The scene takes place in a clearing, close to the Salinas river, ?a few miles South of Soledad?, at dusk. Two men come (the two main characters), one following the other. The first one is George and the second one Lennie. They are ranch workers who travel together from a ranch to another to find job. Whereas George is a clever average-sized man, Lennie is a very big and very ?dumb? one. We understand that they have been fired of their last job for Lennie has done a ?bad thing?. The whole chapter aims to present the opposite behaviours of the characters, one commanding all the time, the other obeying as a child. We have to note that Lennie is in fond of petting animals. In that chapter he's got a dead mouse that George forbids him to pet and throws away. Moreover this first chapter reveals the dream both characters share: ?to get a little house, a couple of acres, animals (among which rabbits which Lennie likes a lot), and live off the fatta the lan'?. Lennie is told, in case he gets in trouble in the ranch, to go hide in the brush close to the river where George would meet him. But if it happened, he would be punished by not being allowed ?to tend the rabbits?.
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Sommaire de la fiche de lecture
Summary.
Chapter 1: The scene in a clearing, close to the Salinas river.
Chapter 2: The next morning.
Chapter 3: Slim and George.
Chapter 4: The scene in Crooks.
Chapter 5: The afternoon.
Chapter 6: The last scene.
Context of the writing.
Weakness and the problem of happiness in Of Mice and Men.
Conclusion.
Extraits de la fiche de lecture
[...] Having noticed his pup was dead for he has played too much with him, he expresses his sadness: do you got to get killed? You ain't so little as mice. Now maybe George ain't gonna let me tend no rabbits?. That thought gets him angry with the dead pup: wasn't big enough. I didn't know you'd get killed so this sentence reflects all the tragic of the play-novel. Breaking his monologue Curley's wife comes to him, wanting to talk to somebody, but he first refuses to discuss as George forbade it to him. [...]
[...] But not everything is dark in the story of Mice and Men. Indeed, if there is no heaven, no endless happiness, if there are weak ones who we've got to love, to whom we've got to get used to, and who we've got to see die: a transitory happiness can be got, and a dignity given to the unfortunate ones. Weren't George and Lennie happy when they were together ? And didn't George save Lennie's dignity by saving him from his executioners ? At least we may believe so. [...]
[...] They make a little stake and then they blow it in. They ain't nobody in the world that gives a hoot in hell about'em But not finishes Lennie, knowing the story by heart: ?Because we got each other, that's what, that gives a hoot in hell about Then Lennie asks George to tell him how the little place is going to be. ?Look across the river, Lennie, an' I'll tell you so you can almost see answers George, and he points a pistol at his friend's neck, and shoots him, and kills him. [...]
[...] Take a real smart guy and he ain't hardly ever a nice fella?. Clever and strong people, who fit the reality perfectly, are often mean people, or at least people of bad company. That's why a man looking for somebody nice to be with, will often turn to a weaker one, get used to that person and make projects with him or her, the main one being to be happy together. How many time does it happen, if we consider resignedly that ,when there are two people, one of them is always weaker than the other ? [...]
[...] But if it happened, he would be punished by not being allowed tend the rabbits?. Chapter 2 The next morning, the two men get into the ?bunk house? of the ranch where they are going to meet various people. The first person they meet is Candy, old swamper?, who lose one of his hands and has an old blind and lame dog. Then the boss gets in to meet the guys? and quick becomes suspicious as George doesn't let Lennie speak at all: never seen one guy take so much trouble for another?, says he. [...]
Philosophie & matières littéraires 
