Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Study guide available at: gradesaver.com/of-mice-and-men
Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck in 1937. Based on Steinbeck’s experience as an itinerant farmhand during the 1920s, Of Mice and Men is the story of two opposites: the clever, wiry George Milton and the gentle giant, Lennie Small. In the course of charting George and Lennie’s journey from one ranch to the next, Steinbeck explores the search for comfort, decency, and companionship in a cruel and lonely world.
Set in Depression-era California, the novel opens on two migrant farm workers traveling alongside the Salinas River. As they walk, the brainy George scolds his enormous, mentally disabled friend, Lennie, for complaining about not having ketchup for their nightly dinner of beans. Despite George’s remarks that he would be better off without Lennie, he is clearly loyal to and protective of his good-natured friend.
Through their conversations, we learn that Lennie was wrongly accused of rape while working at a farm in the nearby town of Weed after he touched a woman to feel her soft dress. George warns Lennie not to speak when they arrive at their new place of employment, a ranch in Soledad. George also reminds Lennie that, should he get into trouble again, he is to wait for George in the brush near the river.
Despite their frequent quarrels, George soothes Lennie by repeating the story of their dream to buy a parcel of land where they can farm vegetables and raise rabbits. Lennie is especially fixated on having a rabbit hutch, as he enjoys touching soft things but often ends up accidentally crushing animals due to his inordinate strength.
George and Lennie reach the ranch in Soledad, where they meet Candy, an older employee with one hand. Candy tells the men that the boss was angry they didn’t arrive the previous night. Soon, the boss joins them and immediately takes note of Lennie’s mental impairment. When he asks George why they travel as a pair, George lies, saying that Lennie is his cousin.
The men also meet Curley, the boss’ son, a short, insecure man who hates large men like Lennie and is prone to fits of jealousy when his new wife flirts with such men. That night, Curley’s wife visits the bunkhouse to flirt with the men, causing Curley to pick a fight with George. But George resists engaging with Curley, insisting that he prefers “whores to tarts” like Curley’s wife, since there is no danger of angering jealous husbands at a whorehouse.
After a day of work, the men return to the bunkhouse. Slim, another ranch hand whose dog has just given birth, gives Lennie a puppy. George admits to Slim that he and Lennie narrowly escaped a lynch mob at their previous jobs after Lennie was accused of rape. Meanwhile, Carlson, another pot-bellied ranch hand, complains that Candy’s decrepit dog stinks and offers to put it out of its misery using his gun. Candy relents, despite his obvious attachment to the creature.
One day, Candy overhears George talking to Lennie about the property they plan to buy. Candy offers to pitch in $350 on the condition that he can live and work on the farm with George and Lennie. The two friends agree enthusiastically, but their excitement is overshadowed when Curley arrives looking for his wife. When he suspects Lennie of laughing at him, Curley picks a fight, which Lennie ends easily by crushing Curley’s hand.
Despite Lennie’s fight with Curley, George feels comfortable enough to leave Lennie and accompany the other men to the local whorehouse. While he is gone, Lennie talks to Crooks, the Black stable hand. Since the other men shun Crooks due to his race, Crooks is initially prickly towards Lennie but softens to him when he realizes that Lennie is harmless.
Candy joins them, bringing up the plan for their farm. Crooks expresses interest in joining the plan when Curley’s wife arrives, flirting with the men out of loneliness. But when Crooks tells her that she is not supposed to be in his room, she belittles him and even threatens to have him lynched.
The next day, Lennie accidentally kills his puppy when he pets it too hard. Curley’s wife finds him in the barn and takes pity on him. She admits that she is similarly lonely, as she dislikes her husband and mourns her dream of becoming a movie star. When Lennie expresses interest in stroking her soft hair, she lets him, but eventually becomes fearful of his touch and screams. In an attempt to cover her mouth, Lennie unintentionally breaks her neck, and then flees the ranch.
Visit gradesaver.com/of-mice-and-men to read the full video transcript and our study guide for this classic story, which includes a full list of characters, themes, and much more.
Study guide available at: gradesaver.com/of-mice-and-men
Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck in 1937. Based on Steinbeck’s experience as an itinerant farmhand during the 1920s, Of Mice and Men is the story of two opposites: the clever, wiry George Milton and the gentle giant, Lennie Small. In the course of charting George and Lennie’s journey from one ranch to the next, Steinbeck explores the search for comfort, decency, and companionship in a cruel and lonely world.
Set in Depression-era California, the novel opens on two migrant farm workers traveling alongside the Salinas River. As they walk, the brainy George scolds his enormous, mentally disabled friend, Lennie, for complaining about not having ketchup for their nightly dinner of beans. Despite George’s remarks that he would be better off without Lennie, he is clearly loyal to and protective of his good-natured friend.
Through their conversations, we learn that Lennie was wrongly accused of rape while working at a farm in the nearby town of Weed after he touched a woman to feel her soft dress. George warns Lennie not to speak when they arrive at their new place of employment, a ranch in Soledad. George also reminds Lennie that, should he get into trouble again, he is to wait for George in the brush near the river.
Despite their frequent quarrels, George soothes Lennie by repeating the story of their dream to buy a parcel of land where they can farm vegetables and raise rabbits. Lennie is especially fixated on having a rabbit hutch, as he enjoys touching soft things but often ends up accidentally crushing animals due to his inordinate strength.
George and Lennie reach the ranch in Soledad, where they meet Candy, an older employee with one hand. Candy tells the men that the boss was angry they didn’t arrive the previous night. Soon, the boss joins them and immediately takes note of Lennie’s mental impairment. When he asks George why they travel as a pair, George lies, saying that Lennie is his cousin.
The men also meet Curley, the boss’ son, a short, insecure man who hates large men like Lennie and is prone to fits of jealousy when his new wife flirts with such men. That night, Curley’s wife visits the bunkhouse to flirt with the men, causing Curley to pick a fight with George. But George resists engaging with Curley, insisting that he prefers “whores to tarts” like Curley’s wife, since there is no danger of angering jealous husbands at a whorehouse.
After a day of work, the men return to the bunkhouse. Slim, another ranch hand whose dog has just given birth, gives Lennie a puppy. George admits to Slim that he and Lennie narrowly escaped a lynch mob at their previous jobs after Lennie was accused of rape. Meanwhile, Carlson, another pot-bellied ranch hand, complains that Candy’s decrepit dog stinks and offers to put it out of its misery using his gun. Candy relents, despite his obvious attachment to the creature.
One day, Candy overhears George talking to Lennie about the property they plan to buy. Candy offers to pitch in $350 on the condition that he can live and work on the farm with George and Lennie. The two friends agree enthusiastically, but their excitement is overshadowed when Curley arrives looking for his wife. When he suspects Lennie of laughing at him, Curley picks a fight, which Lennie ends easily by crushing Curley’s hand.
Despite Lennie’s fight with Curley, George feels comfortable enough to leave Lennie and accompany the other men to the local whorehouse. While he is gone, Lennie talks to Crooks, the Black stable hand. Since the other men shun Crooks due to his race, Crooks is initially prickly towards Lennie but softens to him when he realizes that Lennie is harmless.
Candy joins them, bringing up the plan for their farm. Crooks expresses interest in joining the plan when Curley’s wife arrives, flirting with the men out of loneliness. But when Crooks tells her that she is not supposed to be in his room, she belittles him and even threatens to have him lynched.
The next day, Lennie accidentally kills his puppy when he pets it too hard. Curley’s wife finds him in the barn and takes pity on him. She admits that she is similarly lonely, as she dislikes her husband and mourns her dream of becoming a movie star. When Lennie expresses interest in stroking her soft hair, she lets him, but eventually becomes fearful of his touch and screams. In an attempt to cover her mouth, Lennie unintentionally breaks her neck, and then flees the ranch.
Visit gradesaver.com/of-mice-and-men to read the full video transcript and our study guide for this classic story, which includes a full list of characters, themes, and much more.
