discovers that Lennie has the mentality of a child. George tells Slim about the incident in Weed, their previous ranch where Lennie held onto a dress and she ran and told the other hands he'd attempted to rape her. Carlson bullies Candy into allowing him to shoot his smelly and rheumatic dog for its old age. Curley starts a fight with Lennie where Lennie calls for George to make it stop and at George's command Lennie eventually uses his strength to easily crush Curley's hand. Slim persuades Curley to avoid further humiliation and pretend he caught his hand in a machine.
Chapter/Section Four
All the men go into town on Saturday apart form Lennie, Candy and Crooks. Crooks reluctantly lets Lennie into his room where Crooks taunts Lennie that George might never return, leaving Lennie on his own. Lennie panics and Crooks has to apologise to calm him down. Candy joins them and they let slip to Crooks their plan to buy a farm.
They are interrupted by Curley's Wife who is looking for company. Candy and Crooks resent her presence and when Crooks orders her to leave his room, she verbally abuses him using her superior status as a white woman.
They are interrupted by Curley's Wife who is looking for company. Candy and Crooks resent her presence and when Crooks orders her to leave his room, she verbally abuses him using her superior status as a white woman.
Chapter/Section Five
Most of the man are outside the barn playing horseshoes. Only Lennie is in the barn and he has just accidentally killed his puppy by stroking it too hard. Curley's wife comes in and starts to flirt with him, Lennie confesses his liking to stroke soft things. She invites him to stroke her long hair but as his stroking becomes harder she panics and in the end Lennie accidentally breaks her neck. He half-buries her in the hay and runs away.
Candy discovers the body and informs the rest of the men, Curley is furious and decides to seek revenge, organising a man-hunt to pursue and kill Lennie. Reluctantly, George joins the hunt.
Candy discovers the body and informs the rest of the men, Curley is furious and decides to seek revenge, organising a man-hunt to pursue and kill Lennie. Reluctantly, George joins the hunt.
Chapter/Section Six
Lennie hallucinates his Aunt Clara scolding him for getting George into so much trouble, and then imagines a giant rabbit that mocks him for ever believing he could tend the rabbits and that George will beat Lennie when he arrives.
George meets with Lennie at the clearing where he'd instructed Lennie to go if ever there was trouble (in Chapter One). Lennie is panicking and George attempts to calm him by telling him to look down he river as he tells him about their ranch dream, distracting Lennie. George pulls out Carlson's Luger pistol which he had stolen from the ranch and shoots Lennie in the back of the neck. The novel ends with Slim reassuring George that he "had to do it", while Carlson and Curley look on in confusion, wondering why they are so upset.
George meets with Lennie at the clearing where he'd instructed Lennie to go if ever there was trouble (in Chapter One). Lennie is panicking and George attempts to calm him by telling him to look down he river as he tells him about their ranch dream, distracting Lennie. George pulls out Carlson's Luger pistol which he had stolen from the ranch and shoots Lennie in the back of the neck. The novel ends with Slim reassuring George that he "had to do it", while Carlson and Curley look on in confusion, wondering why they are so upset.
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