Of Mice and Men Section Overview

Section Overview

Section 1

- Introduction to both characters.- George and Lennie set up camp for the night just outside the ranch.- George sees that Lennie is holding a dead mouse and takes it from him. Lennie insists that he did not kill it and only wanted to stroke it. George throws its across the stream and Lennie later goes to retrieve it just to have it taken from him again. - We learn that Lennie got the two of them kicked out of Weed as he innocently tried touching a girls dress.- George explodes about Lennie's ungratefulness and about how Lennie prevents him from living a freer life. He later apologises to Lennie and they recite their dream about getting their own ranch together, showing they really care and depend on one another. - George insists that Lennie does not speak to the boss until he is able to see Lennie work.-George also tells Lennie that he should return to this spot and wait for George if anything is to happen.

- George and Lennie arrive at the farm and are shown around by Candy.- They're questioned by the boss as to why they arrive late and George blames it on the bus driver.- George speaks for Lennie when asked questions but Lennie speaks and George becomes nervous. The boss gets suspicious and believes that George is taking advantage of Lennie. George covers by saying Lennie is his cousin who got kicked by a horse at a young age and has to look after him. The boss warns them not to pull anything and assigns them jobs.- George and Lennie meet Curley as he enters the bunkhouse.- Curley's Wife is described as pretty but flirtatious.- Introduced to Slim who is quietly impressed by George and Lennie's friendship.- Introduced to Carlson who tries to convince Candy to kill his old dog and raise one of the new puppies instead.

Section 2

Section 3

- Slim and George make an acquaintance and George confides in Slim the story of how Lennie and him became friends and what happened in Weed:-- They were born in the same town and George looked after Lennie after his Aunt Clara died. He originally began making Lennie do ridiculous things. After Lennie almost drowned in a river George felt ashamed and took full care of him.- Lennie arrived with a puppy which George tells him to return back to its mother.- Carlson an Candy appear and Carlson continues to urge Candy into killing his dog, to which he refuses. Slim joins by saying the dog is living in pain and offers him another puppy to replace his dog. Eventually, Candy gives in and Carlson takes the dog outside and shoots it.- In the middle of the deliberation a man name Whit enters, showing Slim a simple letter of praise for the magazine written by a man that used to work on the farm that's been published in said magazine.- Crooks enters and leaves with Slim to finish some work in the barn.- Curley enters looking for his wife and storms off after him, followed by Whit and Carlson.- George and Lennie begin talking about the ranch and Candy mentions that he would invest his entire life savings to help them out if he could come with them. Together they would have the money for the down payment after one months work.- Candy quietly voices his concern about how he should have killed his dog himself and not let a stranger do it.- The other men return along with Curley, who apologises to Slim which results in him being mocked by the other men. Not knowing Slims capabilities Curley picks on Lennie to get his anger out.- Lennie does not do anything except plead to be left alone until George tells him to 'get 'im' and Lennie instantly breaks Curleys hand.- Slim persuades Curley not to fire the two men or else he will be mocked, Curley consents to not having the men fired.- George consoles Lennie that he will still be able to tend the rabbits on their farm.

Section 4

- Lennie enters Crooks' room as all the other men are at the cat house.- Lennie blabs about his dream on the ranch but Crooks does not believe him and thinks it's due to Lennie's disability.- Crooks tells Lennie about his own childhood and how other children would play with him, although he still felt alone as they were the only black family for miles. His dad instructed him not to keep company with the white neighbours but he never understood why. Now, he resents the social norms that require him to sleep in his separate room.- Crooks cruelly tortures Lennie by telling him George may not return from the town but backs down when Lennie threatens him to tell him 'Who hurt George?'- Candy enters and speaks to Lennie about the ranch. Crooks continues to belittle their dream until Candy tells him about the money saved and how they already have a plot ready, with this information Crooks hints that he would like to come with them.- Curleys Wife arrives and intimidates the men. She asks what happened to Curleys hand and doesn't believe it was caught in a machine, eventually deducing that it was Lennie due to his bruises.- Crooks tells Curleys Wife to leave to which she threatens him 'You know what i can do.' She leaves when the men are heard returning and after telling Lennie she is glad he beat Curley.- George criticises Candy for talking about the ranch to people.- Crooks changes his mind about the farm, saying 'I wouldn' want to go no place like that.'

Section 5

- Lennie is alone in the barn petting a dead puppy. He talks to the dog, eventually getting frustrated and throwing it across the room, then getting it back and continuing to stroke it. He worries that George will be mad, he considers lying to him but knows George will see through the lie. Eventually deducing that George won't care because the dog meant nothing to him.- Curleys Wife enters and Lennie hides the puppy, telling her he was told not to talk to her. She finds the puppy and reassures him that he is safe to talk to her and consoles him about the death of the puppy.- Curleys Wife begins to complain about her loneliness and the poor treatment she receives. She talks about how she wishes for a different life. Her mother stopped her becoming part of a travelling show at age 15, years later she was discovered by a Hollywood agent who promised he would take her to Hollywood to become a star. When nothing happened she resulted to marrying Curley, whom she dislikes.- Lennie talks about the rabbits and soft things, Curleys Wife allows Lennie to stroke her hair but he gets excited and holds on too tight, causing her to scream, he tries to silence her and shakes her but snaps her neck. He buries her body in the hay and runs for the safe point that George designates in Section 1.- Candy finds the body and immediately calls for George. George explains that he hopes Lennie will be imprisoned and treated well, but Candy informs him that Curley will have Lennie lynched.- Candy asks about the ranch and George says how he knew it was impossible from the beginning but Lennies positive attitude led him to believe it was possible.- George pretends he doesn't know about the body to avoid the men thinking he was involved in the death when they're informed.- Candy curses Curleys Wife for destroying the dream of the ranch.- All the men arrive at the barn and Curley demands they go after Lennie, Carlson says that his gun is missing and that Lennie must've taken it. The men set off after him after retrieving Crooks' shotgun.

Section 6

- Lennie sits at the clearing we see in the opening scene. He has two visions.- One is of his Aunt Clara, speaking in Lennies voice and berates him about how he should have listened to George, for getting into trouble and causing problems for his only friend.- The second is a rabbit, also speaking in Lennies own voice, telling him that George will probably beat and abandon him.- George appears, quiet and emotionless, refusing to berate Lennie. Lennie tells him that he will go and live in a cave but George tells him to say which gives him comfort and hope.- Lennie asks George to tell him the dream and George talks to him about their friendship instead.- George tells Lennie to remove his hat and look across the river while he describes the farm to him, mentioning the rabbits and how no one will ever be mean to him again.- Lennie says 'Le's do it now' and George raises the gun and shoots Lennie in the back of the head using Carlson's gun. He tosses it and sits down.- The rest of the men appear and George tells them he wrestled the gun from Lennie and shot him with it.- Slim understands what really happened and comforts George, leading them away from the scene.- Only Carlson and Curley are left and they say 'Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?'