Plot Overview

About the Author

George and Lennie are traveling the Salinas Valley

in order to for fill their dream. George is a short,
smart man. He is like the father of Lennie and
makes sure they both dont get in no trouble.
Lennie has the mind of a child and seems unable to
avoid trouble. He loves soft things and cant control
himself in touching them. The find a ranch to work
on and decide to stay there, until they get enough
money to reach their dream. Right before they find
the ranch, they were sleeping by a pond. George
told Lennie that if any trouble were to occur to hide
there. In their new place they met many other guys
who couldnt believe they were traveling together. It
was rare, since most guys dont travel together.
Slim was the head of authority of the ranchers and
the bunk. He was older and kind, he also respected
the rest of the guys. Curley was the bosss son and
loved picking fights, especially with big guys,
because if he lost he can just say there was a
disadvantage. One day he picked a fight with
Lennie, and Lennie lost it he fought back and broke
Curleys hand. Curley also had a wife who would go
around talking to the guys and tried to flirt with
them. All they guys didnt want no problems and
saw her as a bother. She wanted attention and
Lennie was easy to draw in. George told Lennie to
stay away from her, but one day when George was
gone she found Lennie in the barn. Lennie tried to
leave, but she kept talking about how sad she was.
She could have had a better life if she didnt
married Curley. Lennie then asks to pet her hair,
because its soft. He wont let go and she starts
screaming and panicking. This leads to something
dreadful and she dies. Lennie then runs away to the
place where George told him to. The guys find
Curleys wife and go on a hunt for Lennie. George
knows what he must do, he goes to the pond and
talks to Lennie. He talks about their dream, and
does something he never thought he would do.

John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in

Salinas, California. He loved reading and writing as
a child, and in high school he wrote for the schools
newspaper. He then realized from this that he
wanted to be a writer. He was inspired by the land
of Salinas and all the small towns. He wanted to
write down their stories. Attended Stanford
University in 1919. He attended college for six years
off and on, but in 1925 he left without getting a
degree. He moved to New York, but returned to
California where he finished Cup of Gold. However,
this was not successful. He then met his wife, Carol
Henning, who supported his writing. He then
continued writing and made many successful
books.He also got Nobel Prize in Literature. He
wrote East of Eden, The Pearl, The Red Pony, The
Grapes of Wrath.

Historical Context
The story was set and based off the Salinas Valley
of northern California, in the 1930s. It was
specifically set on a small working ranch. Where the
guys had to work to get by. The larger background
was based on the Great Depression where many
people were desperate for work. Steinbeck was
inspired by the land of the Salinas Valley, and
wanted to share its story with the world. This was
also based on his life and what he had to go
through during the Great Depression. It was hard
for him to find jobs and any job he could get was
fine as long as he got payed.

Novel Notes
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
Thalia Avalos
3/15/16

Essential Quotes
I got you to look after me, and you got me to look
after you, and that's
why.
Just like heaven. Everbody wants a little piece of
lan. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never
gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. Its just in
their head. Theyre all the time talkin about it, but its
jus in their head.

Add Work Cited Here: SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d.

Web. 01 Apr. 2016

Character Analysis

Themes

Motifs and Symbols

George Milton: George is 21 years of age, and is

small, but quick. He is like the father of Lennie, and
watches over him. Making sure he dont get in no
trouble. He always wonders what life will be like he
didnt have Lennie. He sees it as a more peaceful
lifestyle. George is wise, and plans to save up
money to get his own land with his own rules. He
and Lennie can wake up whenever, and tend their
own crops for their own money.

Friendship: The bond between George and

Lennie was a rare thing. During this time it was
every man for themselves. It was during the
Great Depression, and all guys were out there
trying to find a job to survive. But George and
Lennie helped each other out to try and make
their dream come true.

Mice: Lennie loved to pet soft things and at the

beginning of the book he had a mouse. It
shows how Lennie couldnt be gentle, and he
was too strong. He didnt understand how to
take care of things.

Lennie Small: He is a huge, strong man with the

brain of a child. He is mentally handicapped, and
dont understand death. He is obsessed with soft
things, and tends to kill anything small and fragile.
Like mice or the puppies. He follows George
everywhere, listens to anything George tells him to
do. He has a dream of living on the farm where he
can tend the rabbits. He likes ketchup. He scared of
being left alone without George. Not knowing where
he is, or if he is okay.

Slim: He was the prince of the jerk-line skinners. He

was the head of the ranchers. He is tall and a
professional at his job. The guys go to him for help
when needed, and is the head of authority. He is
very understanding and sympathetic. He
understand Georges situation with Lennie, and
respects his decisions.

Curley: Curley is the bosss son, which the guys

work at and the main antagonist. He is considered
the prizefighter, and likes to pick fights with bigger
guys. He enjoys bullying Lennie, which ticks of
George. Due to this Lennie gets mad, and attacks
Curley.

Candy: Candy is an old man who lost his hand in a

ranch accident. He just a swamper who cleans up
the bunks. He use to have a dog. He represents
everyone who gets old in American society.

Dreams: George and Lennie had this almost

impossible dream. They dreamed of having
their own land, where they were the boss. They
chose when to wake up and when to sleep.
Then Lennie will have his farm of bunnies,
where he can feed and pet them.
Juxtaposition: George and Lennie contrast
each other. George was the small, yet smart
man of the two. He was like the father to
Lennie, and made sure he didnt get into no
trouble. Lennie on the other hand was a big
guy who wasnt the brightest. He had the mind
of the child, and always got into trouble. What
he lacked in knowledge he gained in strength.
He was extremely strong and sometimes was
unable to control his strength, but he always
listened to George no matter what.
Death: Most people die in the story in different
forms. Lennie and Georges dream dies when
Lennie dies. Candys hope of being free dies
when Lennie kills Curleys wife. Curleys wife
misery dies when she gets killed by Lennie.
Lennies pup and all the creatures die, to the
dogs Slim drowned because the mother
couldnt take care of them. Candy dog dies
because it gets too old and sick.

Land: Land is the American dream. Crooks

mentions how every man wants it, but no one
gets it. Its just a belief that men want just like
heaven. They wish they can have it, but it is all
in their head.
Candys dog: This symbolized the death of
Lennie. Candy was doing the dog no favor
keeping it alive. If the dog were still alive it
would have had a harder life, like if Lennie was
still alive he will just struggle through life. Death
was the best option for the both, even though
Candy and George loved them they knew it
was the right thing to do.
Loneliness: Loneliness is hinted throughout the
entire novel. Curleys wife was lonely and
seeked the attention from the workers. Candy
became lonely after they shot and killed his
dog. Crooks was lonely because he was black
and in that time they were seen as a minority.
In the end George becomes lonely when
Lennie is gone and throughout the story he
always wondered how much easier it would be
without Lennie.
Gun: The gun represented the end of their
dream and journey. The truth came out that
they couldnt have their American dream.
Lennie wasnt there and without Lennie their
dream was just that a dream.