appreciative, forgetting that it was George who told him to jump. It is obvious that Lennie has
great respect for and child-like trust in George.
Slim is also developed in the chapter. He is a leader amongst the ranch hands, commanding
respect. It is also clear that he is mentally superior to the other workers. He appreciates the kind
of friendship that George and Lennie share and recognizes its rare quality. He also learns to look
at Lennie through George’s eyes, seeing him as a child who must be guided and disciplined. He
is also self-confident and is not afraid to stand up to Curley when he falsely accuses him.
A portion of the chapter is devoted to Candy and his dog, and there are many parallels that can
be drawn between that pair and George and Lennie. Candy is devoted to his dog, and, in return, it
follows its master everywhere. In a similar manner, George is devoted to Lennie, who will
follow him anywhere. Candy’s dog emanates an awful odor which goes unnoticed by Candy;
they’ve been together for so long that Candy has gotten used to the stench. Similarly, Lennie can
be a nuisance and a pain, but George is so used to his presence that he barely notices Lennie’s
odd ways. Candy agrees to have his dog killed, for he realizes that it has become a social
nuisance. In a similar manner, George will kill Lennie, since he is judged to be a threat to
society. After Candy agrees to the killing, he turns toward the wall, unable to face the dog or the
people. Before George shoots Lennie, he asks the latter to look away. After his dog’s death,
Candy feels lost and alone, foreshadowing how George will feel after Lennie is gone.
Steinbeck portrays the harsher side of life through Carlson. On a superficial level, he seems
totally brutal, caring only about his own discomfort in regards to Candy’s dog. In truth, his
suggestion that the dog be killed and replaced with a puppy is practical advice, for the animal is
very old, blind, crippled, and stinking. Carlson volunteers to shoot the dog to spare Candy from
having to do it himself. Later, Candy says he should have shot the dog himself. But Carlson sees
it as an act of mercy, just like George’s shooting Lennie is intended to be an act of mercy. The
reactions of the men to the two deaths is very different. In honor of Candy, they maintain a
respectful silence until they hear the gunshot announcing the dog’s death. Their conversation
afterwards is muted and respectful. After Lennie’s death, the men show no sensitivity to George;
only Slim appreciates what has happened and shows George any concern. In truth, they seem to
value the life of a dog more than the life of Lennie.
Although the dream of the farm is a recurring image in the first two chapters, it takes on a new
significance in this chapter. George and Lennie are different from the other workers on the farm
because they have a dream, a purpose. Their life has more meaning than going down to Susy’s
place. When Candy hears about the plans of George and Lennie, he wants to join them, hoping to
find peace and contentment in his last days. Now that he has lost his dog, his faithful companion,
he has nothing and belongs nowhere. He offers his life savings of 300 dollars for the chance to
go with them and promises to work hard. At first George hesitates to include Candy, but he
realizes that Candy’s proposition leads them closer to the fulfillment of the dream and accepts it.
The irony is that George and Lennie really do come close to fulfilling the dream. Had they been
able to leave the ranch, Lennie’s tragedy would have been avoided.
The first real conflict that Lennie has on the ranch occurs towards the end of this chapter.
When Slim and Carlson refuse to fight with Curley, he deliberately picks on Lennie, striking
him. Lennie remembers George’s warning and obeys, trying to stay out of trouble and not
striking back. When George sees what is happening, he urges Lennie to defend himself. In the
ensuing fight, Curley is thrown to the ground and his hand is crushed. Curley agrees to say that
his hand was crushed in a machine, not telling his father or the other ranch hands the truth, for he
is ashamed of his defeat. The reader is aware, however, that Curley will want his revenge.
After the fight, Lennie feels guilty, for he did not mean to really hurt Curley. He simply does not
know the power of his own brute strength, foreshadowing the tragedy at the end of the novel.
Lennie is also fearful that he has displeased George. His main concern is that he will not be
allowed to go to the farm or have any rabbits.
CHAPTER 4
Lennie arrives at Crooks’ room looking for his pup. At first, the black man, who is a loner on the
ranch, is hostile towards him, saying that black men do not mix with white ones. His proud
attitude changes, however, when he observes Lennie’s childish conduct. He finally invites Lennie
into his well-kept room, but he does not know how to treat him. Crooks is at first cruel to Lennie,
teasing him about George not returning from the city. Lennie protests that such a thing would
never ever happen. Lennie then tells Crooks about the plan to buy a farm, and Crooks speaks
about himself, telling of his childhood. Lennie then turns the conversation to his dream of
owning rabbits. Crooks tells him that his dream is never going to be a reality, explaining that
many men have the same dream but never save enough money.
Searching for Lennie, old Candy makes his way to Crooks’ room. He is invited inside, where he
and Lennie have a conversation about the farm. When Crooks learns that they have saved almost
enough money to buy some land, he becomes interested in the dream and expresses a wish to
join them, working for his keep.
Curley’s wife walks in, looking for her husband. The men tell her he is not around and ask her to
leave. She desperately tries to strike up a conversation with them and complains about her
loneliness and how people treat her. She also says that she does not believe that Curley’s hand
was caught in a machine. In the conversation that follows, Candy reveals the dream of owning a
farmhouse to her. She reacts in a discouraging and condescending manner. She also finds out the
truth about her husband’s crushed hand.
The private Crooks grows upset about all the people in his room. He demands that Curley’s wife
leave immediately, which upsets her. Before she departs, she threatens him with a charge of
attempted rape.
After she leaves, George arrives, looking for Lennie. He is upset to find Candy and his friend in
the black man’s room, telling him about the plans for the farm. He insists that they leave. As they
walk back to the bunkhouse, Crooks shouts to Candy that he can forget about him going with
them to the farm. The black realizes that his dream of comradeship can never be realized with a
white man.
Notes
This chapter emphasizes the theme of loneliness. Crooks, the only black man on the ranch, is
forced to live in isolation in a shed in the barn. Because of his race, no ranch hand has ever come
to visit him at his room, and he is routinely excluded from their activities. Because he feels the
prejudice of the other workers towards him, he has grown proud, aloof, and defensive.
Because of his simplicity, Lennie does not “see” Crooks’s color. He accepts him only as another
human being and thinks nothing about going to his room, looking for his pup. At first, Crooks
will not allow Lennie to come inside, saying that black and white do not mix. When he first hears
Lennie talk about the plan to buy a farm, he scoffs at the idea. When Candy reveals that they
almost have enough money saved for the land, Crooks wants to join them, hoping to escape his
isolation and loneliness.
Curley’s wife is also shown to be a lonely woman in this chapter. She craves an emotional
attachment with somebody who is understanding. When she protests against the unfriendly
attitudes of the men on the ranch towards her, she is actually complaining about the sense of
isolation in her life. She obviously dislikes her husband and stays with him only because she
does not have any alternative. She is also shown to be a very prejudiced woman. When Crooks
demands that she leave his room, she threatens to charge him with rape, which would mean
certain death for a black man.
Steinbeck, through the comments of Crooks and Curley’s wife, states that most great American
dreams are shattered, foreshadowing that George’s dream will not become a reality. Crooks tells
Lennie about the thousands of ranchmen who dream of owning a piece of land and who fail to
save the necessary money. Curley’s wife complains about the man who did not live up to his
promise of obtaining her dream, getting her into the movies. It is important to notice that when
Curley’s wife enters the room, she prevents the men from talking about their dream, just as her
death at the end of the novel prevents them from obtaining their dream. She is also indirectly the
cause of George having to face loneliness — without Lennie for a friend and companion.
CHAPTER 5
A sad Lennie is alone in the barn on Sunday afternoon. He indulges in a monologue with his
dead puppy. He has accidentally killed it while they were playing. He is afraid that now George
will not let him have any rabbits on the farm. He thinks about burying the pup and not telling
George about it; but he knows that George, as always, will sense the truth.
Curley’s wife walks into the barn. Lennie takes a defensive stance against her, for George has
warned him to stay away from her. She, however, forces herself on him, growing emotional
when Lennie refuses to talk to her. She notices the dead puppy and tells him not to worry about
it, for no one will be upset. She also talks about her childhood and tells him about her loneliness.
She explains her story about the guy who promised to get her into the movies and failed to do so.
She even tells Lennie about how much she dislikes her husband. As she talks about her broken
dreams, she occasionally checks to see if Lennie is listening.
Lennie keeps telling Curley’s wife that he is not supposed to talk to her, but she ignores him.
When he tells her that he wants to raise rabbits, she asks why he likes them so much. Lennie
explains how he loves soft things. She asks Lennie if he would like to stroke her soft hair. When
Lennie does so, she grows fearful at the strength she feels in his hands. Raising her voice, she
asks him to stop. Lennie is scared that George is going to hear her, so he covers her mouth with
his huge palms in order to quiet her. He begs her to be quiet and bemoans the fact that she is
going to get him into trouble. She struggles to get away, but his strength is far too great for her
fragile body. With no intention of harming Curley’s wife, he shakes her and accidentally breaks
her neck, just as he has accidentally killed his puppy.
Lennie realizes the terrible mistake he has committed. He then remembers what George has
asked him to do in case of trouble. He picks up the dead puppy, quickly leaves the ranch, and
heads to the stream to hide in the bushes.
Old Candy comes searching for Lennie and finds Curley’s wife, who is dead. He is stunned by
the sight and runs out to tell George about it. On seeing the body of Curley’s wife, George is
dumbfounded. He realizes that Lennie is responsible for her death; but he also knows that it had
to have been an accident. Lennie is incapable of intentional murder. He also knows that Curley
and the other ranch hands will have no mercy on Lennie. George must think and act quickly. He
asks Candy to inform the others about the incident, and he heads back to the bunkhouse. Before
he looks for Curley, Candy curses the dead body, blaming her for ruining his plans for the farm.
When summoned, Curley is quick to guess who the culprit might be. He swears to kill Lennie as
soon as he is found. He organizes a search party, and tells the men to grab their guns. George
begs Curley not to shoot Lennie, but he does not agree. The men set out, armed with their
shotguns. Carlson reports that his gun is missing, and everyone assumes that Lennie has it.
Notes
The accidental death of the puppy in Lennie’s strong hands is intentional foreshadowing to
prepare the reader for the accidental death of Curley’s wife in Lennie’s strong hands. As the
chapter opens, Lennie is seen in the barn, grieving over the dead pup. He senses that he has done
something wrong, but feels it is not bad enough to cause him to hide in the bushes. At the same
time, he knows that George will not be pleased with him and worries that he might not be able to
have any rabbits.
Curley’s wife happens to appear in the barn when Lennie is most sad and vulnerable and, in spite
of Lennie’s opposition, sits next to him. She tells him not to worry about the dead puppy and
talks about her unrealized dreams and the loneliness she feels on the ranch. Lennie talks about
the farm that he and George are going to buy and the rabbits he is going to raise. When she
learns how much Lennie likes soft things, she flirtatiously asks him if he wants to stroke her soft
hair.
Unfortunately, Lennie does not know how to be gentle; his large hands are just too powerful.
Curley’s wife grows fearful, screams for him to stop, and struggles to get away. To silence her,
he covers her mouth and shakes her. As always, Lennie does not realize his strength and breaks
her neck. When he feels her limp body, he knows he has done something really terrible. He picks
up the dead pup and heads for the stream to hide in the brush.
Even though the scene in the barn must have been a violent one, Steinbeck is careful not to
convey that image. He simply shows Lennie whimpering as he covers the mouth of Curley’s
wife, begs her not to scream, and shakes her. Then he reveals her death with total simplicity,
stating, “And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.” The style is remarkable, for the
words capture the suddenness of the act and the stillness of the moment.
In earlier chapters, the author has carefully developed Lennie as a totally naive innocent. He
remains the same innocent character, even after Curley’s wife is killed. It is clear to the reader
that Lennie intended no harm, and there was no malice. In fact, he is totally perplexed over what
has happened in the barn. The only thing he knows is that this is “trouble,” and he needs to go
and hide in the bushes. He also knows that when George finds out that he was talking to Curley’s
wife and what has happened to her, he will be angry and probably not let him have any rabbits.
When Curley rightly guesses who the culprit is, he wants revenge on Lennie — for his wife’s
death and for his crushed hand. He tells all the men to arm themselves for a search party. Carlson
reports that his gun is missing, and the assumption made by all is that Lennie has taken the pistol.
The reader, however, knows that Lennie has headed straight to the bushes and realizes that
George had a purpose in going to the bunkhouse alone.
It is important to realize that the death of Curley’s wife causes yet another shattered dream.
Candy is first to realize what will happen to their plans for the farm and curses her dead body for
destroying his hopes. George also knows that nothing will ever again be the same. He begs
Curley not to kill his friend, but there is no agreement. Ironically, George had earlier complained
that Lennie’s presence in his life prevented him from doing normal things; now he will find that
life without Lennie causes the real abnormality for him. He, like the other ranch hands, will learn
to live a life of loneliness.
CHAPTER 6
Waiting for George, Lennie feels proud that he has remembered about coming to the stream, but
he feels terrible about Curley’s wife. He suddenly has a vision of his Aunt Clara talking to him.
She scolds him for his irresponsible behavior and for causing George trouble. When she
disappears from his sight, a giant rabbit appears in her place. Like Aunt Clara, the rabbit also
reprimands Lennie and adds that he is not worthy of tending rabbits. It also relays that George is
very upset with him and is going to beat him, but Lennie refuses to believe it, for George has
never been cruel. He screams out for George, who soon appears and quiets him. Lennie
confesses his mistake, and George tries to reassure his upset friend that everything is going to be
all right. In the conversation that follows, George repeats the dream to Lennie, who gets excited
and asks George to buy their farm right away.