Comparing John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice And Men'

GUIDE TO OF MICE AND MEN

INTRODUCTION

Of Mice and Men is a novel set on a ranch in the Salinas Valley in California during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It was the first work to bring John Steinbeck national recognition as a writer. The title suggests that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, a reference to Robert Burns's poem "To a Mouse." Of Mice and Men was selected for the Book of the Month Club before it was officially published, an honour that encouraged 117,000 copies of the novel to be sold before its official publication on February 25, 1937.
The action of the novel occurs over the course of three days. Steinbeck created the novel's two main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small, to portray victims of forces beyond their control.
George and Lennie are two migrant agricultural workers on a California ranch who share a dream of owning their own farm someday.
They take jobs at a ranch where their hopes are at first raised but then destroyed by a tragic accident. Steinbeck depicts George and Lennie as two innocents whose dream conflicts with the realities of a world dominated by materialism and greed.
Their extraordinary friendship distinguishes them from other hopeless and lonely migrant farm workers. The novel portrays a class of ranch workers in California whose plight had been previously ignored in the early decades of the twentieth century. In fact, George and Lennie are like mice in the maze of modem life. The great friendship they share does not prove sufficient to allow them to realize their dream. As a young man, Steinbeck learned about migrant laborers, usually unmarried men recruited to work during harvest seasons, from his own experience as a worker on company-owned ranches. With Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck became a master craftsman, ready to write his masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath the following year.

CHAPTER 1
ANALYSIS

This first chapter gives the reader an understanding of the close relationship between the two main characters, George and Lennie. They are not relatives and how they became friends has yet to be explained. However, the men are closer than most brothers are. In many ways, they are like father and son. George takes care of Lennie, scolding him when he makes a mistake. Lennie obeys George and idolizes him the way a boy might idolize his father. This is demonstrated by the way Lennie tries to sit and wear his hat like George.

George is the main protagonist[ hero] in the novel. He dreams of one day having his own ranch, but he cannot move forward with his plans because he takes care of Lennie. In fact, he cannot even live the normal life of a simple ranch-hand because Lennie is always getting them into trouble, forcing them to leave jobs. George resents the effort and care that simple-minded Lennie requires. In frustration, George often speaks to Lennie as an angry parent would speak to a misbehaving child. They share a bond that is seems characteristic of family members, and George often forgets to be careful of Lennie's feelings. He lashes out in exactly the same way a stressed parent would scream at a disobeying child. He also fantasises about how carefree and simple his life would be without Lennie, yet also like a parent, he would never really want to be free of Lennie. He clearly prefers the comfort and companionship their relationship provides. However, despite the parent-child relationship, George is not truly Lennie's father, and therefore must live with conflicting emotions. His feelings about Lennie constantly change from frustration to anger, and then to remorse, sadness and hope as he tries to figure out what their future holds.

Lennie, the unsophisticated giant, plays the role of "son" by acting childishly. He cannot control his impulses to touch soft things and is incapable of understanding the consequences of his actions. For example, he continues to accidentally kill mice because he cannot resist the urge to pet them too firmly. He also has made George run from their job in Weed because he scared a girl by touching her soft dress.

Lennie often tests George the way a child tests a parent. When George yells at Lennie, Lennie threatens to run away. He is not capable of caring for himself, yet he imagines living in a cave. These are the escape fantasies of a child. As the child, he has little to offer his father figure other than his devotion. Knowing that George loves him and would miss him, Lennie threatens to leave when they argue. This is Lennie's only way of asserting any type power in the relationship.

Despite their vast differences, Lennie and George want the same things: the security of a plot of land and their own home. They dream about operating the farm together as a family. However, George wants the farm so he can finally have independence and the American dream. Lennie just wants to have unlimited access to petting rabbits.

The novel's title provides immediate and ominous foreshadowing. Of Mice and Men is taken from a line of poetry from Robert Burns, who wrote, "The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry." Therefore, before the story even gets fully underway, it is clear that George and Lennie's plans of having their own place in the world will go unfulfilled. The title also hints that George's plans of protecting Lennie are doomed to go awry.[wrong]

Several events of first chapter foreshadow doom. George seems very worried that Lennie will not be able to remain quiet when they reach the ranch. He makes him repeat his vow of silence several times, which hints that Lennie will not remember and will likely get them into trouble by talking. George also instructs Lennie to hide in the brush if he needs to escape. It is clear Lennie has gotten them into predicaments before and may repeat his endangering behavior. Lennie is incapable of remembering simple instructions and he seems obsessed with touching soft things. All of his weaknesses foreshadow the trouble to come.

CHAPTER 2 ANALYSIS

Steinbeck starts Chapter 2 the same way he begins the first chapter. The first few paragraphs provide a detailed description of the setting. Each chapter has only one setting, with characters entering and exiting the action. In this way, the novel reads like a stage play. Several important characters are introduced in this chapter, including Candy, Curley, Slim and Curley's wife.
Candy serves as a guide for George and Lennie. By explaining the various personalities they will encounter, he gives them some vital information they will need in order to survive on the ranch. Candy is old and weak, just like his beloved dog. Carlson wants Candy to kill his dog because it stinks. Carlson implies that the dog and its owner have outlived their usefulness. Both Candy and the dog are no longer capable of working and are forced to be mere observers on the ranch.
Curley is the villain of the novel. He hates Lennie just because of his size. He is a small, cruel man who is threatened by men who are physically larger. His insecurity is also portrayed as he wears a glove as a method of bragging about his sexual activity with his wife. He rightfully suspects her interest in other men, which only furthers his inferiority complex. In this chapter, Curley's antagonism for Lennie, along with George's resulting hatred for him, foreshadows the inevitable confrontation between the men.
The introduction of Curley's wife only further foreshadows the trouble to come. Lennie is immediately attracted to her. It has already been established that he has problems controlling his impulses. In Weed, he grabbed a woman, not letting let go, because he liked her dress. Now he is interested in Curley's wife because he thinks she is pretty.
Throughout Chapter 2, George plays solitaire. It is important to note that he plays a game designed for just one person, even though he is never alone in the bunkhouse. Lennie would not be able to play cards because he lacks the mental capacity. However, George also plays alone while talking to Slim, who seems interested in George's game. The solitaire game symbolizes George's lot in life. He is usually in the company of another person, usually Lennie, yet he is entirely alone. The game also symbolises George's desire to be on his own and free of the responsibility of caring for Lennie. The game of solitaire foreshadows George's fate, when he will eventually have to choose to live without Lennie's companionship.
George's conflicting feelings about his relationship with Lennie are further demonstrated when he lies to the boss about he and Lennie being cousins. Other men cannot accept a close relationship between men who are not related. George is often also confused by his attachment to Lennie. However, he feels compelled to care for Lennie, and he enjoys his companionship, even when Lennie does not seem useful. In this respect, George is determined to care for Lennie in the same way Candy will not part with his dog.

CHAPTER 3 ANALYSIS

At dusk, Slim and George return to the bunkhouse. They are talking about the puppy Slim has given Lennie. Slim comments that Lennie is not bright, but he is a very good worker, affirming George's earlier statement. He says he has never seen anyone so strong. Slim also comments on the unusual relationship between George and Lennie. George becomes defensive, but Slim does not mean any harm. He tells George that very few men travel together, and he calls Lennie cuckoo. George defends Lennie and says he may not be smart, but he is not crazy. George explains how he and Lennie have known each other since they were children. When Lennie's Aunt Clara died, Lennie began traveling with George. George tells Slim that he used to play jokes on Lennie. It was easy because Lennie was too dumb to defend himself. Lennie was so strong that he could have crushed George, but instead Lennie never got mad.
One day, George tried to impress a bunch of men by telling Lennie to jump in a river. Lennie jumped in, but he could not swim and nearly drowned. George and the men pulled him out. Lennie, forgetting George was the one who told him to jump in, thanked George for saving his life. George never tricked Lennie again. Slim agrees that Lennie is a nice man and says that one does not have to be smart to be a good person. George says he does not have family. He has seen the guys who travel to ranches alone; they eventually become mean and aggressive. George says Lennie is a nuisance most of the time, but he is used to the companionship. George confides in Slim and tells him what Lennie did in Weed. George explains that Lennie saw a girl in a red dress. He wanted to touch the dress, so he grabbed it. The girl became scared and screamed. When her screams confused Lennie, he reacted by holding on even tighter. George had to hit him over the head with a fence picket to make him release her. The girl told the authorities Lennie raped her. The men in Weed sent out a group to lynch Lennie. He and George hid in an irrigation ditch under water all day. When it got dark, they ran out of town.
Lennie comes into the bunkhouse, hiding the puppy. He lies to George, telling him he does not have the puppy, but George makes him take the puppy back to the barn. He tells Lennie that the puppy needs to be with his mother. Lennie agrees to return the puppy as he leaves. Slim says that Lennie is just like a kid, and George agrees.
Candy comes in with his old dog. A few moments later, Carson enters the room. He has been playing horseshoes with Crooks, the black ranch hand. Carlson smells Candy's dog and starts to complain about the odor. Candy apologizes, saying that he does not notice the smell. Carlson tries to convince Candy to shoot the dog, saying that he is too old to be of any use and that the animal is suffering. Candy does not want to kill his dog. He says he has had the dog since he was a pup. Carlson persists. When Candy says he cannot shoot his dog, Carlson offers to do it for him. Slim tells Candy that he can have one of his new pups. He also tells Candy that Carlson is right. He hopes that if he becomes old and crippled, someone will shoot him. The men change the topic and begin a new conversation, but Carlson will not stop talking about the stinking dog. Finally, Candy agrees that Carlson can shoot the animal. Carlson takes the old dog outside. Slim reminds him to take a shovel. Candy lies on his back, staring at the ceiling, not talking to the other men. Slim tells Candy that he can have any of the new puppies that he likes, but Candy does not answer. They hear a shot from outside. Everyone looks a Candy. He rolls over, facing the wall, and remains silent.
Crooks pokes his head in the door and tells Slim that he has warmed up some tar for the mule's foot. He also tells Slim that Lennie is playing with the puppies. Slim says that it is all right. George tells Slim to make Lennie leave the barn if he is creating a problem, and Slim leaves.Another ranch hand, Whit, and George play cards as they discuss Curley's wife. George says, "She's gonna make a mess. They's gonna be a bad mess about her. She's a jail bait all set on the trigger."
Whit invites George to go to a whorehouse the next night. There are two whorehouses in town. Whit says he prefers old Susy's place to Clara's because Susy cracks jokes and lets the men hang around and drink. George says he will go look at the place, but he cannot afford to pay for sex, because he and Lennie are saving money. Lennie and Carlson enter together. Curley bursts into the room and asks the men if they have seen his wife. They say they have not seen her. Curley then asks where Slim is. George tells him that Slim is in the barn, and Curley runs out. Whit says he wants to see Curley and Slim fight because Curley used to be a good boxer.
Curley thinks Slim is having an affair with his wife. George says he and Lennie do not want any trouble so they will stay in the bunkhouse. Whit and Carlson leave, hoping to see a fight in the barn. Lennie admits to George that Slim told him to not pet the puppies so much because they are too young. George reminds Lennie to stay out of fights, and Lennie agrees, saying he does not want trouble. George mentions Curley's wife and says he prefers prostitutes to other women because he knows upfront how much it is going to cost him. Lennie changes the subject again to the piece of property they want to have someday. George tells Lennie that he knows of a place they can buy when they have the money. He describes the place and assures Lennie that they can build hutches for rabbits.
George continues to add details to the fantasy. He talks about the food they will grow and prepare. He also tells Lennie that they will only have to work for six or seven hours each day. Lennie, however, keeps interrupting, asking about the rabbits. George says they will have a few cats, but Lennie says if the cats hurt the rabbits, he will break their necks. Candy, who has been listening to the conversation, surprises them by asking if George really knows of a place to buy. George is guarded, but Candy asks more questions. George says he can purchase a place for six hundred in an accident on the ranch. He thinks he can get another hundred dollars as well. He dollars. Candy says he received two hundred and fifty dollars when he lost his hand says if they let him put in his money and live with them, he will cook and tend the chickens. George thinks it over. He concludes that they could get enough money in another month.
The men fall silent in amazement. George realizes his dream may be possible after all. Candy says that he will be fired soon because he can no longer work hard. He says he will have no place to go and will not be able to get another job. If that happens, he hopes he is shot like his dog. George decides they will be able to buy the land if they combine their money. He is excited to think they will be able to go to a ball game or circus without asking permission. He says he will write to the people who own the land and tell them they will buy it. The men are excited, but George instructs Lennie and Candy not to tell anyone about their plan. Candy says he wishes he had shot the dog himself. He regrets letting a stranger kill his dog.
Curley and Slim come in, followed by Whit and Carlson. Curley is apologizing, saying he did not mean to question Slim about his wife. Slim says he is getting sick of Curley questioning him. Carlson says Curley should forbid his wife from coming around the bunkhouse. The men gang up on Curley. Even Candy teases him about the glove full of Vaseline. Suddenly, Curley sees Lennie, who is still smiling over the plan to buy the property. Curley's accusations of Lennie laughing at him confuse Lennie. Curley punches him several times, and Lennie begs him to stop. George yells to Lennie to defend himself. Lennie continues to take a beating until George again tells him to fight back. Lennie grabs Curley's hand and crushes it. He refuses to let go until George slaps him. Lennie has broken every bone in Curley's hand. Slim tells Curley to say that he was injured in a machinery accident or they will tell everyone what really happened, and Curley agrees. George comforts Lennie, telling him that the fight was not his fault. Lennie asks if he can still tend the rabbits and George says yes he can.

CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the complex relationship between George and Lennie is explained further. George tells Slim about the cruel tricks he played on Lennie in the past. One of those tricks almost led to Lennie drowning and George has never recovered from the guilt of almost killing his friend. However, guilt is not the only thing that makes George protect Lennie. George needs Lennie's friendship to save him from the loneliness that he sees affecting so many other migrant workers. Their relationship also allows George to feel different from other workers. Unlike the others, Lennie allows George to believe he is working toward a happy future. Lennie makes George feel like a hero with a grand plan. Instead of feeling depressed by his lot in life, George can talk to Lennie about his fantasy farm.
Lennie makes talking about the dream easy, because he is excited by the idea and he never questions the practicality of the plan. Lennie wholeheartedly believes he will get his rabbits simply because George has told him it will happen. Like a child, Lennie has blind faith in his father figure and does not think about the obstacles that they must overcome to make the plan a reality. However, when Candy makes the dream possible by offering George money, it becomes clear that George has never really thought owning property would be anything but a sweet daydream. For the first time in the story, George is at loss for words.
Candy and George are similar in that they both have cared for something other than themselves. This compassion sets them apart from the other ranch hands. George cares for the troublesome Lennie just as Candy tries in vain to keep his old dog. However, Candy is old, and George is still young. George sees Candy's almost finished life and knows that he wants something different for himself. The old man has spent his whole life as a migrant worker and now has nothing to show for it. Even worse, he suspects he will soon lose his job and will have no means to support himself. This depressing situation is exactly what George hopes to escape by buying his own land.
George and Lennie provide a final hope for Candy. He takes their daydreams seriously and thinks they will give him comfort in his final years. Without their help, he will end up like his dog. In fact, he says if he is fired, he hopes someone will shoot him as Carlson shot his dog. The dog's death symbolizes what happens to a ranch hand that can no longer work. Both Candy and his dog are seen as outliving their usefulness. Because Lennie and the old dog are both burdens to their caretakers, the dog's death clearly foreshadows Lennie's fate.
This chapter continues to provide foreshadowing of the terrible tragedy to come. Despite his docile nature, Lennie is now shown to be capable of violence. Until now, he has only killed small animals by accident. However, he becomes strangely aggressive when he says he would kill any cat that threatened his rabbits. Lennie also shows his dangerous strength when he crushes Curley's hand. He is unable to let go of Curley's hand until George slaps him. This inability to stop his aggression or understand his actions will later prove deadly. George also predicts the trouble to come when he says Curley's wife is going to create a mess. He is proven right that same night, when Curley vents his anger over his marriage in a vicious, unprovoked attack on Lennie. However, the bigger "mess" Curley's wife will create is yet to come.
The men in this novel show contempt for women. Acknowledging that they need women for sexual release, the men see them mostly as troublemakers. For instance, Lennie only grabbed the girl's dress in Weed, yet she accused him of rape. This false accusation almost led to Lennie being lynched. Curley's wife (who is never given a name) is repeatedly called a tart. Her flirtatious ways are seen as contributing to Curley's anger and violent behavior toward Lennie. When talking about women, George says he prefers the company of prostitutes because he knows what they will cost upfront and they do not cause trouble. He even blames a "tart" on landing a childhood friend in jail, without considering the friend's personal responsibility for his actions. The only woman seen as good or helpful in the novel is Lennie's Aunt Clara. However, even her name is sullied, when it is also the name used for a whorehouse madam. In novel where only three female names are used, it cannot be a coincidence that two out of three are named Clara.

It is Saturday night as this chapter opens, and Crooks is sitting in his room. He lives in a small part of the harness room and sleeps in a straw filled box. Unlike the others, Crooks is a permanent part of the ranch. Therefore, he has accumulated more possessions than the others have, but he keeps his room neat. Crooks is rubbing liniment into his injured back. Lennie appears in the doorway and stands there, looking in. At first, the uninvited visitor angers Crooks. Lennie is only trying to be friendly. He says he was looking at his puppy and he saw Crooks' light on. Crooks tell him to leave. The older man says he is not allowed in the bunkhouse because he is black. Therefore, he will not let others in his room. He tells Lennie that the other men play cards, but he is not allowed to play because of his race. The white men say he stinks. Lennie tells Crooks that everyone else has gone into town. As they talk, Crooks tells Lennie several times to get out of his room, but Lennie keeps forgetting and stepping inside. Finally, Crooks is swayed by Lennie's smile, telling him to come inside and sit down. Lennie tells Crooks that Candy is figuring out a plan for the rabbits, but Crooks just calls him crazy. Crooks tells Lennie that he knows Lennie does not understand George when he talks to him. Lennie admits that this is true. Crooks then tells Lennie that his father once owned a chicken ranch. They were the only black family for miles. Now, he is the only black person on the ranch and no one listens to him. Crooks becomes excited to finally be able to talk to someone, even though Lennie does not understand what he is saying. Crooks repeats that George can tell Lennie anything, and it does not matter if Lennie does not understand. It is just important to be with another guy. Crooks then teases Lennie, suggesting that George will not come back. Lennie becomes upset and walks toward Crooks. Crooks sees that he is in danger and tells Lennie he was only guessing about George. He assures Lennie that George is fine and will return. Crooks talks more about being lonely."S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy 'cause you was black. How'd you like that? S'pose you had to sit out here an' read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."
Lennie once again brings up the rabbits. Crooks scoffs at him, saying that every migrant worker dreams of owning a ranch, but it never happens. Candy comes in, and although Crooks pretends to be angry at another intrusion, he is actually pleased to have company for the first time. Candy compliments Crooks on his room. Crooks continues to criticise their plan but Candy is adamant that they will have their land in one month. Crooks says that if they really buy the property he would like to work for them.
Curley's wife enters the room wearing heavy makeup. She remarks that only the weak ones are left at the ranch, directly insulting Lennie, Candy and Crooks. She also says that she knows what the other men are doing in town. Lennie is mesmerised by her appearance, but Candy and Crooks are short with her. She says that she can talk to any of the men when they are alone, but they are too scared to talk to her when they are in groups. When Candy tells her to leave, she becomes angry. She says she is unhappy with Curley and so lonely that she is even happy to be talking to "bindle bums" because she has no friends. Candy tells her that they do not want her around and that they have plans for their own ranch. She laughs at him, making him even angrier. She then tries to flirt with Lennie. Crooks has had enough. He tells her to get out of his room. She turns on Crooks and tells him that she can have him strung from a tree. He quickly backs down, defeated. She and Candy exchange more words, continuing the heated discussion. As she leaves, she tells Lennie that she is glad he beat up Curley.
George returns and yells at Candy for talking about their plan. As Candy and Lennie leave, Crooks tells Candy that he does not really want to work for them because it is a foolish plan. The men walk out and Crooks is once again alone, rubbing liniment into his injured back.

For the first time, Crook's character is developed. Crooks is proud and stays away from the other men. However, under his aloof exterior, he is hiding extreme pain and loneliness. Crooks is a smart man, but he is considered inferior because of his race. He is not allowed in the other men's quarters to play cards and is insulted by accusations that he stinks. While the boss, Slim and Curley have questioned the relationship between George and Lennie, Crooks is the only one with the insight to understand George's reasons for staying with Lennie. He knows that George needs someone with whom to speak. It does not matter if Lennie understands him or not. It is only important that a man not be alone. Crooks is the first character to verbalise that "a guy needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you."
Crooks knows that George, Lennie, and Candy's plan to buy land will never come to fruition. He has seen countless other men with the same dream, but they have all failed. However, he is so tempted by the idea of escaping loneliness, that he asks Candy if he can join them. After being humiliated by Curley's wife, he resigns to being treated as inferior to whites. Brought back to his harsh reality, he tells Candy to forget his offer. He realizes he will never be treated as an equal. Perhaps he also rejects the idea of joining them out of pride. Curley's wife has called them weak. Crooks likely does not want to be compared to the crippled old man and the mentally deficient Lennie, as a matter of pride.
Candy and Crooks hate Curley's wife, but ironically, they have something in common with her. They are all desperately lonely. For the first time, Curley's wife is seen as isolated and miserable. She has no friends on the ranch and cannot even receive comfort from her husband. She and Crooks are especially similar. They are both perceptive and immediately realize that Candy and Lennie's plans will never become a reality. Both of them are also minorities on the ranch, and they are treated as less than human, as a result. They are quick to display rudeness and hostility towards others as way of covering up their pain. Although they are victims, they are also aggressors who actively exploit the weaknesses of others. Crooks uses his superior intelligence to scare Lennie by suggesting that George will not return. Curley's wife uses her race as a weapon against Crooks by threatening him with lynching. Crooks and Curley's wife are both suffering from the same heartache, but instead of commiserating and offering support, they only have contempt for each other.

CHAPTER 5 ANALYSIS

This chapter opens with Lennie looking at the puppy that he has accidentally killed. The dog and the mouse in the first chapter have foreshadowed the extreme violence that followed. Lennie has established a pattern of killing soft things. Once Curley's wife allows Lennie to touch her hair, the reader knows that Curley will not be able to stop with a simple stroke. The story comes to a climax when he is unable to let go and accidentally kills her.
The deaths of the mouse, the dog and Curley's wife symbolise the death of Lennie and George's dream of having their own place in the world. The woman's death also translates to disaster for Candy, who will now have no one to protect him in his advanced age.
George constantly tells people that Lennie is not cruel. However, Lennie is incapable of feeling remorse or understanding the consequences of his actions, so he continues to kill. After Lennie kills the puppy and Curley's wife, he is not sorry that they are dead. He is only worried that George will not let him take care of the rabbits. In fact, he becomes angry at both the puppy and Curley's wife for getting him into trouble.
Candy feels no empathy for others. When Curley's wife is found dead, he also becomes angry with her for ruining his plans. He does not feel sorry for her. While he expresses some concern for Lennie, he mostly focuses on his own loss.
This chapter provides a deeper understanding of Curley's wife. She explains that she married Curley only because she was mad at her mother. She alternates between being flirtatious and lashing out at the men, which makes her an unsympathetic character. However, her faults are explained as it becomes clear that she shares something in common with the men who hate her. Like George and Lennie, she hopes for a better life. She wants to be a famous actress and still thinks she could make it. Although she scoffs at George and Lennie's plan, her own dream seems even more unrealistic. By the end of the chapter, it is clear that everyone's hopes will remain unfulfilled. Curley's wife dies without ever finding the companionship and attention she so desperately craved.
The chapter ends with important foreshadowing. When Carlson discovers his gun is missing, the group surmises that Lennie must have stolen it. Yet, the reader knows Lennie would not have the planning skills necessary to steal a gun before running away. That leaves only George, since he is the only character who has gone back to the bunkhouse. The missing gun provides an important clue about what will happen in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 6 ANALYSIS

Of Mice and Men ends along the same river where the novel began. The bond between George and Lennie that was obvious at the start of the story is reinforced in this chapter as Lennie sits, embracing his knees, the same way George sat along the river. He still idolizes George, even if he cannot always follow his orders.
Until now, Lennie has been portrayed as slow-witted. George has repeatedly stated that Lennie may not be bright, but he is not crazy. However, now Lennie does appear mentally ill. He hallucinates, believing that he is having conversations with his deceased Aunt Clara and a giant rabbit. This behaviour is a sharp contrast to his prior state of mind. Either he has been driven mad by killing Curley's wife or he has always suffered from hallucinations that he somehow managed to hide from George. Both Aunt Clara and the rabbit are manifestations of Lennie's worst fears. He has become a burden to George. Even in his insanity, he knows that his pattern of criminal activity can no longer continue. Lennie, unable to devise a real plan, continues to resort to the fantasy that he would be able to survive alone in the woods.
George now knows that he cannot continue to keep Lennie out of trouble. Despite his innocent motives, Lennie has become a killer, and they can no longer escape the consequences of his behaviour. The murder has made it impossible for them to survive as they have in the past, by moving from ranch to ranch. In his last conversation with Lennie, Lennie asks him to repeat the story of how he would be better off alone. Yet, George's words are forced, and the reader knows that he no longer believes he will be better off without Lennie.
Without his friend, he will not have his own farm and he will become just like the other lonely, hardened ranch hands. The depth of George's love for Lennie is clear in his last words to him, as he tells Lennie he was never angry. George kills Lennie out of mercy, not revenge, anger, or even for justice. He wants to spare his friend from being killed by Curley, which would mean Lennie's last moments would be spent fearfully and in pain. George also knows that even if Lennie survived Curley, he would have to live in a small prison cell. He would never have the chance to tend rabbits, which is his greatest dream.
Lennie dies happily. He is with his best friend and giggling because he thinks they are about to realise their dream. George, however, is once again left to deal with the aftermath of Lennie's actions. When Lennie killed Curley's wife, he destroyed George's plans for the future. Ironically, George always talked about how easy his life would be without Lennie. By killing Lennie, he is now relieved of an enormous burden from his life. Yet, without Lennie he faces an even bigger problem. He must return to work alone and without a dream. It now appears his life will become like Candy's. George will grow old, never knowing anything but the sad, hopeless life of a ranch hand. Slim tries to comfort George by telling him he had no choice. George had to kill his best friend and dream in order to survive.
Once George has killed Lennie, only Slim can understand why he is so upset. The other men see the killing as justified and expect George to feel satisfied by the shooting. Once again, they fail to realise the bond the two men shared. They have dismissed what they could never understand.

The tragedy in Of Mice and Men is not found in the death of Curley's wife or the killing of Lennie. IT IS THE LOSS OF DREAMS AND OF PLANS GONE AWRY. The main characters in the novel want to escape their current lives. They are desperately hoping for some change or a connection with others that will relieve them of their loneliness. Their aspirations are different, yet the isolation they feel is the same.

By the end of the novel, it is clear that no one will find peace, except for Lennie. Curley's wife dies without ever finding happiness. Candy's job at the ranch is threatened, and he will probably die with no one to care for him. Crooks will remain oppressed because of his race, without ever having a real friend. George is resourceful, making the reader believe he will physically survive, but his heart is now broken and his bleak future as a migrant worker seems certain. Even Slim, the most emotionally grounded character, is only content because he never seems to have had a dream in the first place. He may be respected by the ranch hands, but like them, he has nothing to call his own and no solid future prospects. Slim's will never be disappointed in his future, because he has no plans for that future which could go awry. Therefore, Steinbeck delivers the ultimate tragedy and condemnation of the American Dream. He leaves the reader questioning whether it is worth dreaming at all. If even the best plans often go awry, then there may as well be no point in making plans at all. Perhaps it is better to live one day at a time with no hopes of a better tomorrow. Perhaps it is better to never have a dream than to have a dream that will never become a reality.

CHARACTERS

Candy

Candy is the old, disabled ranch hand who is helpless to stop the shooting of his dog and who knows that he too will be banished when he is no longer useful. He is sweetly hopeful of joining Lennie and George on their dream farm, offering to contribute his savings of $350 to buy the farm.

Carlson

Carlson is a skilled worker, a mechanic at the ranch who is arrogant.
He orders Candy's dog to be put to death. Carlson has no feelings about the animal and no concept that anyone else might care about the old creature.
He is insensitive, brutal, violent, and fanatical; his only contributions to the group are destructive. His callousness is especially evident at the end of the novel. Upon seeing Slim and George sadly walk off for a drink after George has shot Lennie, Carlson says, "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?"

Crooks

Crooks, the despairing old Negro stable worker, lives alone in the harness room, isolateded from the ranch hands. On the one occasion when he briefly talks to Lennie and Candy, the bunkhouse worker who wants to be part of the dream farm Lennie and George are planning to buy, Crooks tells them they will never attain their dream. Crooks is excluded from the rest of the ranch hands, except at Christmas when the boss brings in a gallon of whiskey 'for the entire crew.

Curley

Curley, the son of the owner of the ranch where George and Lennie work, is willing to fight at the drop of a hat, yet he is really a coward Lennie stands up to Curley and crushes his hand in his iron grip. Later, Curley organizes the posse to find Lennie after he has killed Curley's wife

Curley's wife

Curley's wife (as the boss's son's flirtatious wife, she is not identified by any other name) wanders around the ranch searching for some human contact
She is stereotyped by the men as a "tart." Indeed, she plays the vamp, which enrages her jealous husband. George tells Lennie to avoid her, calling her "poison" and "jailbait."
But she is pathetically lonely and had once had dreams of being a movie star. Both she and Crooks crave company and "someone to talk to."
On Sunday afternoon, while the others are playing horseshoes, Curley's wife gets Lennie to feel her soft hair. When he begins to muss it, she panics, and he accidentally breaks her neck.
When George discovers what has happened, he realizes that their dream is over.

George Milton

George Milton, a migrant laborer, is like a mouse: "small and quick, dark of face, with rest less eyes and sharp strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose."
George has brains and ambition. He is the most complex of the characters in Of Mice and Men because he has not accepted his present lot in life. He has a dream to save money, buy a small farm, and be his own boss. George is loyal in his friendship with Lennie, and he is also remarkably pure of heart When George is driven to shoot Lennie after Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, he destroys his own dream, too. Its fulfillment is doomed by insensitive rnaterialists. Along with the destruction of his dream, George loses the chance to become a better man.

Above all, George is a survivor, proving himself to be shrewdly adaptable to migratory life. Still, he has weaknesses, he yells at Lennie from time to time and needs to feel better about his own ordinariness But George is essentially a good man.

Throughout the novel, he is loyal and committed to Lennie. In fact, George takes complete responsibility for Lennie, even to the point of killing him, because he ultimately feels responsible for Lennie's actions. George had promised Lennie's aunt that he would look out for Lennie, and although George complains about having to take care of him, their friendship gives George someone with whom he can share his dream. By the end of the story, George has achieved some control over his instincts, yet, despite his obvious commitment to Lennie, the mouse-like George is helpless to overcome the injustices of an imperfect world.

Slim

Slim, the mule driver, is a superior workman with "God-like eyes" who is kind and perceptive. He alone understands and tries to comfort George at the end of the novel after George has killed Lennie. Emphasis is placed on Slim's skill and craftsmanship; he does his job exceedingly well. Slim is a doer, not a dreamer. "HIs ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought." Slim is the really heroic man in the novel.

Lennie Small

Lennie Small, an itinerant ranch hand like his friend, George Milton, is a tall, powerful man who is mentally handicapped. He and George share a dream of someday buying their own farm, and Lennie is excited about the prospect of taking care of the rabbits they plan to keep. For a while, it appears as if the dream might come true. Lennie is a good worker and has the strength to do much of the farm work. Yet, handicapped by his lack of adult intelligence, Lennie is doomed in the world of the migrant worker. Though an innocent and not violent by nature, he has the potential for violence; his incredible strength leads him to accidentally kill the mice and puppies whose fur he likes to stroke. Lennie is repeatedly associated with animals and described as childlike. In the opening scene, for example, he appears dragging his feet "the way a bear drags his paws," and in the book's final chapter, he enters the clearing in the brush "as silently as a creeping bear." Lennie dies because he is incapable of living within society and is in fact a menace. His contact with living creatures, from mice to puppies to Curley's wife, results in destruction. Although his weakness dooms the dream of the farm, it is his innocence that keeps it alive throughout the novel until his death. His brute strength threatens society, yet it is Lennie's extraordinary mixture of human dreams and animal passions that are important. Without Lennie, George is friendless and alone. While their partnership lasts, George and Lennie share a brotherly, mutual concern and loyal companionship. There is joy, security, and comfort in their relationship. As Steinbeck once wrote,

"Lennie was not to represent insanity at all but the inarticulate and powerful yearning of all men."

THEMES

Idealism vs. Reality

Of Mice and Men tells the story of two simple men who try to escape homelessness, economic poverty, and emotional and psychological corruption. Otherwise, the fate of those who do not abandon the lives they lead as Itinerant workers is bleak and dehumanizing. As George tells Slim, the mule driver "I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean." George and Lennie dream of owning a farm, but by the end of the novel the dream has failed. Their plan is doomed because human fellowship cannot survive in their world and also because their image of the farm is overly idealized. It is likely that even if they had obtained the farm, their lives would not have been as comfortable as they had imagined; they would not have enjoyed the fraternal harmony that is part of theIr dream. In fact, their dream of contentment in the modern world is impractical and does not accurately reflect the human condition.

Crooks, the black stablehand, expresses his doubts about the dream. "Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It's just in their head. They're all the time talkie' about it, but it's jus' in their head." Crooks is referring not only to literal ownership but to the dream of contentment about which these simple men fantasize. Implicit in the theme is the ironic idea that maturity involves the destruction of one's dreams. George "matures" by killing Lennie, thus destroying the dream that could not survive in modern civilization. George survives because he leaves behind his unrealistic dreams. Dreaming, however, is humanity's only defense against an indifferent world. The title of the novel itself implies that people are at the mercy of external forces beyond their control. Steinbeck writes with sincere compassion for the victims of these chaotic forces.

Alienation and Loneliness

Loneliness is a recurrent theme in the novel. "Guys like us," George says, "that work on the ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place." Lennie replies: "But not us. And why. Because ... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why." The alternative to the companionship that George and Lennie share is loneliness. George frequently affirms the fraternity between them. "He's my... cousin," George tells the ranch boss. "I told his old lady I'd take care of him " The boss is suspicious of the bond between George and Lennie, and the other characters in turn also question this friendship: they have simply never seen anything like it. In their world, isolation is the norm Even Slim, who is usually sympathetic and understanding, expresses surprise. "Ain't many guys travel around together. I don't know why. Maybe ever' body in the whole damned world is scared of each other." Distrust is the quality of the modern world in which people live in alienation from one another. Later, the theme of loneliness is further explored in the solitude borne by Crooks and Curley's wife, who dies as a result of seeking human companionship. Both these characters crave company and, as Curley's wife says, "someone to talk to."

Despite everyone's suspicion, the friendship between George and Lennie remains solid. In fact, Candy becomes part of their dream to buy the little farm, and later Crooks also expresses his desire to become part of the expanding fellowship. This is the high point of optimism in regard to the theme of overcoming loneliness in the modern world, when it seems most likely that alienation and loneliness will be overcome. After this point, however, the dream of fellowship on the farm begins to lose its promise, and at the moment that George and Candy discover the body of Curley's wife, they both realize that the dream is lost; their partnership dissolves. Actually, the dream was doomed from the start, because fraternal living cannot survive in a world ruled by loneliness, homelessness, and poverty.

This outcome also suggests that loneliness is an essential part of humanity's nature. This theme of loneliness has been implied from the beginning of the novel, when the author establishes the setting as "a few miles south of Soledad." Soledad is the name of a town in central California, but it is also the Spanish word for solitude Yet Steinbeck's emphasis is on the greatness of his characters' attempt to live as brothers. Although the dream is doomed, the characters devote themselves to pursuing human fellowship.

Race and Racism
Somewhat related to the theme of loneliness is racism, which also results in personal Isolation. Crooks, the old black man on the ranch, lives alone, ostracized by the ranch hands because of his race. The barrier of racial prejudice is briefly broken, however, when Crooks becomes an ally in the dream to buy a farm. Crooks has a bitter dignity and honesty that illustrate Steinbeck's own criticism of American society's failures in the Depression era of the 1930s.
Class Conflict

Although George and Lennie have their dream, they are not in a position to attain it. In addition to their own personal limitations, they are also limited by their position in society. Their idealistic dream is eventually destroyed by an unfeeling, materialistic, modern society. The tensions between the characters are inherent in the nature of American capitalism and its class system. Curley, the son of the ranch owner, is arrogant and always looking for a fight. This is not merely a personality trait. His position in society has encouraged tins behavior; his real strength lies not in his fighting ability but in his power to fire any worker. Similarly, Carlson, the only skilled worker among the ranch hands, is arrogant and lacks compassion. Carlson would be difficult to replace in his job as a mechanic; therefore, he feels secure enough in his status to treat the other workers sadistically. This trait is seen when he orders Candy's dog to be shot and when he picks on Lennie. The other workers go along with Carlson because they are old or afraid of losing their jobs. Lennie's mental retardation also symbolizes the helplessness of people in a capitalistic, commercial, competitive society. In this way, Steinbeck Illustrates the confusion and hopelessness of the Depression era. The poor were a class of people who suddenly had captured the imagination of American Writers in the 1930s. This was an example of the shift in attitudes that occurred during the Depression. Previously, American fiction had been concerned with the problems of middleclass people Steinbeck's novel was a sympathetic portrayal of the lives of the poorest class of working people, while exposing society's injustices and economic inequalities in the hope of improving their situation.

Mental Disability

Lennie's mental limitations also serve to illustrate another way in which people separate themselves from one another. Because of his handicap, Lennie is rejected by everyone at the ranch except George. The ranch hands are suspicious of Lennie and fear him when they recognize his physical strength and his inability to control himself. For example, when Crooks maliciously teases Lennie that George might decide to abandon his friend and that Lennie would then end up in "the booby hatch," Lennie becomes enraged. Eventually, Crooks backs off in fear of what Lennie could do to hurt him. Despite Lennie's potential for hurting people, however, Steinbeck makes it clear that it is the malice, fear, and anger in other people that are to blame for Lennie's violent actions (Crooks torments Lennie out of his own frustration for being rejected because he is black). When Curly starts to hit Lennie for supposedly laughing at him, Lennie at first retreats and allows his face to become bloodied until George tells him he should fight back; and when Lennie accidentally kills Curly's wife, it is a direct result of her inappropriate advances toward him. Steinbeck's portrayal of Lennie's handicap is therefore completely sympathetic; the other characters have only themselves to blame for provoking Lennie, who is merely a child in a world of selfish adults. That Lennie has to die at the novel's conclusion is a poignant commentary on the inability of the innocent to survive in modem society.

Loyalty

George is steadfastly loyal throughout the novel, honoring his commitment to take care of the retarded Lennie. After Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, Curley forms a posse to lynch Lennie. George then steals a pistol and goes to the spot where he has told Lennie to hide in case there is trouble: the same spot where the novel begins. George then kills Lennie himself before the mob can find him so he can save Lennie from a lynching. Together the two men recite the dream of their farm for the last time. George mercifully kills Lennie with a shot to the head while Lennie is chanting the dream, unaware of what is about to happen to him. George, with all his personal limitations, is a man who has committed himself in a compassionate relationship. The grief he feels over the necessity of killing Lennie is also evidence of George's essential decency. Although the dream perishes, the theme of commitment achieves its strongest point in the novel's conclusion Unlike Candy, who earlier abandoned responsibility for his old dog and allows Carlson to shoot the animal, George remains his brother's keeper. In his acceptance of complete responsibility for Lennie, George demonstrates the commitment necessary to join the ranks of Steinbeck's heroes.

Friendship

The one ingredient essential for the fulfillment of George's and Lennie's dream is friendship. And because the dream is so remarkable, that friendship must be special. There are other friendships in the novel: Slim and Carlson, Candy and Crooks, but these are ordinary friendships. The bond between George and Lennie, which goes back many years, is different. Lennie cannot survive on his own, and he needs George to guide and protect him. Without George, Lennie would live in a cave in the hills, as he sometimes threatens to do, or he would be institutionalized. George, for his part, complains regularly about having to take care of Lennie His tolerance of Lennie also gives him a sense of superiority. At the same time, George feels a genuine affection for Lennie that he will not openly admit. Most importantly, without this friendship, neither George nor Lennie alone could sustain the dream, much less see it become a reality. The friendship lends hope to the dream, but the reality of their brutal life destroys the dream and the friendship. Although George is a survivor at the end, he is doomed to be alone.

STYLE

Structure

Of Mice and Men, with its highly restricted focus, is the first of Steinbeck's experiments with the novel-play form, which combines qualities of each genre. The novel thus needed few changes before appearing on Broadway. The story is essentially comprised of three acts of two chapters each. Each chapter or scene contains few descriptions of place, character, or action. Thus, the novel's strength lies in part in its limitations. Action is restricted usually to the bunkhouse. The span of time is limited to three days, sunset Thursday to sunset Sunday, which intensifies the sense of suspense and drama.

Point of View

The point of view of the novel is generally objective—not identifying with a single character and limited to exterior descriptions. The third-person narrative point of view creates a sense of the impersonal. With few exceptions, the story focuses on what can be readily perceived by an outside observer: a river bank, a bunkhouse, a character's appearance, card players at a table. The focus on time, too, is limited to the present: there are no flashbacks to events in the past, and the reader only learns about what has happened to Lennie and George before the novel's beginning through dialogue between the characters. Thoughts, recollections, and fantasies are expressed directly by the characters, except when Lennie hallucinates in Chapter 6 about seeing a giant rabbit and Aunt Clara.

Setting

Set in California's Salinas Valley, the story takes place on a large ranch during the Great Depression. The agricultural scene in California in the 1930s, particularly in Salinas Valley, was dominated by large collective farms, or "farm factories," owned by big landowners and banks. These farm factories employed hundreds of workers, many of whom were migrants. Small farms of a few hundred acres, such as the one Lennie and George dream about, were relatively scarce on the large farms, low wages for picking fruit and vegetables often led to economic unrest. In September 1936, thousands of lettuce workers in the Salinas Valley went on strike over low wages. The situation grew tense, and an army officer was brought in to lead vigilantes against the strikers. The strike was crushed within a month. Steinbeck covered the strike as a reporter for the San Francisco News.

Symbolism

The most important symbol in the novel is the bank of the Salinas River, where the novel begins and ends. In the story's opening, when George and Lennie come to the riverbank, it serves as a symbol of retreat from the world to a natural state of innocence. In this first scene, George tells Lennie that he should return to this riverbank If there is trouble at the ranch where they plan to work. The riverbank is a "safe place" for the two characters.

A second symbol is the rabbits: Lennie repeatedly asks George to tell him about the rabbits, which, when they are mentioned, also come to symbolize the safe place that George and Lennie desire and dream about The fundamental symbol is the dream itself: "a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs" This Ideal place keeps the two men bonded to each other and offers hope, however briefly, to two other men whom George and Lennie will meet the next day at the ranch When George and Lennie arrive at the ranch, the bunkhouse and farm symbolise the essential emptiness of that world, offering only minimal physical security.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing, where events subtly hint at things to come, serves to heighten suspense in the novel. Lennie's rough handling of the mice and the puppy, the shooting of Candy's old dog, the crushing of Curley's hand, and the frequent appearances of Curley's wife all foretell future violence. Steinbeck tells the reader about the mice and puppy, as well as the scene in which Lennie breaks the bones in Curley's hand, so that when Lennie kills Curley's wife it is completely believable and convincing—and seemingly inevitable—that this could happen. Also, at the very beginning of the book, the reader learns that George and Lennie had to leave Weed because Lennie got into trouble when he tried to touch a girl's dress. The incident in which Candy's dog is shot also foreshadows George's shooting of Lennie, an ironic comparison of the value placed on the life of a dog and a man.