Summary of 'Of Mice and Men'

“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck is about two poor homeless migrant workers, who dream for a place where they can work for their own land, grow their own crops, raise animals, and live a free life without anyone to take their fruits of labour away from them. However, as the novel ends, their dreams and plans leads to nothing leaving one of the main characters alone in hopelessness and despair. Two friends, George Milton, who is intellectually strong, and Lennie Small, who is mentally weak, are on their way for a job at a nearby ranch. They stopped at the Salinas River to take a break. Lennie forgets where they are going so George, annoyed by him, reminds him about their jobs. As Lennie looks for his work card, he finds a dead mouse in his pocket. Lennie likes to pet animals which are soft like mice but because of his uncontrollable strength, he often kills them. George demands him to throw the dead animal but Lennie manages to hide the mouse. George soon finds that Lennie still keeps the mouse and he gets angry with him. He later comforts Lennie by telling about a dream when one day they will have their own farmhouse where they will grow their own crops and Lennie will tend his rabbits. The two workers arrived at the ranch in Soledad the next morning but annoy the owner for being late. Curley, the owner’s son, is a small man who hates big guys like Lennie. Curley’s wife enters after Curley left the room. George warns Lennie to stay away with Curley and his wife after seeing her seductive stance. Later, Slim and Carlson, who are also ranch workers, came into the bunkhouse. Lennie finds that Slim has a dog which just had puppies so he then anxiously wanted to have something soft to pet. Carlson, on the other hand, suggests Candy, an old handyman and a co-worker, to kill his smelly ancient sheepdog and take one of Slim’s puppies. Lennie finally gets his pup and spends the night petting it. George tells Slim about their last job in Weed. The reason why they are searching for a new job is because Lennie had unintentionally stroked a woman who later seeks help to the police making Lennie and him to leave the town. Candy, later on, had his dog, which he has kept for many years, shot and killed by Carlson. When George and Lennie were talking about their dream again, Candy hears them and asks if he could come with them, suggesting that they can have his saving for the dream farm. George agrees and Lennie smiles. Curley, who has just arrived, offended by Lennie’s smile because he thought he is laughing at him, fights with him, and Lennie, who does not want to fight, attacks Curley resulting to Lennie breaking Curley’s hand. Lennie, being mildly retarded, does not know what was happening but he has badly hit Curley. All the men went to the town leaving Crooks (the black worker) behind along with Candy, Lennie, and Curley’s wife. Crooks told Lennie about his loneliness. Candy mentioned George’s and Lennie’s dream but Crooks does not see the possibility of it to come true but changes his mind after listening to Candy and wants to come with them. The men became uncomfortable by the arrival of Curley’s wife. She criticizes their dream making Crooks angry. She then warns him that he is just a worker – a black worker! Crooks just remained silent. When she hears the men who are returning from the town, Curley’s wife leaves. Crooks tells Candy that he is not interested in coming with them anymore. Lennie pets his puppy alone in the barn the next afternoon and accidentally kills it. He hides it before Curley’s wife arrived, who tells him her dream of being a movie star. She later finds out that Lennie likes soft things, so she offers her soft hair so that Lennie can touch it. Lennie, uncontrollably strokes too hard making the lady scream violently. He tries to quiet her but accidentally breaks her neck and kills her. Lennie runs away before Candy and George find her body. The other men, including Curley, also found the dead body and carrying their guns with them, hunt for Lennie to kill him. Lennie hides from Curley and the other men. George finds him. George assures Lennie that he is not mad at him and tells him again about their farm and rabbits that he will tend. When the men are getting near them, George shoots Lennie at the head. Curley and Carlson congratulated George for what he has done while Slim understands that George did not really want to kill his companion but because George should, he did. George and Slim went away, drinking.