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Book Summary
Of Mice and Men is a novella written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937.
One main theme of Mice and Men is loneliness, as almost every character wants to make a connection with someone but fails to do so. The characters fear losing the (weak) connection they already have.
The story is centered on these two Migrant workers George Milton and Lennie Small, who travel together looking for jobs on the farm in California Salinas Valley. George and Lenny are unusual because they always stick together as Migrant workers and loners. They are also unusual because they are different from one another; George is small and shrewd, while Lenny is large and has a mental disability . George takes care of Lenny, they have a dream of one day getting their own farm.
At the beginning of the book George and Lenny arrive at a small pond they have been travelling all day on their way to a farm, they stop for a rest. George notices Lenny is holding something and makes him hand it over; its a dead mouse that Lenny was petting in his pocket, George makes him hand it over then he throws it into the brush. Lenny remembers a woman use to give him mice but stopped because he kept killing them while petting them with his heavy hands, George reminds Lenny the woman was Lenny's Aunt Clara.
One main theme of Mice and Men is loneliness, as almost every character wants to make a connection with someone but fails to do so. The characters fear losing the (weak) connection they already have.
The story is centered on these two Migrant workers George Milton and Lennie Small, who travel together looking for jobs on the farm in California Salinas Valley. George and Lenny are unusual because they always stick together as Migrant workers and loners. They are also unusual because they are different from one another; George is small and shrewd, while Lenny is large and has a mental disability . George takes care of Lenny, they have a dream of one day getting their own farm.
At the beginning of the book George and Lenny arrive at a small pond they have been travelling all day on their way to a farm, they stop for a rest. George notices Lenny is holding something and makes him hand it over; its a dead mouse that Lenny was petting in his pocket, George makes him hand it over then he throws it into the brush. Lenny remembers a woman use to give him mice but stopped because he kept killing them while petting them with his heavy hands, George reminds Lenny the woman was Lenny's Aunt Clara.
George complains that his life would be so easier if he didn't have to take care of Lenny; he wouldn't have to worry about Lenny getting into trouble, like he did at the last farm. Lenny saw a girl in a red dress and he liked the look of her dress so much that he wanted to touch it. But when Lenny touched the dress the girl screamed, Lenny panicked and grabbed hold of the dress. The girl complained that she was raped, a mob formed to try and catch Lenny.
Lenny asked George to tell him again how they are different from other guys, George gives a speech he says most guys who work on ranches are lonely they have no family and have nothing to look forward to and don't belong anywhere, but he and Lenny are different and one day they are going to get there own place they will have their own little house and they can raise cows and chicken and have a vegetable patch, they will have a rabbit hutch too and Lenny can look after the rabbits too. When he is alone and gets into any trouble he should come back to the pond and hide in the brush.
The next morning George and Lenny arrive at the farm they are going to work at, they meet the boss. They are going to work bucking barley meaning they paddle large bags with barley up a line and stack them in piles in a truck. The boss leaves and an old man named Candy turns up with his old sheep dog. While he is a talking to George and Lenny, Curly comes in looking for the boss who is his father. He notices George and Lenny and he asks them a bunch of questions and generally acts like a jerk. After Curly leaves Candy explains that Curly is a pretty good boxer and he hates big guys like Lenny because he is not big himself. George warns that he better not start with Lenny because he is strong and doesn't fight with any rules. Candy says Curly's wife flirts with all the farmers especially Slim.
Candy leaves and a little while longer Curly's wife shows up at the door way, she tries to make conversation but George makes it clear he doesn't want to talk to her, Lenny just stares at her.
Lenny asked George to tell him again how they are different from other guys, George gives a speech he says most guys who work on ranches are lonely they have no family and have nothing to look forward to and don't belong anywhere, but he and Lenny are different and one day they are going to get there own place they will have their own little house and they can raise cows and chicken and have a vegetable patch, they will have a rabbit hutch too and Lenny can look after the rabbits too. When he is alone and gets into any trouble he should come back to the pond and hide in the brush.
The next morning George and Lenny arrive at the farm they are going to work at, they meet the boss. They are going to work bucking barley meaning they paddle large bags with barley up a line and stack them in piles in a truck. The boss leaves and an old man named Candy turns up with his old sheep dog. While he is a talking to George and Lenny, Curly comes in looking for the boss who is his father. He notices George and Lenny and he asks them a bunch of questions and generally acts like a jerk. After Curly leaves Candy explains that Curly is a pretty good boxer and he hates big guys like Lenny because he is not big himself. George warns that he better not start with Lenny because he is strong and doesn't fight with any rules. Candy says Curly's wife flirts with all the farmers especially Slim.
Candy leaves and a little while longer Curly's wife shows up at the door way, she tries to make conversation but George makes it clear he doesn't want to talk to her, Lenny just stares at her.
The next Chapter starts an unspecified time later, after working all day George comes into the bunk house with Slim a Jerk line skimmer? (not sure) one of the respected guys of the ranch. George thanks Slim for giving Lenny one of his puppies from his dogs new litter. George explains to Slim that him and Lenny were both born in OPER? and that he knew Lenny's Aunt Clara, when she died Lenny went out working with George and they just got use to each other.
George use to play lots of jokes on Lenny, so one day he got Lenny to jump into a river. Lenny couldn't swim and almost drowned, but he was so nice to George because he helped him by pulling him out of the river and George never did anything mean to him again.
Candy comes back into the bunk house with his dog and an other worker Carlson follows them in shortly after. Carlson starts talking about how Candy's dog smells and how it is old and suffering and how he can shoot the dog in the back of the head to put it out of its misery and the dog wouldn't even feel a thing; candy could get another puppy from Slim. Candy protests but the general opinion of the bunk house seems to be they should put the dog down. Candy gives in and Carlson leads the dog out.
A young labourer named Whit comes in and then there is some strange silent and awkward conversation while everyone tries not to talk about Candy's dog. Candy just lies in bed staring at the ceiling, finally they hear a shot firing from out side. Crookes an old black man comes in and tells Slim that Lenny keeps messing with the puppies; taking them away from their mother and playing with them. Slim and Crookes go out to the barn to check on Lenny. Carlson comes back in and Lenny comes in to, Carlson sits in his bunk and doesn't say anything about Candy's dog he just sits on his bunk cleaning his gun. Curly walks in and asks if anyone has seen his wife, he realises Slim is not in the bunk house. When George says Slim went to the barn Curly leaves in a hurry, Whit and Carlson go out behind him expecting a fight if Curly catches his wife with Slim.
Lenny asks George how long its going to be till they have their own farm so they can raise rabbits, George says he doesn't know but they have to save a lot of money first. Lenny asks George to tell him again what the place will be like, George starts describing it. He says they will have ten acres with their own house and a windmill a chicken run and orchard trees like apple and peach trees. It will be their place where they belong and they wont have to travel around any more or plant crops for someone else or buck barley for eleven hours a day. Lenny says they will also have rabbits he can take care of. Candy asks if George really knows of such a place and how much it would cost. George is offensive and wants to know why Candy is asking. Candy explains that he is not much use to anyone since he has only one hand, its only a matter of time before they get rid of him; he has money saved up and George can put it towards the farm if he can get in on the plan with George and Lenny. With Candy's money they can actually buy the place, so they plan to save money for another month, than to collect their pay and leave.
Slim, Curly, Carlson and Whit all come in together, Curly keeps apologising to Slim apparently for suspecting Slim to be with his wife. Curly sees Lenny smiling and gets angry because no big son of a bitch laughs at him. Lenny stands and backs away from Curly but Curly starts hitting him and busts Lenny's nose. Lenny catches one of Slim's fists and crushes it in his hand, Curly starts riving in pain. Finally Lenny releases Curly's hand whose hand is completely broken, Lenny keeps saying he didn't want to do it. George asks Slim if Lenny is going to get fired but Slim tells Curly to say he got his hand caught in the machine or he will tell everyone what Lenny did and everyone will laugh at Curly.
Its a Sunday afternoon and Lenny is in the barn by himself, he looks at the puppy he accidentally kills it and talks to it asking it why it had to die. Curly's wife finds Lenny there hiding something, when she notices the puppy; Lenny explains he was playing with it but when it went to bite him, he smacked it and the puppy died. She tries to console Lenny but he still doesn't want to talk to her because George will get mad with him and wont let him tend the rabbits. He likes rabbits because he likes to touch soft things. Curly's wife said she understands that sometimes she will just sit and stroke her hair because it is so soft and she invites Lenny to touch her hair. Lenny strokes her hair but he does it too hard and she gets mad at him. She becomes angry and jerks her head away but Lenny panics and grabs hold of her hair, he covers her mouth to stop her from screaming and she starts to struggle violently; he shakes her accidentally braking her neck; she lies still and Lenny eventually realises what he has done. He remembers what George told him, that if anything goes wrong he should go hide in the brush by the pond.
Candy finds Curly's wife, he calls George and they both know that Lenny did it and that Curly is going to want to have Lenny Inched. Candy wonders if they can still get the farm together and George replies he guesses he knew it wouldn't happen. All the guys go into the barn and they know straight away who killed Curly's wife. Curly wants to find Lenny and kill him.
George goes to Lennie's location before Curly and the group find him. He does this because he feels responsible and therefore wants to kill Lennie himself, 'humanely' and alone. George finds Lennie and talks to him about their American Dream. Next, George asks Lennie to look into the distance, so that Lennie cannot see George. George talks about the dream and he slowly pulls the trigger, shooting Lennie in the head.
George use to play lots of jokes on Lenny, so one day he got Lenny to jump into a river. Lenny couldn't swim and almost drowned, but he was so nice to George because he helped him by pulling him out of the river and George never did anything mean to him again.
Candy comes back into the bunk house with his dog and an other worker Carlson follows them in shortly after. Carlson starts talking about how Candy's dog smells and how it is old and suffering and how he can shoot the dog in the back of the head to put it out of its misery and the dog wouldn't even feel a thing; candy could get another puppy from Slim. Candy protests but the general opinion of the bunk house seems to be they should put the dog down. Candy gives in and Carlson leads the dog out.
A young labourer named Whit comes in and then there is some strange silent and awkward conversation while everyone tries not to talk about Candy's dog. Candy just lies in bed staring at the ceiling, finally they hear a shot firing from out side. Crookes an old black man comes in and tells Slim that Lenny keeps messing with the puppies; taking them away from their mother and playing with them. Slim and Crookes go out to the barn to check on Lenny. Carlson comes back in and Lenny comes in to, Carlson sits in his bunk and doesn't say anything about Candy's dog he just sits on his bunk cleaning his gun. Curly walks in and asks if anyone has seen his wife, he realises Slim is not in the bunk house. When George says Slim went to the barn Curly leaves in a hurry, Whit and Carlson go out behind him expecting a fight if Curly catches his wife with Slim.
Lenny asks George how long its going to be till they have their own farm so they can raise rabbits, George says he doesn't know but they have to save a lot of money first. Lenny asks George to tell him again what the place will be like, George starts describing it. He says they will have ten acres with their own house and a windmill a chicken run and orchard trees like apple and peach trees. It will be their place where they belong and they wont have to travel around any more or plant crops for someone else or buck barley for eleven hours a day. Lenny says they will also have rabbits he can take care of. Candy asks if George really knows of such a place and how much it would cost. George is offensive and wants to know why Candy is asking. Candy explains that he is not much use to anyone since he has only one hand, its only a matter of time before they get rid of him; he has money saved up and George can put it towards the farm if he can get in on the plan with George and Lenny. With Candy's money they can actually buy the place, so they plan to save money for another month, than to collect their pay and leave.
Slim, Curly, Carlson and Whit all come in together, Curly keeps apologising to Slim apparently for suspecting Slim to be with his wife. Curly sees Lenny smiling and gets angry because no big son of a bitch laughs at him. Lenny stands and backs away from Curly but Curly starts hitting him and busts Lenny's nose. Lenny catches one of Slim's fists and crushes it in his hand, Curly starts riving in pain. Finally Lenny releases Curly's hand whose hand is completely broken, Lenny keeps saying he didn't want to do it. George asks Slim if Lenny is going to get fired but Slim tells Curly to say he got his hand caught in the machine or he will tell everyone what Lenny did and everyone will laugh at Curly.
Its a Sunday afternoon and Lenny is in the barn by himself, he looks at the puppy he accidentally kills it and talks to it asking it why it had to die. Curly's wife finds Lenny there hiding something, when she notices the puppy; Lenny explains he was playing with it but when it went to bite him, he smacked it and the puppy died. She tries to console Lenny but he still doesn't want to talk to her because George will get mad with him and wont let him tend the rabbits. He likes rabbits because he likes to touch soft things. Curly's wife said she understands that sometimes she will just sit and stroke her hair because it is so soft and she invites Lenny to touch her hair. Lenny strokes her hair but he does it too hard and she gets mad at him. She becomes angry and jerks her head away but Lenny panics and grabs hold of her hair, he covers her mouth to stop her from screaming and she starts to struggle violently; he shakes her accidentally braking her neck; she lies still and Lenny eventually realises what he has done. He remembers what George told him, that if anything goes wrong he should go hide in the brush by the pond.
Candy finds Curly's wife, he calls George and they both know that Lenny did it and that Curly is going to want to have Lenny Inched. Candy wonders if they can still get the farm together and George replies he guesses he knew it wouldn't happen. All the guys go into the barn and they know straight away who killed Curly's wife. Curly wants to find Lenny and kill him.
George goes to Lennie's location before Curly and the group find him. He does this because he feels responsible and therefore wants to kill Lennie himself, 'humanely' and alone. George finds Lennie and talks to him about their American Dream. Next, George asks Lennie to look into the distance, so that Lennie cannot see George. George talks about the dream and he slowly pulls the trigger, shooting Lennie in the head.
Where next?
Of Mice and Men - Chapter Summaries
All 'Of Mice and Men' Notes (Back to GCSE English Literature)
StudentSpace (horror stories, advice and articles)
All 'Of Mice and Men' Notes (Back to GCSE English Literature)
StudentSpace (horror stories, advice and articles)