Section summaries

Note, that in some editions of the novel the sections are not numbered, in other editions they are called chapters and numbered. 

Section 1

John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men opens with a description of a beautiful clearing by a river in California. Two men appear. When the larger man, Lennie, drinks from the river, the smaller man, George, tells him off. Lennie asks George to remind him where they are going, and George explains that they are going to work together on a nearby ranch and that if Lennie is asked any questions, he should keep quiet. Lennie is stroking a dead mouse, but George throws it away. 

It becomes clear that Lennie has an intellectual disability and that George looks after him. The two men travel and work together, and they have a dream of buying a small piece of land where they will grow vegetables and Lennie will look after rabbits. The pair cook beans over the fire, and George makes Lennie promise that if he gets in trouble, he will come and hide in the clearing.

Section 2

The next day, George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and an older man, Candy, shows them where they will be sleeping. Candy has a very old dog. The boss arrives and seems suspicious of the pair’s relationship. After ...