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The Brush (Clearing)
George and Lennie arrive at the brush where they setup camp for the night. Lennie almost leaves George because George was being mean. They talk about their dreams of buying their own place and living on the "fatta the land". Friendship, loyalty, The American Dream. -
Arivving at the ranch
George and Lennie arrive at the ranch. Candy meets them first and shows them to the bunk house where they meet the Boss, Curley, Curley's Wife, then Slim in that order. -
George's Confession to Slim
George confides in Slim that he and Lennie are not cousins, but have been friends since childhood. He tells how Lennie has often gotten them into trouble. For instance, they were forced to flee their last job because Lennie tried to touch a woman’s dress and was accused of rape. Slim agrees to give Lennie one of his puppies, and Carlson continues to badger Candy to kill his old dog. -
The Shooting of the Dog at Midnight
George, Slim, Carlson, Candy and Whit. Carlson suggests that Candy should put his dog down, everyone else agrees, Candy takes the dog outside and shoots it with his Lugar. Candy later regrets not having done it himself. -
Allience with Candy
Slim goes out to fix his mule; Curley comes in looking for him, then goes after him to ask about his wife; Carlson and Whit go after Curley hoping to see a fight; just Candy, Lennie and George are left in the bunk house; Lennie and George start talking about their plan, and Candy wants in, he has money to offer. They make an alliance, then the others come back and the three agree to not tell anyone else. -
The Fight
When everyone comes back Slim and Curley are in a heated conversation with Slim on the upper hand; Curley was afraid of Slim. Slim was clearly angered. The whole ranch team makes fun of Curley about how one aggressive word from Slim and he's pleading for forgiveness. Curley gets incredibly defensive and feels like he needs to pick on someone to feel powerful - he goes after Lennie. He starts hitting Lennie who doesn't retaliate at first until George tells him to and Lennie crushes Curley's hand. -
Meeting at the Shed
On the next night most of the men go to the local brothel. Lennie is left with Crooks, the lonely, black stable-hand, and Candy. Curley’s wife flirts with them, refusing to leave until the other men come home. She notices the cuts on Lennie’s face and suspects that he, and not a piece of machinery as Curley claimed, is responsible for hurting her husband. This thought amuses her. She threatens them, esp. Crooks reminding him of his place in the social hierachy as a black man. -
Lynching
As the men back at the ranch discover what has happened and gather together a lynch party. George goes with them after stealing Carlson's Lugar because he plans to shoot Lennie himself. He separates from the search party and goes off to find Lennie in the brush. -
Aftermath
When the other men arrive, George lets them believe that Lennie had the gun, and George wrestled it away from him and shot him. Only Slim understands what has really happened, that George has killed his friend out of mercy; if the lynching mob got to Lennie he would've died a barbaric death. Slim consolingly leads him away, and the other men, completely puzzled, watch them leave. -
Death of the Pup and Curley's Wife
The following day, Lennie accidentally kills his puppy in the barn. Curley’s wife enters and consoles him. She admits that life with Curley is a disappointment, and wants to have followed her dream of being i the movies. Lennie tells her that he loves petting soft things, and she lets him feel her hair. When he grabs too tightly, she crys out. In his attempt to silence her, he accidentally breaks her neck. What a strong lad who doesn't know his own strength. He flees to the designated brush. -
A White Death
George finds Lennie. Much to Lennie’s surprise, George is not mad at him for doing “a bad thing.” George begins to tell Lennie the story of the farm they will have together. As he describes the rabbits that Lennie will tend, the sound of the approaching lynch party grows louder. George shoots his friend and only companion in the back of the head.