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Moment #1: George takes Lennie's mouse. 

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Moment #1: George takes Lennie's mouse. 

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"Lennie's closed hand slowly obeyed. George took the mouse and threw it across the pool to the other side, among the brush. "What you want of a dead mouse, anyways?" " (Section I)

This scene occurs when George and Lennie are camping at a river's edge before they go to the farm the next day. They are sitting and talking when George suspects that Lennie has something in his pocket, and knowing Lennie, demands it from him. It is revealed to be a small mouse that Lennie was keeping to feel in his pocket because he loves small, soft things.

This scene is important because it is the first time that Lennie's main pitfall is revealed. It is already known that Lennie is very large and strong but it is here where it is seen that he loves small, soft things but kills them. He is never purposefully killing the creatures but he is unaware of his own strength. This scene foreshadows other events that will occur later in the novel, that lead to more of Lennie's trouble.

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Moment #2: George tells Lennie the story of their dream of owning their own land together one day. 

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Moment #2: George tells Lennie the story of their dream of owning their own land together one day. 

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" "O.K. someday -- we're gonna get the jack together and we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and ---" "An' live off the fatta the lan'," Lennie shouted. "An' have rabbits. Go on George!"' " (Section I)

This scene also occurs when George and Lennie are camping at the river's edge but after they have eaten beans for dinner. George tells Lennie the story of their dream to own their own farm one day.

This scene is important for 2 main reasons. First, it occurs after an event where George was yelling at Lennie and how George's life would be better if he didn't have to take care of Lennie. He is regretful after fighting with Lennie and tries to reconcile by retelling Lennie the story of their dream and George reminds himself why they are friends. Secondly, This dream is a driving force in the rest of the novel and this is where it is introduced. This dream is the reason they go to work on the farm and largely the reason that they are friends. George needs Lennie because he is a good worker and Lennie needs George to care and protect him. Lennie's dream of caring for the rabbits drives him and effects many of his actions. Later on, some of the other characters even offer to join them in their farm dream, advancing character relationships. Furthermore, put in the time period context, this scene and dream they share represents the idea of the American Dream for migrant workers and how its unachievable during the Great Depression.

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Moment #3: George and Lennie encounter the farm boss. 

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Moment #3: George and Lennie encounter the farm boss. 

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"The boss turned on George. "Then why don't you let him [Lennie] answer? What are you trying to put over?" George broke in loudly, "Oh! I ain't saying he's bright. He ain't. But he's a Goddamn good worker." "(Section II)

After Lennie and George arrive to the farm and have met some of the other laborers, the boss comes in to meet them. George makes the case for the both of them, saying where they came from and how they can work. The boss asks Lennie what he can do and George answers for him. The boss starts sort of heckling the two, especially Lennie because he has George doing everything for him.

This scene is important because it shows, for the real first time, Lennie's reliance on George and also the struggles and hardships Lennie faces because of his condition. Lennie relies on George to find work but this is not always easy because to outsiders to looks like they are illegitimate and might to trying to play someone. Lennie cannot control his condition and people make it hard for him. This interaction between the boss and Lennie is a direct comment on how less mentally sound people were treated in society at that time.

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Moment #4: George confides in Slim about his relationship with Lennie. 

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Moment #4: George confides in Slim about his relationship with Lennie. 

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"George's voice had taken on the tone of confession. "Tell you want made me stop that.... I turns to Lennie and says, 'Jump in' An' he jumps. Couldn't swim a stroke. He damn near drowned before we could get him. An' he was so damn nice to me for pullin' him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. Well, I ain't done nothing like that no more." " (Section III)

After Slim has agreed to give one of his pups to Lennie, George thanks him for his kindness towards Lennie and they get talking about how Lennie isn't smart but he is a hard worker and has his heart in the right place. George admits to Slim that he used to treat Lennie poorly, taking advantage of him but he realized it was wrong and now doesn't anymore.

This scene is important because it builds the relationship between George and Lennie, showing their history and showing how people (George) can change for the better. It also is an example of the rapport between all the laborers. This scene shows the development of George from even before the novel began. It provides more context.

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"At last Carlson said, "if you want me to, I'll put the old devil out old his misery right now and get it over with. Ain't nothing left for him....Let's get it over with", he said. "We can't sleep with him stinkin' around in here."... At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, "Awright --- take 'im." " (Section III)

Candy has had his dog for a long time and loved it, it was the best herding dog he ever had. It is now in its old age and Candy can't bring himself to shoot him. After many complaints from the other laborers about how the dog smells, they convince Candy killing the dog would put the dog out of its misery.

This scene is important because it foreshadows George shooting Lennie at the end of the novel. The method of killing the dog and Lennie are the same yet Candy wishes afterward that he had killed his dog and not let a stranger do it, when George kills Lennie he is doing it himself before someone else does. The dog is killed to put it out of its misery and that is why George kills Lennie. At the time this event occurs, it is unknown that George will kill Lennie but afterwards there are many parallels apparent between the two events. Also, before Candy's dog is killed, Candy says he is proud of it. Before George kills Lennie, he says he is proud of him.

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Lennie:

- Very large in stature but childlike mentally.
- Relies on George to work and live.
- He is ignorant of his strength and hurts most things he touches but he never harms out of malice.
- Him and George have a dream to have their own farm one day where Lennie can tend to the rabbits.

George:
- Much smaller than Lennie but more mentally sound.
- Companion and friend to Lennie. Takes responsibility for Lennie's well being.
-  Farm laborer.

Curley's Wife:
- Only female in the story, represents female allure.
- Upper class.
- Lennie hurts her.

Curley:
- Son of the farm boss.
- Wears high heels to distinguish himself from the laborers.
- Believes his life is unloyal.
- Always wants to fight men bigger than he is.

Candy:
- Handyman around the farm.
- Has an aging herding dog that he loves very much.
- Broke one of his hands.
- Offers to join Lennie and George on their plan to own a farm someday.

Crooks:
- Only black character in the story. Experiences racial isolation.
- Farm laborer.
- Friend to Lennie.
- Offers to join Lennie and George on their plan to own a farm someday.

Slim:
- "Prince" of the ranch.
- Skilled mule-driver.
- Wise and understanding, the other characters often look to him for advice.

Carlson:
- Farm laborer.
- Shoots Candy's dog.
- It was Carlson's gun that George used.

The Boss:
- Incharge of the farm.
- Gives Lennie a hard time for not speaking when he is hiring George and Lennie.

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"Lennie's big fingers fell to stroking to her hair. "Don't you muss it up," she said. Lennie said, "Oh! that's nice." "Look out now, you'll muss it up." And then she cried angrily...He shook her then, and he was angry with her. "Don't you go yellin'," he said, and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck." (Section V)

Curley's wife began flirting with Lennie when she found him in the barn. They became friendly and she said her hair was very soft and that he could pet it. He began petting it too hard and she shrieked for him to stop which made him grab her tighter and get mad, he violently shook her dead.

This scene is the climax of the novel and it is directly what leads to George killing Lennie. This was the last straw for George and he knew he had to kill Lennie before Lennie hurt himself or anyone else. George also thought that this event would lead to someone else shooting Lennie and George wanted to be the one to do it. This was the most trouble Lennie had caused so far.

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"Lennie said softly to the puppy, "Why do you got to get killed? You ain't so little as mice. I didn't bounce you hard....Now maybe George ain't gonna let me tend no rabbits, if he fin's out you got killed." (Section V)

After Slim was nice enough to give Lennie a pup from his dog's litter, he is obsessed with it (because he loved small, soft things). He is in the barn with the pup petting it and he pets it to hard like he did with the mice and kills it. After, he worries that if George finds out he will no longer let Lennie tend to the rabbits on their farm one day.

This scene is important because it continues showing Lennie's problems and foreshadows him petting and killing Curley's wife.
He dog is bigger than the mouse so this is a continuation of him harming things and the things get bigger and bigger until he kills the woman.

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Moment #8: George shoots and kills Lennie. 

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Moment #8: George shoots and kills Lennie. 

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"And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie's head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering." (Section VI)

This is the scene where George finds Lennie at their meeting spot that they decided to go to if Lennie ever got in trouble. (This is the same spot where they camp in section I.) George goes here and finds Lennie after the men at the farm have found Curley's dead wife. George knows that Lennie did it. After he finds Lennie, he consoles him for a while before deciding to kill him.

This scene is important because all the events so far have led up to it. George lies to Lennie in it and says even though he is mad, all is forgiven. George recites their farm dream to Lennie again and Lennie stayed in ignorance and bliss until the very moment he is shot. The novel closes with George being sad and realizing that he has lost the one thing that makes him different than all the other migrant workers, a companion. This ending develops the theme of the book.

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Theme Statement: Loneliness and alienation are driving forces. 

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Theme Statement: Loneliness and alienation are driving forces. 

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The two main foreshadowing events in the novel are Lennie's killing of mice and the pup to foreshadow him killing Curley's wife and Carlson shooting Candy's dog foreshadowing George shooting Lennie. The foreshadowing adds depth to the novel and imagery and foreshadowing are intertwined.

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Steinbeck uses imagery to create the setting. He also uses imagery to create a parallel between the events in section I and section VI by repeating some of the exact same words mentioning the sunshine, sky, and other aspects. This creates a sense of continuation and familiarity in section VI were the rest of the section is quite dark and unhappy.

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When the boss is talking to George and Lennie when they first arrive. It is unknown how he will completely react to Lennie and if he will let them stay. After Lennie kills Curley's wife we don't know what it going to happen to Lennie.

The author even keeps characters in the book in suspense, such as when Carlson takes Candy's dog to shoot him but it seems like it is taking a while and Candy is on edge until he hears to gunshot. Despite the short length of the story, Steinbeck uses suspense to keep the reader engaged.

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George and Lennie are the most direct examples of foiled characters where George is smaller but smaller and Lennie is much larger and less bright.

There is also a more abstract use of character foils, as seen between the boss, Curley, and Curley's wife versus the farm laborers like George, Candy, and the other men. Steinbeck uses this foil to reflect the different societal classes during the time period.

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Lennie and George's dream of owning their own farm one day is directly symbolic of the American Dream of many migrant workers, even during the Great Depression.

Lennie's dog and his mice that show the power of the strong over the weak are symbolic of the superiority of the rich/upper class over the poor/lower classes and racial superiority. The idea that the strong must replace the weak are shown by the killing of Candy's dog, saying he can replace the dog with a young puppy, and the killing of Lennie.