Of Mice and Men is a novella set during the Great Depression in California, following two displaced migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, as they search for work and a better life. George is small, quick-witted, and protective of Lennie, who is large, physically strong, but mentally disabled. The two share a dream of owning a small piece of land where they can live independently and escape the cycle of poverty and instability that defines their lives as itinerant workers.
The story begins when George and Lennie arrive at a new job on a ranch. Lennie’s strength, while a gift, often leads to trouble, and his lack of understanding of his own power makes him unintentionally dangerous. For example, Lennie loves petting soft things but accidentally kills small animals, and during an incident at the ranch, he accidentally grabs a woman’s hair too hard, leading to tension and fear of retribution.
As the story unfolds, George and Lennie form relationships with other ranch workers, including Crooks, the black stable hand who is isolated from the others, and Candy, an elderly, one-handed man. Together, they discuss the possibility of joining forces to make their dream of owning land a reality. However, the dream is constantly threatened by Lennie’s lack of control over his strength and the prejudice and harsh realities of the time.
In a tragic turn of events, Lennie accidentally kills the wife of Curley, the boss’s aggressive son, while trying to stroke her hair. Fearing for Lennie’s safety, George makes the heart-wrenching decision to end his friend’s life himself, sparing him from a brutal lynching at the hands of the ranch workers. In a final act of love and mercy, George shoots Lennie in the back of the head, while Lennie imagines the dream of their future together one last time.