Of Mice and Men Chapter Summary Essay

Chapter OneTwo itinerant workers, George and Lennie, are introduced. They rest in a small clearing by the Salinas River, on their way to a nearby ranch where they expect to sign on for work. They have hurriedly left the last ranch, pastime an incident involving Lennie in poop. Lennie pleads with George to set up him over and over again most their fantasy ranch, where Lennies principal(prenominal) task will be to tend the rabbits. Lennies Aunt Clara, whom he refers to as that Lady, is soon introduced to the fabrication, as is Lennies love of petting mice.Key Points Introduction of George and Lennie character descriptions (p.19-20) We first hear ab extinct the the Statesn Dream (p. 31-33) First hints of what happened in Weed (p.24, 29)Chapter TwoThe next day George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and go to the bunk house, where they meet most of the other main characters in the novel Candy, an centenarian swamper with only one hand Curley, the bosss son the boss, who is susp icious that George will not let Lennie speak for himself Curleys purty young wife, who flirts with the other hands Slim, the top ranch hand who is respected by all the other ranch hands and Carlson, another of the established hands. Slim is friendly towards George and Lennie. His bitch cut across has recently given birth to pups and begs George to ask him if he will give one to Lennie as a pet.Key Points Introduction of the other characters (and mention of Crooks, the stable buck) character descriptions are through pop the chapter We can beat to see the hierarchy on the ranch introduction of Curley (p.46-48) introduction of Slim (p.55-57) CONTRAST Introduction of Curleys wife important for the theme of sexist attitudes towards women? (p.53-54)Chapter ThreeGeorge reveals to Slim the real reason why he and Lennie travel unneurotic. Slim scores that Lennie has the mentality of a child. George tells Slim somewhat the supposed rape in Weed involving Lennie. Carlson bullies Candy into allowing him to shoot his ageing, smelly, rheumatic dog. George, at Lennies insistence, describes to him again their dream farm, and Candy who is listening in, overly becomes enchanted by the idea. Curley starts a fight with Lennie and at Georges command Lennie eventually unleashes his strength and crushes Curleys hand with ease. Slim persuades Curley that to avoid further humiliation, it would be in his best interests to pretend that his hand got caught in a machine.Key Points Further character development of George and Lennie reader gets more than of an insight into their past unneurotic Georges confession of how he used to treat Lennie ( p.65-66) Shooting of Candys dog a forewarning of what is to happen to Lennie? Because the relationship between Candy and his dog could be seen as similar to George and Lennies. (p.70-7274-76) George and Lennie realise their dream could become a reality, as Candy gets involved, and the three realise they could save the money to gether (p.83-89)Chapter FourAll the men go into town on Saturday night except Lennie, Candy and Crooks. Crooks reluctantly allows Lennie into his room where they talk and Crooks taunts Lennie that George may not return, leaving Lennie on his own. Lennie begins to panic at this thought and Crooks is coerce to apologise in an attempt to calm Lennie down. Candy joins them and he and Lennie let slip to Crooks their intention to deprave a farm.They are interrupted by Curleys wife, who is looking for compevery. Candy and Crooks resent her presence and when Crooks orders her out of his room, she attacks him verbally, using her superior social status as a white woman.Key Points Proper conflux of Crooks character insight into life as a coloured man in 1930s America and the hardships he has suffered. (p. 98-105) Character development of Curleys wife a sense of vulnerability is revealed about her as she describes how her life could have been if she wasnt married to Curley the grim reali ty of life is shown when she attacks the three men when they tell her to leave. (p.109-115)Chapter FiveMost of the men are outside the barn playing at throwing horseshoes. Only Lennie is in the barn, where he has just accidentally killed his pup by stroking it too hard. Curleys wife comes in and starts to flirt with Lennie who confesses to her his liking for stroking nice things. She invites him to stroke her long, soft hair, scarcely as his stroking becomes harder, she panics the harder her strokes the more she panics and in the end, Lennie accidentally breaks her neck. He half buries her body in the hay and runs off.Candy discovers Curleys wifes body and informs the rest of the men. Curley is furious and decides to seek revenge, organising a man-hunt to pursue and kill Lennie. Slim suggests that Curley confirmation with his wife, but Curley shows his true feelings for her as he is more concerned about getting revenge on Lennie that grieving for the loss of his wife. Reluctantly, George joins the hunt.Key Points Further development of Lennie a violent side to him which was always limn is shown in the extreme, although it is made clear that Lennie meant no harm killing the pup (p. 121) killing of Curleys married woman (p. 127-128) CHARACTER suppuration Curleys Wifes dream to become an actress, how her dream never worked out (p.124-125) in death she appears more vulnerable and innocent, and the most positive way in which Curleys wife is portrayed throughout the novel is in death (p.129) Character development of Candy the importance of the dream to him in particular is shown (p. 132) Curleys lack of love for his wife even when she has been killed all he thinks about is revenge (p.133, 135)Chapter SixGeorge meets up with Lennie at the clearing where he had instructed Lennie to go in the event of any trouble. Lennie is panicking and George attempts to calm him down by telling him once again about their dream ranch. George distracts Lennies vigilanc e and shoots him in the back of the head with Carlsons Luger pistol which he had stolen from the bunk house. The other men come running to where George and Lennie were on hearing the gun shot. When Carlson asks George how he killed Lennie, George replies tiredly I just make it. Slim kindly tells George he hadda kill Lennie, and the two go for a drink. The novel ends Curley and Carlson looked after them. And Carlson said, right away what the hell ya suppose is eatin them two guys?Key Points The novel ends where it began by the Salinas River with George and Lennie by the brush CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT of Lennie for the first time, the reader gets an insight into Lennies mind as he hallucinates, whereas before throughout the novel Lennie appears simplistic and not much feeling is shown. (?) Lennies death like Candys dog, but George does it himself Candy wishes he had killed his dog himself. Bond formed between Slim and George, which, like George and Lennies link, seems laughabl e and strange to the other men Carlson, who perhaps has never known such a close bond between itinerant workers, says Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin them two guys? He will never show the close bond Slim and George now share.