Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men

Set in the Salinas Valley of central California
during the Great Depression, John Steinbeck’s
novella, Of Mice and Men, tells the story of two
men, George and Lennie. During this time period,
it was not unusual for men to travel from job to job
as a result of the economic recession. However, it
was unusual for two men to travel together.

Lennie is a large, strong man with the intellectual

capabilities of a small child. He is often forgetful,
but is capable of doing intense physical labor. Author John Steinbeck
Country United States
Lennie was raised by his Aunt Clara, who looked
Language English
after Lennie until her death. At that point, George,
Genre(s) Novella
a childhood friend, takes responsibility for Lennie. Publisher Heinemann
Released 1937
George and Lennie travel and work together for
Media Type Hardback & Paperback
years before the novella begins. Their last job was
Pages 107
in a town called Weed. One day, Lennie sees a ISBN ISBN 0140177396, ISBN 0142000671, ISBN
girl wearing a red dress and decides to touch it. 0582461464

Lennie likes to pet soft things and has a history of killing the small animals he touches. The girl screams and
Lennie freezes, holding her dress tighter. Eventually, George gets Lennie to let go of the dress. Lennie does
not physically hurt the girl, but she tells the sheriff she has been raped. George and Lennie flee town.

Besides sharing a history, George and Lennie also share a dream of owning property and living off the fat of
the land. While on the ranch, they share this dream with Candy, a swamper with only one hand and an old dog.
After the mercy killing of his dog, Candy realizes that, like his dog, his usefulness on the ranch is nearing an
end. He has some money and asks if he can join the two men to fulfil their dream.

However, life on the ranch is not easy. The boss’s son, Curley, takes an instant dislike to Lennie because of his
size. Curley is a small man who likes to prove his worth by beating up large men, usually men who work for his
father and cannot defend themselves out of fear of losing their jobs. Curley is unhappily married to a woman
with a reputation for flirting with the ranch hands. After searching for his wife again, an angry Curley starts
hitting Lennie, who does not fight back until George gives permission. Lennie then grabs Curley’s hand and
crushes it, causing Curley to be rushed to the hospital.

Slim gives Lennie a puppy from his bitch's litter. However, Lennie kills the puppy, not realizing his own strength.
He is in the barn burying the puppy when Curley’s wife approaches. She is lonely and desperate for attention.
She allows Lennie to pet her hair, but screams at Lennie to stop when he begins to handle her too roughly.
Lennie panics, shakes the woman, and snaps her neck.

Lennie flees the ranch and hides in the brush by the river bank as George instructs him in the beginning of the
novella. Chaos ensues at the ranch when the body is found. Curley wants to lynch Lennie and make him suffer.
George knows Lennie will suffer, no matter who finds him, and must make an agonizing decision. What would
be best and most merciful for Lennie?

Major themes in the novella are loneliness as well as companionship, alienation, mercy, compassion, and the
importance of dreams. The novel can also be read through a historical lens as a study of migratory workers
during the Great Depression. This book, despite being written in 1937, remains controversial today because of
the issue of euthanasia.

Contents
 [hide]

1 Major Characters

o 1.1 George

o 1.2 Lennie

o 1.3 Slim

o 1.4 Candy

o 1.5 Curley

2 Minor Characters

o 2.1 Crooks

o 2.2 Curley’s Wife

o 2.3 Carlson

3 Chapter Summaries

o 3.1 Chapter One Summary

o 3.2 Chapter Two Summary

o 3.3 Chapter Three Summary

o 3.4 Chapter Four Summary

o 3.5 Chapter Five Summary

o 3.6 Chapter Six Summary

4 Discussion Questions

o 4.1 Chapter One Discussion Questions

o 4.2 Chapter Two Discussion Questions

 o 4.3 Chapter Three Discussion Questions

o 4.4 Chapter Four Discussion Questions

o 4.5 Chapter Five Discussion Questions

o 4.6 Chapter Six Discussion Questions

5 Essay Questions

6 External Links

Major Characters
George

 Takes care of Lennie.

 Hard working itinerant ranch hand.

 Easily frustrated and angry, especially when he has to constantly explain the same things to Lennie over
and over again.

 One of the few characters in the novel capable of learning. After he tells Lennie to jump into the river and
he almost drowns George feels sorry for him, showing compassion.
Lennie

 Childlike, simple, and easily forgetful.

 Becomes confused and freezes when in stressful situations.

 A large man who does not know his own strength.

 Likes to pet soft things.

 Dreams of tending rabbits.

 He only focuses on one subject.

 People get close to him because of his childlike nature but he is still physically a man and therefore is
dangerous.

 Is often referred to as an animal through use of similes and similar devices, i.e "He dabbed his paw in the
water".

 Mentally Challenged

 Referred to by Curley's Wife as "Machine". This is brought on by how Lennie crushes Curley's hand and
the cover up is that Curley got his hand trapped in a machine.
Slim

 The lead skinner (mule driver) on the ranch.

 Does not speak often, but when he does, the other ranch hands listen to him.
 Frequently accused of improper conduct with Curley’s wife by Curley, which is false.

 Seen as a figurehead for the Working members of the ranch, Everyone, regardless of status respects Slim,
including Curley and Carlson.

 Argued to be Steinbeck's idea of the perfect male

Candy

 Owns the old dog shot by Carlson.

 Lost his hand in a machine on the ranch.

 Offers money to George and Lennie so that they can all buy the dream property.

 Has been on the ranch for many years

 Worries that he'll soon be 'canned', hence his desperation to join the dream.

 Candy regrets his inability to shoot his own dog later in the book.

 Old and lonely

Curley

 The boss’s son and an authority figure on the ranch.

 A small man who likes to pick on larger men who cannot fight back.

 Very aggressive towards Lennie.

 Accuses Slim of flirting with his wife, who he is always looking for.

 Slim's exact opposite ( Eg. Slim is respected for his masculinity and his voice of reason where as Curley
has to be respected for his authority through relation and by his viciousness).

 Arrogant and insecure

 Constantly shows off his wife, "glove fulla vaseline"

 a light weight champion.

Minor Characters
Crooks

 The stable buck and the only black person to live on the ranch.

 Lives in the harness room attached to the barn and does not socialize with the other ranch hands but
sometimes plays Horseshoes with them.

 Casual references to Crooks as "The Nigger" and how at Christmas they beat him up and how funny it
was. Gives a direct insight into the Americans view to blacks in the 1930s.

 While talking with Lennie, he attempts to draw comparisons between Lennie's mental helplessness with
Crooks' racial helplessness.
 Often very lonely, and often reads the books and the negro rights.
Curley’s Wife

 Married Curley after her dreams of becoming a movie star are dashed.

 Does not like her husband who only talks about fighting people.

 Likes to dress up and wear make-up to attract attention.

 Very flirtatious with the employees of the ranch.

 Lonely because no one will talk to her on the ranch.

 Is considered as Curley's possession and not a real person by the ranchers.

 Likes to talk to other people because of being lonely.

Carlson

 Shoots Candy’s dog to put him out of his misery.

 Owns a Luger.

 Looks up to Curley.

 Your typical ranch hand, wants to keep his job and likes being more powerful then Candy.

 Tries to appease Curley and Slim, the two 'big men' on the ranch (excluding the boss)
Chapter Summaries
Chapter One Summary
The novel opens with the description of a riverbed in rural California, a beautiful, wooded area at the base of
“golden foothill slopes.” A path runs to the river, used by boys going swimming and riffraff coming down from
the highway. Two men walk along the path. The first, George, is small, wiry, and sharp-featured, while his
companion, Lennie, is large and awkward. They are both dressed in denim, farmhand attire.

As they reach a clearing, Lennie stops to drink from the river, and George warns him not to drink too much or
he will get sick, as he did the night before. As their conversation continues, it becomes clear that the larger man
has a mild mental disability, and that his companion looks out for his safety. George begins to complain about
the bus driver that dropped them off a long way from their intended destination—a ranch on which they are due
to begin work. Lennie interrupts him to ask where they are going. His companion impatiently reminds him of
their movements over the past few days, and then notices that Lennie is holding a dead mouse. George takes it
away from him. Lennie insists that he is not responsible for killing the mouse, that he just wanted to pet it, but
George loses his temper and throws it across the stream. George warns Lennie that they are going to work on
a ranch, and that he must behave himself when they meet the boss. George does not want any trouble of the
kind they encountered in Weed, the last place they worked.
George decides that they will stay in the clearing for the night, and as they prepare their bean supper, Lennie
crosses the stream and recovers the mouse, only to have George find him out immediately and take the mouse
away again. Apparently, Lennie’s Aunt Clara used to give him mice to pet, but he tends to “break” small
creatures unintentionally when he shows his affection for them, killing them because he doesn’t know his own
strength. As the two men sit down to eat, Lennie asks for ketchup. This request launches George into a long
speech about Lennie’s ungratefulness. George complains that he could get along much better if he didn’t have
to care for Lennie. He uses the incident that got them chased out of Weed as a case in point. Lennie, a lover of
soft things, stroked the fabric of a girl’s dress, and would not let go. The locals assumed he assaulted her, and
ran them out of town.

After this tirade, George feels sorry for losing his temper and apologizes by telling Lennie’s favorite story, the
plan for their future happiness. The life of a ranch-hand, according to George, is one of the loneliest in the
world, and most men working on ranches have no one to look out for them. But he and Lennie have each other,
and someday, as soon as they manage to save enough money, they will buy a farm together and, as Lennie
puts it, “live off the fatta the lan’.” They will grow their own food, raise livestock, and keep rabbits, which Lennie
will tend. This familiar story cheers both of them up. As night falls, George tells Lennie that if he encounters any
trouble while working at the ranch, he is to return to this clearing, hide in the bushes, and wait for George to
come.

Chapter Two Summary

Lennie and George arrive on the ranch. The boss is angry because the two men did not arrive in the morning
as scheduled. The boss’s son was so angry he took it out on the black stable buck. The man who shows them
around the ranch, Candy, is missing his right hand.

The boss arrives to register the men. George does all the talking, until the boss notices and directly addresses
Lennie. George still does the talking. The boss asks George what his interest is in Lennie. The boss thinks
George is taking money from Lennie’s pay because Lennie is simple. George says he is Lennie’s cousin. The
boss says he will keep his eye on the two men.

George yells at Lennie for talking when he was not supposed to talk. He notices that an old man with a mangy
old dog eavesdropping. The man says he wasn’t listening. George notices the dog is old, smelly, blind, and can
barely walk.

Curley, the boss’s son, enters the bunk house. He takes an instant disliking to Lennie because of his size.
Curley has a long history of picking fights with big men. Curley is a small guy, and his temper is worse lately.
He is newly married and very cocky about his marriage. George thinks Curley is showing off for his new wife.
The man tells George that Curley always wears a glove on his left hand filled with Vaseline so that he can keep
that hand soft for his wife.
The swamper tells George Curley’s wife is pretty, but she has a wandering eye. She’s been seen giving Slim,
the jerk-line skinner, the eye. She has also given another man, Carlson, the eye. The swamper thinks Curley
married a tart.

George tells Lennie to steer clear of Curley because Curley is looking for trouble. Lennie promises to stay away
from him. George tells Lennie that if Curley hits Lennie first, Lennie can fight back with all he has. He then
reminds Lennie to hide in the brush by the river bank if there is any trouble.

Curley’s wife enters the bunk house. She is wearing quite a bit of make up and a fancy dress. She says she is
looking for Curley. She flirts a little with Slim when he arrives in the bunk house, but hurries away when Slim
tells her Curley was heading toward their house.

Lennie tells George that Curley’s wife is pretty. George warns Lennie to stay away from Curley’s wife because
she is poison. George calls her jail bait.

Slim is the most respected man on the ranch. He is a hard worker and a leader among the men on the ranch.
He is soft-spoken, but his word is taken as authority.

Slim’s dog had puppies last night. Carlson says Slim should give Candy, the swamper, one of the new puppies.
Carlson suggests Slim get Candy to shoot his old dog. The old dog has no teeth, is nearly blind, and cannot
chew.

Lennie asks George if he can have one of the puppies. George promises to ask Slim about the puppies later.

Curley enters the bunk house again looking for his wife. He leaves angry.

Chapter Three Summary

While the other men are outside playing horseshoes, Slim and George are inside the bunkhouse talking about
Lennie’s puppy. George thanks Slim profusely, but Slim says it really is not a big deal. George insists that it
meant a great deal to both him and Lennie. George says Lennie is so excited he may try to sleep out with the
puppies.

Slim talks about how happy he is with Lennie’s ability to do physical labor. George says Lennie cannot think for
himself, but does an excellent job when he is told what to do.

Slim comments that it is strange that George and Lennie travel together. George asks what he means and gets
defensive. George tells Slim he and Lennie grew up together in Auburn. Lennie’s Aunt Clara took Lennie in
when he was a baby and raised him. George started looking after Lennie after his Aunt Clara died because
Lennie was all alone.

George confesses that he used to be cruel to Lennie by playing jokes on him. Lennie was not aware George
was playing jokes on him because Lennie is not smart. George also used to beat Lennie up, but despite
Lennie’s physical advantage, he would never raise a hand to George. One day, George told Lennie to jump into
the Sacramento River. Lennie jumped in and nearly drowned because he cannot swim. George saved him, and
Lennie thanked him for saving him instead of being angry.

George talks about how he is alone with out Lennie while playing solitaire. He talks about other guys he has
seen on ranches that do not have anyone. They get mean. He does not want to be like them.

George says Lennie is a nuisance, but he likes having him around. He says Lennie gets in trouble all the time
because he is so dumb. He tells Slim about what happened in Weed. When Lennie gets scared, he freezes.
Lennie was so afraid when the girl started screaming that he held on tighter. George had to hit him in the head
with a picket fence in order to get him to let go. The girl told the police she was raped. A lynch mob was sent
out for Lennie. George reassures Slim that Lennie never hurt the girl. He just wanted to touch her red dress.

Lennie tries to sneak the pup into the bunk house, but George makes him take the puppy back to his mother.
George warns Lennie it could kill the pup.

Slim remarks Lennie is just like a kid. The only difference between Lennie and a kid is physical strength.
George predicts Lennie will sleep in the barn with the puppies.

Candy, the swamper, enters the bunk house. He asks if they have whiskey because he is in pain. Carlson
comes in and starts complaining about how badly Candy’s dog smells. Carlson tells Candy the dog is suffering
and suggests Candy shoot the dog out of mercy. Candy says he can’t do it, and Carlson offers to do it himself.
Carlson reminds Candy that he can have one of Slim’s puppies so he won’t be lonely. Slim agrees with
Carlson. Candy finally agrees to let Carlson shoot the dog.

Crooks, the black stable buck, enters the bunk house. He tells Slim Lennie is out in the barn with the puppies.

The men talk about Curley’s wife again. They say she gives everyone the eye, even the black stable buck. She
turns up every time the ranch hands are around because she can’t stay away from the guys. This makes
Curley angry and looking for a fight.

Curley is looking for his wife again. Curley notices Slim is gone and asks where he is. George says Slim is in
the barn fixing a split hoof. Curley storms off for the barn. The rest of the men go out to see if Curley and Slim
fight. This leaves George, Lennie, and Candy in the bunk house.

George and Lennie talk about their dream again. George says he knows of a piece of land, but they have to
save their money. He talks about the house, the orchard, and the animals they can raise. Candy speaks up and
asks how much a place like that costs. George replies six hundred dollars and ask why Candy wants to know.
Candy says that he isn’t much good around the ranch with only one hand. He has three hundred and fifty
dollars and offers to go in with them.
Candy describes how he lost his hand. He knows he will be fired when he can longer swamp out the bunk
house. He says they will do to him what they did to his dog. George eventually agrees to let Candy come in
with them. They plan to leave in one month. They promise to keep the secret to themselves.

Candy says he should have shot his dog himself, not a stranger.

Slim and Curley enter the bunk house. Slim is sick of Curley’s accusations. The other men tell Curley to take
care of his own wife. Curley picks a fight with Lennie. Lennie does not fight back until George tells him to get
Curley. Lennie grabs Curley’s hand and squeezes hard. Lennie freezes again and George starts slapping
Lennie until he lets go. Curley’s hand is broken. Slim tells Curley to say he got his hand caught in a machine,
otherwise everyone will mock him. Curley promises not to tell.

Chapter Four Summary

Crooks is the only black man on the ranch, and he lives in the harness room attached to the stable. He is the
only ranch hand who does not live in the bunk house. His body is bent over to the left because he has a
crooked spine.

Lennie enters Crooks' room and is told to get out. Nobody on the ranch visits Crooks. The other men in the
bunk house won’t let Crooks in to play cards because they say he stinks.

Lennie forgets his promise and starts to tell Crooks about the rabbits.

Crooks tells Lennie that when he was a child, he was the only black child for miles. His father would not let him
play with the nearby white children, so he got used to being alone.

Crooks asks Lennie what would happen to him if George disappeared. Lennie becomes upset. He tells Lennie
if it weren’t for George, he would be in the loony bin. Crooks talks about his loneliness.

Candy comes in the stable to talk to Lennie about the rabbits. Candy tells them they are kidding themselves.
Crooks becomes interested when he realizes the men have money in the bank. He offers to come with them

Curley’s wife enters the stable, looking for Curley. She observes that all the weak ones were left behind. The
other men went into town. She says the men will talk to her one on one, but get angry with her if other men are
around. She says the men are scared.

Crooks tells her to leave, and she talks about being stuck in the house with no one to talk to. She asks what
happened to Curley’s hand. She knows someone hurt him.

OF MICE AND MEN: FREE BOOK NOTES 

CONFLICT 
Protagonist 
The protagonist of the story is George. He is the kind-hearted ranch hand who is concerned about his
friend Lennie and watches out for him. 

Antagonist 
The antagonist of the story is George’s trying to care for the handicapped Lennie. Because he has a
giant’s body and a child’s mind, Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife; at the same time he kills the
dream of owning a farm that has kept George and Lennie positive about the future 

Climax
The climax occurs when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife. George knows that he can no longer
save Lennie, for Curley will want revenge. 

Outcome 

Of Mice and Men ends in tragedy. George feels compelled to mercifully kill his friend and companion,
Lennie, in order to save him from a brutal death. The death of Lennie also marks the death of the
beautiful dream they have been nurturing. 

MOOD 
The dominant mood of the story is that of expectation. This mood is developed through the dreams of
the major characters. The other mood that prevails is premonitory, of impending doom. There are also
other moods evoked through the actions of the characters reflecting sorrow, pity, and brutality. The
novel ends on a tragic note. The mood at the end is definitely one of depression and frustration. 

SHORT SUMMARY (Synopsis) 

One evening, two men, on their way to a ranch, stop at a stream near the Salinas River. George, who
is short and dark, leads the way. The person following him is Lennie, a giant of a man with huge arms.
During their conversation by the stream, George repeatedly asks Lennie to keep his mouth shut on
the ranch, suggesting that Lennie has some kind of problem. After supper and before going to sleep,
the two of them talk about their dream to own a piece of land.

The next day, George and Lennie travel to the ranch to start work. They are given two beds in the
bunkhouse. Then Old Candy introduces them to almost everybody on the ranch. They meet the boss
and the boss’s son Curley, who is quite rude. They also meet Curley’s wife when she comes looking for
her husband. She wears heavy make-up and possesses a flirtatious attitude. George warns Lennie to
behave his best around Curley and his wife. He also suggests that they should meet by the pool if
anything unfortunate happens to either of them on the ranch.

George and Lennie are assigned to work with Slim, who is sensible and ‘civilized’ and talks with
authority. George finds Slim an understanding confidante, and a bond forms between the two of them.
When Curley wrongly accuses Slim for talking to his wife, Slim gets very angry. Curley apologizes to
him in the bunkhouse in front of everybody, but his apology is rejected. Curley vents his frustration on
Lennie, trying to pick a fight. Lennie does not hit back initially, but when George asks him to, Lennie
obliges and crushes Curley’s hand. Curley agrees that he will not tell anyone about his hand, for it
would mean losing his self-respect.

While working on the ranch, George and Lennie continue to dream about owning their own piece of
land and make plans accordingly. Old Candy, one of the ranch hands, overhears their planning and
asks to join them. He even offers to contribute all of his savings to purchase the land. George and
Lennie accept his proposal.

One evening, Lennie, looking for his puppy, enters the room of Crooks; since he is the only black man
on the ranch, Crooks lives alone, segregated from the other ranch workers. Candy enters, looking for
Lennie; the two of them tell Crooks about their dream of owning their own ranch, but Crooks tells
them that it will never happen, foreshadowing the truth. Curley’s wife comes in and interrupts them.
When Crooks objects to her presence in his room, she threatens him with a false rape charge.

Later on, Lennie is seen alone in the barn, petting his dead pup. He has unintentionally killed it by
handling it too hard. Now he is grieving over the loss. Curley’s wife walks into the barn and strikes up
a conversation with Lennie. As they talk, she asks him to stroke her hair. She panics when she feels
Lennie’s strong hands. When she raises her voice to him, Lennie covers her mouth. In the process, he
accidentally breaks her neck and she dies. Knowing he has done something terrible, he leaves the
ranch. When the ranch hands learn that Curley’s wife has been killed, they rightly guess the guilty
party. Led by an angry Curley, they all go out to search for Lennie. They plan to murder him in
retribution.

George guesses where Lennie is and races to the pool. To save him from the brutal assaults of the
ranch hands, George mercifully kills his friend himself. Hearing the gunshot, the searchers converge
by the pool. They praise George for his act. Only Slim understands the actual purpose of George’s
deed. 

Candy tells her he’s had enough and she’s not wanted there. Before she leaves, she asks Lennie how he got
the bruises on his face. Crooks tells her she has no right to be in his room. She threatens to get him lynched if
he ever talks to her like that again. She tells Lennie she’s glad he hit Curley. She leaves.

Crooks tells the men he does not want to leave with them.

Chapter Five Summary

Lennie is in the barn by himself, petting his puppy. He killed the puppy earlier by handling it roughly. He is
afraid George will not let him tend the rabbits if he finds out about the puppy. Lennie buries the puppy under a
mound of hay.

Curley’s wife enters the barn. She asks Lennie what is under the hay. He tells her the dog looked like it was
going to bite him and he smacked it too hard.

Curley’s wife gets angry when Lennie tells her George told him not to talk to her. She doesn’t understand why
the men treat her this way. She tells Lennie she could have been in the pictures. She was supposed to receive
a letter from a man in Hollywood, but she never got the letter. She thinks her mother stole her letter and kept it
from her. She says this is why she married Curley, who she claims she doesn’t like. She still dreams of being in
Hollywood.

Lennie tells Curley’s wife he likes to pet soft things. She lets Lennie pet her hair until he starts to pet her too
hard. She yells at him to let go, and Lennie panics. He holds one hand over her mouth and the other hand in
her hair and shakes her until he breaks her neck. He covers her with hay just like the puppy. Lennie
remembers George telling him to hide in the brush by the river bank if something bad happened.

Candy finds the body. He tells George. They fear Curley will kill Lennie brutally if he finds Lennie first. The
other men are alerted of the murder. Curley vows to kill Lennie. George tells the men Lennie went south
because they came from the north.

Carlson’s Luger is missing. Everyone thinks Lennie stole the gun. The men set off after Lennie.

Chapter Six Summary

In the same riverbed where the novel began, it is a beautiful, serene late afternoon. A heron stands in a shaded
green pool, eating water snakes that glide between its legs. Lennie comes stealing through the undergrowth
and kneels by the water to drink. He is proud of himself for remembering to come here to wait for George, but
soon has two unpleasant visions. His Aunt Clara appears “from out of Lennie’s head” and berates him,
speaking in Lennie’s own voice, for not listening to George, for getting himself into trouble, and for causing so
many problems for his only friend. Then a gigantic rabbit appears to him, also speaking in Lennie’s own voice,
and tells him that George will probably beat him and abandon him. Just then, George appears. He is
uncommonly quiet and listless. He does not berate Lennie. Even when Lennie himself insists on it, George’s
tirade is unconvincing and scripted. He repeats his usual words of reproach without emotion. Lennie makes his
usual offer to go away and live in a cave, and George tells him to stay, making Lennie feel comforted and
hopeful.

Lennie asks him to tell the story of their farm, and George begins, talking about how most men drift along,
without any companions, but he and Lennie have one another. The noises of men in the woods come closer,
and George tells Lennie to take off his hat and look across the river while he describes their farm. He tells
Lennie about the rabbits, and promises that nobody will ever be mean to him again. “Le’s do it now,” Lennie
says. “Le’s get that place now.” George agrees. He raises Carlson’s gun, which he has removed from his
jacket, and shoots Lennie in the back of the head. As Lennie falls to the ground and becomes still, George
tosses the gun away and sits down on the riverbank.

The sound of the shot brings the lynch party running to the clearing. Carlson questions George, who lets them
believe that he wrestled the gun from Lennie and shot him with it. Only Slim understands what really happened:
“You hadda, George. I swear you hadda,” he tells him. Slim leads George, who is numb with grief, away from
the scene, while Carlson and Curley watch incredulously, wondering what is “eatin’ them two guys.”

Discussion Questions
Chapter One Discussion Questions
 1. Steinbeck does not tell the reader that Lennie is different. Rather, he shows the reader how Lennie is
different. How does Steinbeck show Lennie is different?

2. What is George and Lennie’s dream? Why is this dream important to them?

3. How does what happened in Weed impact George’s thinking?

Chapter Two Discussion Questions

1. How do you feel about the way the men in the bunk house speak about Curley’s wife? Has she done
anything so far to warrant this kind of attention?

2. Consider how women are treated today, both in everyday life and in the media. Does this kind of “talk”
still occur today?

3. There are two clear leaders on the ranch, Slim and Curley. How do their leadership styles differ? Who
do you feel is the more effective leader?

4. Curley and his wife have been married for only a few weeks. How does Steinbeck show the reader
their marriage is in trouble?
Chapter Three Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think the girl in Weed claimed Lennie raped her?

2. Candy says that he knows that when he can no longer work, he will be treated just like his dog. What
does he mean by this? How is Candy like his dog?

3. Why does Curley agree to lie about how he was injured? What does this say about Curley’s character?

4. George and Lennie talk about their dream again. This time, Candy is brought into the dream. What
does this dream mean to Candy?
Chapter Four Discussion Questions

1. What does the location of Crooks’s room tell about how the others regard him on the ranch? Why do
you think the other men do not visit him or allow him to visit them?

2. Why does Crooks treat Lennie cruelly?

3. How does the dream affect Crooks once he realizes the men have money in the bank?

4. Besides racial prejudice, why does Curley’s wife speak so violently to Crooks?

5. Why does Crooks change his mind about leaving with the men?
Chapter Five Discussion Questions

1. How does Steinbeck use foreshadowing early in the book to allude to what happens in the barn?

2. What is Curley’s wife’s dream? How did this dream impact her life? Do you feel this was a realistic
dream?
 3. George says he knew the dream would never happen from the beginning, but kept repeating the
dream for Lennie. Do you believe this is to be the truth?

4. Curley’s wife does not have a name. She has no identity other than being Curley’s wife. Why did
Steinbeck choose to do this?
Chapter Six Discussion Questions

1. Why does George lie about the gun?

2. Slim tells George that he had to shoot Lennie. Do you agree or disagree?

3. Was Lennie’s death a murder or an act of mercy?

Essay Questions

1. America is a country built by dreamers. However, the American dream has changed significantly
throughout time. In your essay, describe George and Lennie’s dream. What does this dream say
about them as people? Next, describe the new American dream. Has this dream changed? If so,
how? What does the new American dream say about us as people?

2. Loneliness is a recurrent theme in Of Mice and Men. Select three of the major characters and describe
how loneliness impacts the character’s daily life and actions. Cite specific incidents from the novel to
support your opinions.

3. Both Candy’s dog and Lennie are shot in a similar fashion using Carlson’s Luger. Compare and
contrast both deaths.

4. What is the importance of dreams and dreaming to the success of "Of Mice and Men"?

5. How does John Steinbeck explore the complex relationship between George and Lennie?
External Links

 Of Mice and Men Summary and Study Guide

 Of Mice and Men Lesson Plan

 Wikipedia's Article

 Of Mice and Men summary, study guide, themes, quotes, teacher guide

Categories: Summaries | Novels | Classic Novels | Published in 1937

Downloadable / Printable Version 

OF MICE AND MEN: FREE STUDY GUIDE 

LITERARY ELEMENTS 
SETTING 
This book is set during the Great Depression of the 1930s in two places. It starts beside a stream,
close to the Salinas River, a few miles south of Soledad, California. It then moves to a ranch, where
the major part of the story is set. At the end of the novel, the setting comes back to where it started.

George and Lennie are introduced by the stream. They are on their way to a near-by ranch. The
surrounding land is thick in vegetation and has its own wild life. Men frequent it, as there are ash piles
made by many fires and the limbs of the sycamore tree have been smoothed by the many men who
have sat on it.

The ranch, where the major part of the story takes place, appears isolated and lonely. It includes a
ranch house, a bunkhouse where the ranch workers live, a barn, and a harness-room off the barn. 

CHARACTER LIST 

Major Characters 
George Milton 
The protagonist and main character of the book. He is a caring, compassionate, and understanding
human being who dreams of owning his own piece of land. Physically, he is a small and intelligent man
with strong features. He is Lennie's cousin. 

Lennie Small 
The obedient friend of George. He has a child’s mind and a giant’s body. He is mentally retarded, and
relies upon George. It is these contrasting qualities and his impulsive nature that cause him
problems. 

Old Candy 
One of the lonely ranch workers. He is a cripple (missing a hand), working as a ‘Swamper’. 

Crooks 
A black ranch hand. He is sensible and neat, with a mind of his own. He is a lonely character, who is
discriminated against, due to his race. 

Slim 
A ranch worker with leadership qualities. He commands respect from all on the ranch. 

Curley 
The boss’s son who was a boxer. He is short, stocky, and thinks he is better than all the others. He
picks fights with everybody on the ranch. 

Curley’s wife 
The only woman on the ranch. She is very flirtatious. 

Minor Characters 
Carlson 
A brutal man. He objects to Candy keeping his old dog. 

Whit 
A ranch worker. He is sent to town to fetch the Sheriff after Curley’s wife is murdered. 
The Boss 
A ‘mice fella’ (in Candy’s words). He is more concerned about his work on the ranch than anyone
else. 

OF MICE AND MEN: FREE ONLINE NOTES / ANALYSIS 

THEMES 

Major Theme 
The major theme of Of Mice and Men, is that a dream, no matter how impossible to obtain, can forge
friendship and give meaning to life. George and Lennie dream of owning a little farm of ten acres, with
a windmill, a little shack, an orchard, and animals. The dream keeps them going and lightens the load
of their work. It also solidifies their friendship. 

Minor Themes 
One of the minor themes is the tragedy of mental retardation. Lennie never intends to harm anything,
neither the puppy nor Curley’s wife. He is simply too slow to realize his own strength. His retardation
is the cause of his downfall and death, in spite of George’s trying to help him stay out of trouble.

The pain of loneliness is another theme of the book. All the main characters, including George, Lennie,
Candy, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Slim, express the sadness caused by their feelings of loneliness. The
craving for company and the longing for sharing real emotions make these characters very human. 

John Steinbeck - BIOGRAPHY 

Born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California, John Ernest Steinbeck was the third of four children.
Though poor, Steinbeck had a normal childhood and attended public school, graduating from Salinas
High School in 1919. As a student, he had an inclination towards reading and writing, which was
encouraged by his mother, a schoolteacher herself. He was a frequent contributor to the school
magazine.

Steinbeck studied at Stanford University from 1920 to1925. Although he intended to become a marine
biologist, he never completed a degree. The courses that attracted his attention most were zoology,
English, and classical literature. While at Stanford, he wrote frequently and was often published in the
college newspaper. After leaving the University, he worked at a variety of jobs. He went to New York,
determined to become a writer. Between 1925 and 1927, he attempted to earn a living as a reporter
and a free-lance writer, but was unsuccessful. Disappointed, he left New York and returned to the
West Coast, where he met his first wife, Carol.

Steinbeck's first novel, Cup of Gold (1929), is based on the life of Sir Henry Morgan, a famous English
pirate of the sixteen hundreds. His next work, The Pastures of Heaven (1932), is a collection of stories
about the people on a farm community near Salinas. In this work, Steinbeck focuses on the struggle
between human beings and nature. These first two books received scant attention. Finally in 1933,
Steinbeck achieved success with his short story “The Red Pony.”

Steinbeck’s next novel, Tortilla Flat (1935), dealt with the migrant workers and poor farmers. In
Dubious Battle (1936) realistically portrays the labor strife in California during the nineteen thirties.
This novel also sets forth Steinbeck's concept of "group humanity" through the character of Doc
Burton. This concern reappears in The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and The Sea of Cortez (1941). Of Mice
and Men (1937) became a best seller and was adapted for the stage and a movie.

In 1940 Steinbeck went on an expedition to the Gulf of California (also called The Sea of Cortez) with
his friend Ed Ricketts, a marine biologist. Steinbeck shared with him a deep interest in biology. The
result of this trip was a joint publication, The Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and
Research. The book is in two parts. The first part narrates the voyage and records various
conversations and speculations, and the second part describes the marine organisms collected by the
men.

Other works include Cannery Row (1944), The Wayward Bus (1947), The Pearl (1947), Burning

Bright (1950), East of Eden (1952), Sweet Thursday(1954), and The Winter of Our
Discontent (1961). East of Eden is Steinbeck's longest and most ambitious work. It follows three
generations of a Californian family from 1860 to the First World War. The title refers to the family
strife, which parallels the conflict between the Biblical figures of Cain and Abel.

Steinbeck received the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. He died on
December 20, 1968, and is buried in Salinas, California, the place of his birth and setting for many of
his novels. 

LITERARY / HISTORICAL INFORMATION 

Started with a tentative title of Something that Happened, the book, Of Mice and Men, took the form
of an extended short story. Steinbeck rejected the initial version of the story, for he felt that he had
been unable to keep his own voice and viewpoint out of its narration. Steinbeck reworked and
expanded the story, adding more characters. He also added more dialogue, taking particular care to
reflect the accent and dialect of uneducated farm workers. It is said that a large section of the book
was rewritten by Steinbeck again, for his original manuscript was chewed up by his dog.

The working title of the book, Something that Happened, was changed when his best friend Ed
Ricketts suggested the present title and introduced him to Robert Burns’ poem ‘To a Mouse’. 

The words of the poem are as follows:

The best laid schemes o’mice and men

Gang aft agley. And leave us nought but grief and pain

For promised joy.

The poet talks about man’s enslavement to forces of nature which he cannot control, destroying hopes
and dreams. This is what happens with George and Lennie. 

OF MICE AND MEN: FREE ONLINE NOTES / ANALYSIS 

THEMES 

Major Theme 
The major theme of Of Mice and Men, is that a dream, no matter how impossible to obtain, can forge
friendship and give meaning to life. George and Lennie dream of owning a little farm of ten acres, with
a windmill, a little shack, an orchard, and animals. The dream keeps them going and lightens the load
of their work. It also solidifies their friendship. 

Minor Themes 
One of the minor themes is the tragedy of mental retardation. Lennie never intends to harm anything,
neither the puppy nor Curley’s wife. He is simply too slow to realize his own strength. His retardation
is the cause of his downfall and death, in spite of George’s trying to help him stay out of trouble.

The pain of loneliness is another theme of the book. All the main characters, including George, Lennie,
Candy, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Slim, express the sadness caused by their feelings of loneliness. The
craving for company and the longing for sharing real emotions make these characters very human. 

John Steinbeck - BIOGRAPHY 

Born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California, John Ernest Steinbeck was the third of four children.
Though poor, Steinbeck had a normal childhood and attended public school, graduating from Salinas
High School in 1919. As a student, he had an inclination towards reading and writing, which was
encouraged by his mother, a schoolteacher herself. He was a frequent contributor to the school
magazine.

Steinbeck studied at Stanford University from 1920 to1925. Although he intended to become a marine
biologist, he never completed a degree. The courses that attracted his attention most were zoology,
English, and classical literature. While at Stanford, he wrote frequently and was often published in the
college newspaper. After leaving the University, he worked at a variety of jobs. He went to New York,
determined to become a writer. Between 1925 and 1927, he attempted to earn a living as a reporter
and a free-lance writer, but was unsuccessful. Disappointed, he left New York and returned to the
West Coast, where he met his first wife, Carol.

Steinbeck's first novel, Cup of Gold (1929), is based on the life of Sir Henry Morgan, a famous English

pirate of the sixteen hundreds. His next work, The Pastures of Heaven (1932), is a collection of stories
about the people on a farm community near Salinas. In this work, Steinbeck focuses on the struggle
between human beings and nature. These first two books received scant attention. Finally in 1933,
Steinbeck achieved success with his short story “The Red Pony.”
Steinbeck’s next novel, Tortilla Flat (1935), dealt with the migrant workers and poor farmers. In
Dubious Battle (1936) realistically portrays the labor strife in California during the nineteen thirties.
This novel also sets forth Steinbeck's concept of "group humanity" through the character of Doc
Burton. This concern reappears in The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and The Sea of Cortez (1941). Of Mice
and Men (1937) became a best seller and was adapted for the stage and a movie.
In 1940 Steinbeck went on an expedition to the Gulf of California (also called The Sea of Cortez) with
his friend Ed Ricketts, a marine biologist. Steinbeck shared with him a deep interest in biology. The
result of this trip was a joint publication, The Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and
Research. The book is in two parts. The first part narrates the voyage and records various
conversations and speculations, and the second part describes the marine organisms collected by the
men.

Other works include Cannery Row (1944), The Wayward Bus (1947), The Pearl (1947), Burning

Bright (1950), East of Eden (1952), Sweet Thursday(1954), and The Winter of Our
Discontent (1961). East of Eden is Steinbeck's longest and most ambitious work. It follows three
generations of a Californian family from 1860 to the First World War. The title refers to the family
strife, which parallels the conflict between the Biblical figures of Cain and Abel.
Steinbeck received the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. He died on
December 20, 1968, and is buried in Salinas, California, the place of his birth and setting for many of
his novels. 

LITERARY / HISTORICAL INFORMATION 

Started with a tentative title of Something that Happened, the book, Of Mice and Men, took the form
of an extended short story. Steinbeck rejected the initial version of the story, for he felt that he had
been unable to keep his own voice and viewpoint out of its narration. Steinbeck reworked and
expanded the story, adding more characters. He also added more dialogue, taking particular care to
reflect the accent and dialect of uneducated farm workers. It is said that a large section of the book
was rewritten by Steinbeck again, for his original manuscript was chewed up by his dog.
The working title of the book, Something that Happened, was changed when his best friend Ed
Ricketts suggested the present title and introduced him to Robert Burns’ poem ‘To a Mouse’. 

The words of the poem are as follows:

The best laid schemes o’mice and men

Gang aft agley. And leave us nought but grief and pain

For promised joy.

The poet talks about man’s enslavement to forces of nature which he cannot control, destroying hopes
and dreams. This is what happens with George and Lennie. 

Of Mice and Man, Sebuah Impian Lennie

Pengarang : John Steinbeck

Terbitan : Amerika

Tahun Terbit : 1937

Penerbit Indonesia : UFUK PRESS

Penerjemah : Isma B. Koesalamwardi

Genre : Fiksi, Petualangan

Dalam novel ini Steinbeck mengangkat kisah dari kehidupan kelas sosial buruh
peternakan dan perkebunan di tempat kelahirannya, yaitu California di Amerika Serikat. Pada
masa itu Amerika belum terlalu mengandalkan komuditas industrinya. Belum banyak pabrik
yang di bangun, sehingga masyarakat California kebanyakan bekerja dengan beternak dan
berkebun, atau bekerja pada peternakan atau perkebuanan orang lain.

Dari sini Steinbeck menulis tentang sepasang sahabat yang menjalani pekerjaan sebagai
buruh peternakan, pekerjaan ini dikenal sebagai pekerjaan yang menyedihkan dan
membosankan. Orang-orang seperti itu datang ke peternakan dan bekerja keras demi uang,
kemudian mereka pergi ke kota untuk menghabiskan uang mereka. Setelah itu, mereka akan
bekerja keras lagi di peternakan lain. Terus seperti itu dan tidak pernah berakhir. Mereka tidak
punya apa-apa untuk masa depan mereka. Namun lain halnya dengan sepasang sahabat ini.
Mereka punya rencana untuk masa depan dan telah menentukan kapan mereka akan berhenti dari
pekerjaan ini. Mereka ingin punya tempat tinggal, peternakan, dan perkebunan sendiri. Namun
peternakan orang lain bukanlah tempat yang ramah, banyak sekali masalah yang di hadapi oleh
sepasang sahabat ini yang selalu nyaris menggagalkan impian masa depan mereka.

Dua tokoh utama yang menjadi sepasang sahabat dalam novel ini, bagi orang yang baru
mengenal mereka, adalah pasangan yang cukup aneh. Pria yang pertama bernama George, ia
bertubuh kecil namun cukup berpengalaman dalam menjalani kerasnya kehidupan, sedangkan
sahabatnya, Lannie, jauh lebih besar dan berotak sederhana. Steinbeck menulis suatu kisah
mengharukan tentang mereka. Berawal dari perjalanan mereka ke Soledad Selatan untuk bekerja
di sebuah peternakan. Mereka harus berhadapan dengan anak pemilik peternakan bernama
Curley yang sombong dan pemarah, terutama pada Lannie, dan istri Curley yang sangat pantas
disebut pelacur. Tapi ada juga orang-orang yang ramah dan bersahabat di peternakan itu, Slim
yang memberikan anak anjingnya kepada Lannie, Candy, yang mau bergabung mewujudkan
impian masa depan mereka, Crooks si negro yang bijaksana, Whit muda yang selalu tampak
bersemangat, dan Carlson yang ceria.

Suatu saat, Curley yang suka cari masalah berkelahi dengan Lannie, dan Lannie dengan
mudah meremukkan tulang jarinya sehingga menyebabkan ia hampir dikeluarkan dari
peternakan. Begitulah, George selalu berhasil menyelamatkan sahabatnya itu dari masalah.

Namun, Lannie yang bisa dibilang berkebelakangan mental tiba-tiba secara tidak sengaja
membunuh istri Curley. Ia kabur ke sungai Salinas dan meninggalkan jasad istri Curley di
lumbung. Setelah orang-orang peternakan menemukan jasad tersebut, mereka segera mencari
Lannie. George berpikir keras untuk menyelamatkan sahabatnya. Yang ia tahu, peluang rencana
masa depan mereka mulai terkikis dan Lannie cuma punya dua pilihan bila tertangkap, dipenjara
atau dihukum mati. Dalam konflik dilematisnya itu, George membuat suatu pilihan terbaik bagi
sahabatnya. Suatu pilihan yang akan membuat pembaca terkejut sekaligus takjub kepada George.

Novel karya novelis top Amerika ini sangat menyentuh. Steinbeck menggambarkan
dengan cermat latar ceritanya, apalagi latar dalam novel ini adalah tempat di mana dia
menghabiskan masa kecilnya, tentu ia sudah mengenalnya dengan baik. Pertama, dari para tokoh
dengan gaya bicara khas orang-orang buruh peternakan yang kasar, kemudian kebiasaan-
kebiasaan mereka dalam menghabiskan waktu luang, misalnya dengan bermain kartu, judi,
mabuk- mabukan, dll. Selain itu Steinbeck juga mengerti perbedaan gaya bicara dan penampilan
antara pemilik peternakan, buruh pekerjanya, dan wanita seperti istri Curley. George dan Lannie,
dua tokoh utama dalam novel ini termasuk ide cermelang Steinbeck karena semakin menambah
menariknya cerita ini. Ketika ia menulisakan kisah sepasang sahabat tersebut, ia berhasil
menggambarkan bagaimana seorang Lannie yang mentalnya terbelakang dan George yang sigap
dan selalu menjaga sahabatnya itu.

Kisah dalam novel ini bukan saja menyentuh, tapi juga menegangkan dan membuat orang
penasaran menebak–nebak apa ending ceritanya. Dan Steinbeck membuat akhir cerita yang
mengejutkan dan diluar dugaan si pembaca.

Meskipun novel ini mempunyai nilai sastra yang baik, namun ia mempunyai beberapa
kelemahan. Pertama dari pihak penerbit UFUK PRESS yang menterjemahkan novel ini, terdapat
beberapa kesalahan cetak yang cukup mengganggu pembaca. Kemudian dari isi cerita dalam
novel itu, penggambaran kebiasaan buruk para tokohnya yang berjudi, minum minuman
keras,dan sejenisnya, serta cara bicara mereka yang terkadang kasar dan penuh dengan umpatan
menyebabkan novel ini tidak layak dibaca oleh anak-anak 12 tahun kebawah.

Kemudian bagi pembaca yang minat membacanya cukup rendah, penggunaan kertas
buram pada bagian isi novel tentu mengurangi selera pembacanya. Jadi saya harap untuk ke
depannya penerbit UFUK PRESS tidak menggunakan ketas buram lagi, melainkan kertas putih.
Toh meskipun novel terjemahan, jumlah halamannya hanya 204 sehingga penggunaan kertas
putih tersebut tidak terlalu mendongkrak naik harga novel itu. Kecuali kalau jumlah halaman
novel itu sampai 400-an, sebaiknya memang menggunakan kertas buram saja agar tidak terlalu
mahal.

Namun, sekali lagi para penggemar novel-novel klasik, novel ”Of Mice and Man”
merupakan pilihan yang tepat. Selain karena novel ini memang novel lama yang dicetak ulang,
latar ceritanya juga merupakan tanah kelahiran Steinback sendiri. Jadi tentu saja ia sudah sangat
mengenal masyarakatnya sendiri pun sejarah nenek moyangnya. Dari jalan ceritanya kita
memperoleh gambaran kehidupan peternakan di Amerika yang pada saat itu hidup bergaya
“cowboy” yang keras untuk dijalani. Kisahnya begitu menyentuh dengan klimaks yang jauh dari
dugaan pembaca. Kita dapat mengambil makna yang merupakan pelajaran berharga di balik
petualangan dan persahabatan dari kisah ini.

Of Mice and Man, Sebuah Impian Lennie

Pengarang : John Steinbeck

Terbitan : Amerika

Tahun Terbit : 1937

Penerbit Indonesia : UFUK PRESS

Penerjemah : Isma B. Koesalamwardi

Genre : Fiksi, Petualangan

Dalam novel ini Steinbeck mengangkat kisah dari kehidupan kelas sosial buruh
peternakan dan perkebunan di tempat kelahirannya, yaitu California di Amerika Serikat. Pada
masa itu Amerika belum terlalu mengandalkan komuditas industrinya. Belum banyak pabrik
yang di bangun, sehingga masyarakat California kebanyakan bekerja dengan beternak dan
berkebun, atau bekerja pada peternakan atau perkebuanan orang lain.
 Dari sini Steinbeck menulis tentang sepasang sahabat yang menjalani pekerjaan sebagai
buruh peternakan, pekerjaan ini dikenal sebagai pekerjaan yang menyedihkan dan
membosankan. Orang-orang seperti itu datang ke peternakan dan bekerja keras demi uang,
kemudian mereka pergi ke kota untuk menghabiskan uang mereka. Setelah itu, mereka akan
bekerja keras lagi di peternakan lain. Terus seperti itu dan tidak pernah berakhir. Mereka tidak
punya apa-apa untuk masa depan mereka. Namun lain halnya dengan sepasang sahabat ini.
Mereka punya rencana untuk masa depan dan telah menentukan kapan mereka akan berhenti dari
pekerjaan ini. Mereka ingin punya tempat tinggal, peternakan, dan perkebunan sendiri. Namun
peternakan orang lain bukanlah tempat yang ramah, banyak sekali masalah yang di hadapi oleh
sepasang sahabat ini yang selalu nyaris menggagalkan impian masa depan mereka.

Dua tokoh utama yang menjadi sepasang sahabat dalam novel ini, bagi orang yang baru
mengenal mereka, adalah pasangan yang cukup aneh. Pria yang pertama bernama George, ia
bertubuh kecil namun cukup berpengalaman dalam menjalani kerasnya kehidupan, sedangkan
sahabatnya, Lannie, jauh lebih besar dan berotak sederhana. Steinbeck menulis suatu kisah
mengharukan tentang mereka. Berawal dari perjalanan mereka ke Soledad Selatan untuk bekerja
di sebuah peternakan. Mereka harus berhadapan dengan anak pemilik peternakan bernama
Curley yang sombong dan pemarah, terutama pada Lannie, dan istri Curley yang sangat pantas
disebut pelacur. Tapi ada juga orang-orang yang ramah dan bersahabat di peternakan itu, Slim
yang memberikan anak anjingnya kepada Lannie, Candy, yang mau bergabung mewujudkan
impian masa depan mereka, Crooks si negro yang bijaksana, Whit muda yang selalu tampak
bersemangat, dan Carlson yang ceria.

Suatu saat, Curley yang suka cari masalah berkelahi dengan Lannie, dan Lannie dengan
mudah meremukkan tulang jarinya sehingga menyebabkan ia hampir dikeluarkan dari
peternakan. Begitulah, George selalu berhasil menyelamatkan sahabatnya itu dari masalah.

Namun, Lannie yang bisa dibilang berkebelakangan mental tiba-tiba secara tidak sengaja
membunuh istri Curley. Ia kabur ke sungai Salinas dan meninggalkan jasad istri Curley di
lumbung. Setelah orang-orang peternakan menemukan jasad tersebut, mereka segera mencari
Lannie. George berpikir keras untuk menyelamatkan sahabatnya. Yang ia tahu, peluang rencana
masa depan mereka mulai terkikis dan Lannie cuma punya dua pilihan bila tertangkap, dipenjara
atau dihukum mati. Dalam konflik dilematisnya itu, George membuat suatu pilihan terbaik bagi
sahabatnya. Suatu pilihan yang akan membuat pembaca terkejut sekaligus takjub kepada George.

Novel karya novelis top Amerika ini sangat menyentuh. Steinbeck menggambarkan
dengan cermat latar ceritanya, apalagi latar dalam novel ini adalah tempat di mana dia
menghabiskan masa kecilnya, tentu ia sudah mengenalnya dengan baik. Pertama, dari para tokoh
dengan gaya bicara khas orang-orang buruh peternakan yang kasar, kemudian kebiasaan-
kebiasaan mereka dalam menghabiskan waktu luang, misalnya dengan bermain kartu, judi,
mabuk- mabukan, dll. Selain itu Steinbeck juga mengerti perbedaan gaya bicara dan penampilan
antara pemilik peternakan, buruh pekerjanya, dan wanita seperti istri Curley. George dan Lannie,
dua tokoh utama dalam novel ini termasuk ide cermelang Steinbeck karena semakin menambah
menariknya cerita ini. Ketika ia menulisakan kisah sepasang sahabat tersebut, ia berhasil
menggambarkan bagaimana seorang Lannie yang mentalnya terbelakang dan George yang sigap
dan selalu menjaga sahabatnya itu.

Kisah dalam novel ini bukan saja menyentuh, tapi juga menegangkan dan membuat orang
penasaran menebak–nebak apa ending ceritanya. Dan Steinbeck membuat akhir cerita yang
mengejutkan dan diluar dugaan si pembaca.

Meskipun novel ini mempunyai nilai sastra yang baik, namun ia mempunyai beberapa
kelemahan. Pertama dari pihak penerbit UFUK PRESS yang menterjemahkan novel ini, terdapat
beberapa kesalahan cetak yang cukup mengganggu pembaca. Kemudian dari isi cerita dalam
novel itu, penggambaran kebiasaan buruk para tokohnya yang berjudi, minum minuman
keras,dan sejenisnya, serta cara bicara mereka yang terkadang kasar dan penuh dengan umpatan
menyebabkan novel ini tidak layak dibaca oleh anak-anak 12 tahun kebawah.

Kemudian bagi pembaca yang minat membacanya cukup rendah, penggunaan kertas
buram pada bagian isi novel tentu mengurangi selera pembacanya. Jadi saya harap untuk ke
depannya penerbit UFUK PRESS tidak menggunakan ketas buram lagi, melainkan kertas putih.
Toh meskipun novel terjemahan, jumlah halamannya hanya 204 sehingga penggunaan kertas
putih tersebut tidak terlalu mendongkrak naik harga novel itu. Kecuali kalau jumlah halaman
novel itu sampai 400-an, sebaiknya memang menggunakan kertas buram saja agar tidak terlalu
mahal.

Namun, sekali lagi para penggemar novel-novel klasik, novel ”Of Mice and Man”
merupakan pilihan yang tepat. Selain karena novel ini memang novel lama yang dicetak ulang,
latar ceritanya juga merupakan tanah kelahiran Steinback sendiri. Jadi tentu saja ia sudah sangat
mengenal masyarakatnya sendiri pun sejarah nenek moyangnya. Dari jalan ceritanya kita
memperoleh gambaran kehidupan peternakan di Amerika yang pada saat itu hidup bergaya
“cowboy” yang keras untuk dijalani. Kisahnya begitu menyentuh dengan klimaks yang jauh dari
dugaan pembaca. Kita dapat mengambil makna yang merupakan pelajaran berharga di balik
petualangan dan persahabatan dari kisah ini.