Of Mice and Men By: John Steinbeck. CHAPTER 1 Setting: rural California (Soledad) during the Depression Era (1930’s) Main Characters are introduced: Lennie.

Of Mice and Men

By: John Steinbeck

CHAPTER 1

• Setting: rural California (Soledad) during the Depression Era (1930’s)

• Main Characters are introduced: Lennie & George

Lennie – a “giant of a man” who had the mental ability of a

child; he doesn’t know his own strength.

George – Lennie’s friend & care giver; hot-tempered, but means well. He is protective of Lennie.

• Both walk to the Salinas River & rest before heading to a ranch to start their new job.

• George & Lennie had to leave their old job because Lennie “caused trouble” by touching a woman’s dress.

• George discovers that Lennie is carrying around a dead mouse.

• Lennie like mice – like to pet them. He doesn’t realize his own strength and kills them by pinching their head’s and petting them too much

• He likes to touch soft things.

• George takes the mouse and throws it away. He explains he didn’t do it to be mean to Lennie – it’s just that dead mice can make him (Lennie) sick. He promises him a “pup.”

• George looses his temper with Lennie and the whole situation.

• Lennie tells him that if he doesn’t want him (Lennie) around anymore he’ll leave.

• George reassures him that he does not want him to leave.

• End of the Chapter – the two men are eating beans by the campfire.

• George tells Lennie his favorite story about how the will one day have land of their own and tend to rabbits.

• Lennie promises not to cause trouble at this new job.

CHAPTER 2

• Chapter setting: the ranch

• Lennie and George arrive late the next day and meet the “boss.”

• They also meet several new characters.

Ranch Hands:• Candy – old man with one hand;

worried that he’ll be viewed as useless as his old dog; hard working and sincere.

• Curley – son of the boss; short; rude; hates “big guys;” likes to pick fights; married; thinks he’s better than everyone; jealous.

• Curley’s Wife – (she’s never named); flirt; lonely; goes to “find” Curley, but really just wants to check out the new guys.

• The Stable Buck – only black man on the ranch; intelligent reads books; hard worker; sleeps in separate quarters from the others due to his race.

• Slim – tall man; highly respected not only for his work, but for the way he treats others; good listener; wise; has a dog that just had 5 puppies.

• Carlson – “powerful, big-stomached man;” hates Candy’s smelly old dog.

Chapter Summary• When Lennie and George

arrive at the ranch, Candy (old man/swamper) shows them to their bunks.

• George explains to the new boss that Lennie “may not be bright,” but is strong and is a hard worker.

• George lies to the boss: says they left their last job because they were done with their work; also says that he and Lennie are cousins.

• They meet the boss’s son – Curley. Right away he starts in on Lennie. His new wife has a wandering eye for the fellows.

• Curley’s wife comes in to the bunkhouse. Starts “flirting” and says she’s looking for her husband. George avoids looking at her, but Lennie does not. George warns Lennie to stay away from her (and her husband).

• Slim arrives. George knows he’s a good guy from the start. Carlson comes in tells about the puppies his dog has just had. Lennie’s ears perk up – in the end, he asks George to get one of them for him.

Chapter 3

• Slim gives Lennie a puppy.

• Carlson hounds Candy about his old dog; convinces Candy to let him shoot his dog.

• Carlson shoots Candy’s dog with his Lugar.

• Candy asks George and Lennie for he can go with them to their dream ranch.

• Candy offers his savings to help them get the land sooner.

• George agrees.

• Curley starts a fight with Lennie (he thought Lennie was laughing at him).

• Lennie crushes Curley’s hand.

Chapter 4

• Everyone is lonely!

• Lennie goes into Crooks’ room while George is out on the town for a Saturday night.

• Lennie tells Crooks about the place George and he will be getting.

• Crooks offers to help around the ranch if they get the land.

• Candy comes in, too.

• Curley’s wife shows up, Crooks tells her to leave, but she threatens him with lynching.

Chapter 5• Lennie - alone in the barn with

his pup; accidentally kills it

• Curley’s wife comes in & starts complaining.

• Curley’s wife – could have been in the pictures, but ended up marrying Curley instead.

• She lets Lennie touch her hair.

• He pats it harder than she would like. She starts to yell.

• Lennie panics and breaks her neck while trying to keep her quiet

• Candy find the body & tells George

• Curley is fired up about what Lennie has done and wants to shoot Lennie dead.

• George tells Slim: “All the time he done bad things, but he never done one of ‘em mean” (p. 92).

• Curley organizes a search party to find Lennie.

• Carlson fines that his Lugar is missing.

• George is worried about what the men will do to Lennie once they find him.

Chapter 6• George stole Carlson’s gun

and goes to meet Lennie by the river.

• He tells Lennie to relax, look off in the distance while he tells him his favorite story.

• As the search party comes closer, George shoots Lennie in the back of his head.

• George lets the search party think that they were wrestling – to get the gun away from Lennie

• Slim knows better, but doesn’t say any thing.

• George tells him privately what happened; they go for a drink.

Themes Stems

• Loneliness

• True Friendship

• The Impossibility of the American Dream (the land of opportunity – own your own land; become rich and famous, etc)

• Injustice towards disabled, women, and races in society

Symbols

• Lennie’s puppy – represents the victory of the strong over the weak.

• Candy’s dog – represents the fate that awaits everyone. Most will become old and viewed as useless and finally die.

• Rabbits = American Dream (impossible to achieve)

Images of Women (in the novella)

• Scaredy cats (frightened & weak) – woman in Weed

• Unreliable – Aunt Clara

• Immoral – (corrupting power; temptress) – women at the cathouse

• Promiscuous – Curley’s wife

• Objects – not viewed a being real people, just meant to please men’s desires

Places (symbolism)

• Ranch = real world

• Bunkhouse = conflicts

• Crook’s place = place of isolation/retreat

• Barn= place of violence

• Pool (down by the river) = place of refuge (Safety for George & Lennie)

Roles of Characters(Allegorical Roles)

• Slim = voice of reason (non-judgmental)• Curley = overcompensating for a flaw• George = hero; average guy; “Everyman”• Lennie = disadvantaged/handicapped*• Candy = old, useless, less*• Curley’s wife = women in America (Eve =

sinners)*• Crooks = minority*

* Discriminated group of people