“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck is known as one of the best novels of the 20th century. This world renown book follows the of a tale of adversity an abnormal friendship endures which, includes, the small, quick witted man affiliated with the name George Milton and the simple minded naive lunk known as Lennie Smalls. Though they may not seem like the quintessential that Bonnie and Clyde may have been or even Sherlock and Watson were, but they had a certain je ne sais quoi about them that could endure through all odds they somehow found a way to develop a strong bond that could only be deteriorated by death.
Without the other, the amalgam known as George and Lennie would cause “Of Mice and Men”to be lacking the panache that it so indubitably deserves. The start of the story begins with George and Lennie in the wilderness on their way to a farm to become ranch hands, when George explains to Lennie his aspirations of owning their very own plot of land. George even tells Lennie that he tend to the rabbits, due to Lennie’s infatuation with soft things (caused by his mental state of that of child).
As they near the ranch George tells Lennie to behave himself unlike he did in Weed, California where Lennie was accused of rape when he grabbed a girl’s dress because he thought it was soft. For the rest of the day they had to hide in an irrigation ditch from a lynching mob. George reiterates this stipulation by adding that he should not speak unless spoken to and warns George that he will not be able to tend to the rabbits when they buy their property if Lennie doesn’t conform to the rules. This added amendment terrifies Lennie and forces him to comply to George’s authority.
When they reach the ranch they go inside a bunk house and meet an old swamper named, Candy who lost his hand in an accident at the ranch. Candy tells them that the boss is displeased with their belated arrival. The boss raises an eyebrow of suspicion at the dysfunctionality of the relationship between George and Lennie. He questions why Lennie impassive behavior during the conversation. George answer by clarifying that Lennie got kicked in the head by a horse as a child and his is cousin (not true). Following the gauche altercation George and Lennie are introduced to Candy’s elderly sheep dog.
Suddenly Curley, arrogant son of the boss ask comes the door and ask where his father is. George says that he was just in the bunkhouse. Curley identifies George and Lennie as new workers and ask why Lennie is not speaking. George defends Lennie from the onslaught of impertinency prompting Curley to leave. Candy tells George and Lennie that Curley’s lightweight boxer and he is victim to an inferiority complex pertaining to big people. He goes on to explain he is known for fighting bigger people then himself. George extensively tells Lennie to watch out for Curley and stay away from him at all cost.
After George’s rant about the son of the boss, Curley’s flirtatious wife comes into the bunkhouse looking for Curley. To no avail Curley’s wife leaves the bunkhouse. George complains about her coquettish attitude in which Lennie responds saying she is pretty. George tells him to stay away from her as well. They soon meet Slim and Carlson, a jerkline skinner who has litter of pups and a ranch hand. Carlson criticises Candy for keeping his elderly dog and talks about it’s useless. Curley walks into the bunkhouse again, but this time asking where is wife is in which, George tells him his wife was in the bunkhouse half an hour ago.
When Curley leaves George foresees getting into a fight with Curley. Carlson convinces Candy to let him shoot his dog and put him out of his misery which Candy tries to negate, but Candy knew that Carlson was forcing him so he do so. Sadly he let Carlson shoot one of his best friends. George and Lennie start talking about their dream owning land and suddenly Candy speaks up asking where this place is. George and Lennie are startled because they were not aware Candy was near their bunks. George figures out no harm would be done by telling him about the plan because he doesn’t know where it is so he does so.
Candy brings up the boss gave him $250 when he lost his hand at the farm, he had $50 in the bank, and he had $50 as his wage at the the end of the month. George starts to become more optimistic beca the plot only cost $600. George tells Candy that he would have $100 summing up his and Lennie’s earnings from the farm. He says they could start off selling eggs to get the rest of the money for the plot. George tells both Lennie and Candy not to tell anyone about the newly formulated plan because they could be deleterious to it.
Unexpectedly Slim walks into the bunkhouse followed by Curley, Carlson and another ranch hand. Slim and Carlson argue over that Slim in a relationship with his wife. Carlson gets involved telling him that he needs to control his wife in a sexist manner. Curley gets angered by this remark and tells him to stay out of it. Carlson then calls Curley a punk causing Candy to join in on the vociferation. His eyes wandered to Lennie who was still smiling about the dream of oftending to the rabbits when they would own land. Curley then dashed at Lennie punching repeatedly in the face.
Lennie is lost and ask George for instructions. George tells Lennie to fight back this time when Curley punches him he grabs his fist and squeezes it as hard as he can. George yells for him to stop, but it was too late. Lennie had already broken his handy before he can let go. George decides to round up the ranch hands and go into the city to take Curley to a hospital. He decides it would be best if Lennie stayed behind. Lennie walks around thinking about what he has done and comes across Crooks’ (a discriminated against African American stable hand) room.
Crooks shows an impertinent persona, but in all actuality is just grateful someone is speaking to him since everyone on the ranch ignores him because of his race. Lennie starts to tell Crooks about his, George, and Candy’s aspiration of owning their own ranch. Crooks. Candy later walks into Crooks’ room and they elaborate the plan once more, that is until Curley’s wife comes in prompting Crooks to order her to leave. This impelling Curley’s wife to threaten Crooks that if he says anything remotely rude she would distort the truth and get him lynched.
This spurred Crooks to retreat and at that moment the group disputes and Jeft Crooks’ room. The next morning Lennie is playing with ning Lennie is playing with one of Slim’s puppies when he pets it too hard and it dies.. While Lennie contemplates how he can explain it to George, Curley’s Wife walks in and they start to discuss Lennie’s infatuation with soft things. Curley’s wife suggest that Lennie can even touch her hair. Lennie gets over excited and brushes it too hard and messes it up. Curley’s wife gets and angry and pulls her head away, but Lennie wouldn’t let go similarly what he did in Weed, California.
She screams, albeit the cries fell on deaf ear because Lennie’s hand was securely around her neck unhurriedly crushing it until it snapped painfully. Lennie then drops her limp body and rushes to the stream. When Candy and George reach the barn they immediately knew what happened. Candy knows that Curley will;; organize a lynching mob to kill Lennie when he finds out. George instructs Candy to wait a couple minutes before he tells the others while he get’s the very gun that killed Candy’s dog from Carlson. When Curley spots his dead wife he vows to kill Lennie with great malice.
As Candy informs the others on what had happened George goes to the stream and talks to Lennie. As Lennie expects scolding George instead tells him to envision his dream of having a ranch and tending to the rabbits as he is thinking George pulls out Carlson’s luger and pity kills Lennie by shooting him in the neck saving him from Curley’s soon to be assembled lynching mob. When the others arrive George states that Lennie had Carlson’s gun and he fought him for it and killed him in self defense. Slim seems to be the only one who knows what truly happened and offers George a drink.
