OF MICE AND MENBy John SteinbeckDirected by Edward Stern

CONTENTS2 The 4113 A/S/L4 FYI/HTH6 B4U8 F2F/RBTL

10 IRL12 SWDYT?

STUDY GUIDES ARESUPPORTED BY A GENEROUS GRANTFROM CITIGROUP

2006—2007 SEASON

MISSOURI ARTS COUNCIL�

10. TBA Ushers will seat your school or class as a group,so even if you are dying to mingle with the group from theall girls school that just walked in the door, stick with yourfriends until you have been shown your section in thetheatre.

9. SITD The house lights will dim immediately before theperformance begins and then go dark. Fight off that oh-so-immature urge to whisper, giggle like a grade schooler, oryell at this time and during any other blackouts in the show.

8. SED Before the performance begins, turn off all cellphones, pagers, beepers and watch alarms. If you need totext, talk, or dial back during intermission, please make sureto click off before the show resumes.

7. TMI Not to sound like your mom, but “if you need togo now, you needed to go then.” Leaving the theatre duringthe performance is disruptive, so take care of any personalneeds before the show starts.

6. RTM When you arrive at the theatre, read theproduction program. It’s like a deluxe version of liner notesand a free souvenir, all in one.

5. P-ZA? NW! Though your ability to eat ten slices at onesitting may impress your friends, no one wants to listen toyou chew, slurp, or smack, so please leave all food, drink,and gum outside the theatre.

4. TLK-2-U-L-8-R We know that you will be dying todiscuss what you see onstage with your friends, but pleasewait until intermission. Any talking—even whispering— isvery distracting for both the actors onstage and the audienceseated around you.

3. LOL Without you, we really wouldn’t have a show. It’syour job to laugh when a scene is funny or maybe even sheda tear or two in a tender moment. However, since you arenot the audience at The Jerry Springer Show please refrainfrom inappropriate responses such as talking, whistling,making catcalls or singing along with the performers.

2. SOP While it’s great that you want a celeb picture ofyour day at The Rep, the theatre is off-limits to thepaparazzi. Flash photography interrupts the performance andalong with videorecording is prohibited by Actors Equityrules. You can sneak a peek at production photos on ourwebsite, www.repstl.org.

1. LLTA Let the actors know that you respect their workby remaining for the curtain call at the end of theperformance. Show your appreciation through applause.

MIHYAP: TOP TEN WAYS TOSTAY CONNECTED AT THE REP

The Teacher’sLoungeIn an effort to make our educational materials more accessible tostudents and easier for educators to incorporate into the classroom, we have adopted a new, more student-oriented format. We hope that you will circulate thisguide among your students in the weeks preceding yourvisit to The Rep, encouraging them to browse it beforeand after class and as time allows, using it as a launchpoint for both pre- and post-performance discussions.You may also want to visit our website, www.repstl.orgfor additional information including educational games,activity suggestions and behind-the-scenes information. Any materials, either from this guide, or from our

website may be reproduced for use in the classroom. As always, we appreciateyour making live theatre a part of your

classroom experience and welcome yourfeedback and questions.

Show Me Standards: CA 2, 3, 5, 6, 7; FA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; SS 2, 6 and Illinois Learning Standards: 1, 2, 5, 6, 18, 25, 26, 27.

At The Rep, we knowthat life moves fast—okay, really fast.But we also knowthat some things

are worth slowing down for. We believe that live theatre is one of those pit stops worth making and are excited thatyou are going to stop by for a show. To help you get themost bang for your buck, we have put together WU? @ THE REP—an IM guide that will give youeverything you need to know to get at the top of yourtheatergoing game—fast. You’ll find character descriptions(A/S/L), a plot summary (FYI), biographical informationon the playwright (F2F), historical context (B4U), andother bits and pieces (HTH). Most importantly, we’ll havesome ideas about what this all means IRL, anyway.

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LENNIE SMALL is a large, strong, mentallychallenged, migrant worker who is travelingfrom farm to farm with his friend andprotector, George. Lennie is kind-heartedand loves small, soft things, but must relyon George to keep him from unintentionallycausing harm to himself or others.

GEORGE MILTON might appear hard andunkind, but he deeply cares for Lennie as isevident in his constant protection andcompanionship of the big man. George takesresponsibility for Lennie, even including hisfriend in his own dreams for a better future.

CANDY is an aging farmhand who nolonger has the strength to truly carry hisweight on the ranch, but is being allowed tostay because of a work accident that causedhim to lose his hand.

THE BOSS is Curley’s father and the ownerof the ranch where the men work.

CURLEY thinks himself second in commandto his father, the ranch owner, and oftenstruggles to prove his status among theother men. Curley is small in stature, andrelies on boxing skills and big talk to securehis position of power.

CURLEY’S WIFE married Curley in hopes ofa better life, but now finds herself the onlywoman on a ranch full of surly men. Sheoften struts and prances among the workers,causing Curley immense jealousy in herpursuit of attention.

SLIM is the quiet leader of the ranch,respected by the other men even more than Curley or The Boss. Slim is just andcompassionate, and he alone seems tounderstand George and Lennie’s uniquesituation.

CARLSON is an insensitive, macho ranchhand. He owns a gun and is unafraid ofCurley, but respects Slim’s authority.

WHIT is a farmhand who tries to keep thepeace in the bunkhouse and likes to spendhis paycheck on the girls in town.

CROOKS, the stable buck, lives alone in the barn and tends to the farmequipment. He is isolated from the others,who often poke fun at him, because he is black.

The characters in Of Mice and Men are interestingbecause they all represent a certain “type” of person in society. In usingthese character types and giving them short, descriptive names, Steinbeckshows us people that could be anywhere, at any time. By giving us charactertypes instead of going into any great depth of description about the minorcharacters, Steinbeck can create a universal message, one that is not specificonly to this place or time.

➤ Think about each of the minor characters in this play. What do their names sayabout them? What universal personality type might each represent? How dothese different types of people come to influence George and Lennie?

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JOHN STEINBECK’S heart-wrenchingclassic, Of Mice and Men, gives us a look intothe brutal struggle for the American dreamin the early 20th century. George, a small,quick-witted man and Lennie, his largefriend, have stopped by the bank of a riverfor a drink. As they talk, we find out thatthey are on their way to a job at a newranch after fleeing an unfortunate situationat their previous place of employment. Itbecomes obvious through their discussionthat George is traveling with Lennie as hisprotector, and that Lennie is mentallychallenged. George discovers that Lennie hasbeen stroking a dead mouse in his pocketand demands that he get rid of the rodentfor it might be carrying disease. Lennie, wholoves small, soft things, does not wish tolose his treasure, but George insists.

THE TWO HAVE DINNER and agree tobunk for the night by the river, which willalso serve as a secret meeting site ifanything should happen causing them toflee as they have in the past. As they layunder the stars, George tells Lennie thefamiliar story of their dream of having afarm of their own where they will worktogether and Lennie will raise rabbits.

THE NEXT MORNING, George and Lenniereach the ranch where they will begin work.In order to secure their jobs, George hasinstructed Lennie not to speak, so when thetwo meet the Boss, George does all thetalking for his friend. The Boss, slightlysuspicious of the new recruits, wonders whyGeorge will not allow Lennie to speak forhimself. George gives the explanation thatLennie is his cousin who was kicked in thehead by a mule when he was young. AsGeorge points out Lennie’s harmless natureand clear physical abilities, the Boss acceptsthe story and assigns the two to begin workafter dinner with Slim’s team.

AS THE BOSS LEAVES, George and Lenniemeet Candy, an old farm hand who has losthis hand in an accident, and Curley, theBoss’ son, who is a mean little guy, with achip on his shoulder. George immediatelyrecognizes that Curley could be trouble, andinstructs Lennie to keep away from him.Once George and Lennie are alone in thebunkhouse, Curley’s wife appears, flirtingwith the new men. Lennie thinks she looks“purty” but remembering their past troubles,George demands that Lennie put her out ofhis mind. Soon the workers return from the

SKINNER: a workerresponsible for driving themules, oxen or horses usedto farm a ranch

SWAMPER: a handyman,carries out various repairsand other menial duties

BUCKER: the workers whocarry, lift and load ranchproduce

STABLE BUCK: a personresponsible for maintainingfarm equipment, includinganimals

BUNKHOUSE: a buildingproviding sleeping quarterson a ranch or in a camp

GRAY-BACKS: body lice

BARLEY: grain used forlivestock feed, maltproduction and cereal

LUGER: a Germansemiautomatic pistolintroduced before WorldWar I and widely used byGerman troops in WorldWar II

CULTIVATOR: a machinefor loosening the soil anddestroying weeds aroundgrowing plants

VALISE: a small piece ofhand luggage

EUCHRE: a card gameplayed usually with thehighest 32 cards, in whicheach player is dealt fivecards and the playermaking the trump isrequired to take at leastthree tricks to win

field for lunch and we are introduced to Slimand Carlson. Slim questions George andLennie about their relationship and seems toapprove. Carlson enters, asking Slim aboutthe new pups his dog had that morning. Thebrusque man suggests that Slim give apuppy to Candy so they can shoot Candy’sancient, good-for-nothing dog. At themention of puppies, Lennie looks at Georgeexcitedly, and his friend agrees to ask Slimif Lennie can have a puppy as well.

THAT EVENING after dinner, George andSlim find themselves alone in the bunkhousewhile the other men play horseshoes. AfterSlim compliments Lennie on his work thatday, George feels comfortable enough toconfide in Slim that he and Lennie are nottruly cousins and about their unfortunatepast. After their game is over, the rest ofthe men, including Lennie and his newpuppy, come in to the bunk. George sendsLennie to the barn with the pup as Carlsonbegins to badger Candy about his decrepitold dog. Whit tries to come to Candy’sdefense as Carlson insists the dog should bekilled. After plenty of discussion, Slimagrees the dog should be put out of itsmisery and offers Candy one of his newpups.

AS CARLSON LEAVES with his gun andthe dog, Slim also goes outside to the barnto do some work. Curley enters, franticallysearching for his wife and after the othersinsist they haven’t seen her, he heads to thebarn to confront Slim. Coming back inside,Lennie again wants to hear the story of theirdream farm, and as George begins to tellhim the two suddenly realize that Candy isstill in the room. As Candy questions thetwo about their farm, we realize that Georgeknows of a piece of land that he could buy.Candy offers his savings as a quicker meansof purchase, as long as the two will allowhim to come along. He doesn’t want to endup like his poor dog, disposed of when hisuse is up.

AFTER BEING BERATED by Slim for hisaccusations concerning his wife, Curleyreturns to the bunkhouse looking for aneasy target on which to take out hisfrustrations. Curley picks a fight withLennie, who resists until he gets George’sapproval to fight back. Lennie crushes theman’s hand, and Slim warns Curley that if hetries to get George and Lennie fired, he willbe the laughingstock of the town.

THE NEXT EVENING, most of the menhave gone into town to the local brothel.Lennie is left alone and so decides to go tothe barn to play with his puppy. In thebarn, he talks to Candy and Crooks about hisdream farm. Curley’s wife enters and beginsflirting with the men. She questions themen about what happened to her husband’shand, and noticing the cuts on Lennie’sface, claims that he is responsible. In thebarn, the following morning, Lennie strokesthe puppy he has accidentally killed.Curley’s wife enters and tries to consoleLennie by letting him feel her soft hair.When Lennie becomes too excited, shescreams and Lennie, trying to muffle herscreams, kills her. Realizing what he hasdone, he runs away to the river to wait forGeorge to rescue him.

BACK AT THE RANCH, the woman’s body has been discovered and the men areforming a lynching party. As the men searchfor Lennie, George knows just where to findhis friend. Slim understands what Georgehas planned and allows him to go to themeeting place. Much to his surprise, Lenniediscovers that George is not angry with him.George calms Lennie by talking about thefarm and rabbits they will raise together. As George hears the sounds of the lynchparty grow louder in the distance, he isfaced with a painful decision about how tosave his friend.

THE WORSTOF TIMES

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THOUGH THE CHARACTERS and events ofthe story are fictional, John Steinbeck’s OfMice and Men does give us a glimpse into thereality of the time in which it is set.Displaced like so many others by thestruggles of the Great Depression,migrant farm workers George and Lenniemake their way across the country in thehopes of maintaining enough work tosomeday buy a farm of their own. Manyof the other characters also have thissame dream, but are being held back bythe many repercussions of the horribleeconomic disaster.

DURING THE ECONOMIC boom of the“Roaring Twenties,” the average Americanwas enjoying a lifestyle that included buyingnew appliances and automobiles on credit anddabbling in the big money of the stockmarket. Business was booming and while therich were getting richer, new machine laborwas cutting the jobs and wages of theworking majority. Suddenly, on BlackTuesday, October 29, 1929, the stock marketcrashed, triggering the worst economiccollapse America had ever seen. The GreatDepression was here and on every cornerbanks were failing, businesses closing andmillions of Americans found themselvesunemployed.

PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER called thecrisis “a passing incident” and assured thepublic there would be a return to business asusual in as little as 60 days. This promise,however, remained unfulfilled, as workerscontinued to be laid off and millions ofhomeless were forced into the decrepitshantytowns that were quickly springing upnationwide. In 1932, with the promise of aNew Deal, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, agovernor from New York, won the presidency

from Hoover and immediately began instatingpolicies to combat the depression.

ROOSEVELT’S NEW DEAL includedlegislation to stabilize the banking system,create government relief employment andprohibit discrimination. Agencies, like Murrayand Ready’s where George and Lennie gottheir work cards, were created to sendmigrant farm workers where they wereneeded. The Agricultural Adjustment Act wasinstated to provide funding to farmers whowere unable to sell their abundance of cropsto a bankrupt public. During this same time,a massive drought coupled with years of poorfarming conservation led to what came to becalled the Dust Bowl. The once fertile soil ofthe Great Plains dried up and blew away insevere dust storms that reached all the wayto the Atlantic Ocean. Clouds of black dustmade the sky appear black several statesaway, and farmers began to face a newchallenge. In 1935, as part of the New Deal,the federal government began to createconservation programs designed torehabilitate the Dust Bowl. The farmers that

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had not abandoned theirland were directed in newplanting and plowingtechniques. Skeptical asthey were, however, thefarmers took thegovernment assistance if itmeant being able to stay intheir homes.

WITH FARMLAND thathad become basically worthless and bankforeclosures on unpaid land, some familieswere forced out of their homes. Lured by the

hopes of rich land and a new life, many fromthe central and southern states traveled in amass exodus to California. By 1940, severalmillion people had moved out of the plainsstates and California was beginning to seesevere overcrowding. In an attempt to turnaway travelers, some cities even went so faras to station guards at state lines. Thosepeople who were able to make it in toCalifornia faced a life that was hardly lessdifficult than the one they’d left behind.With the rise of modern machine labor andcorporate-owned farms, workers wereunnecessary. New settlers were forced to findtiny plots and build homes of salvage scrapsand survive on the meager earnings theymade picking fruit or cotton, often for onlypennies a bushel.

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JOHN ERNST STEINBECK, JR. was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California,the place that would become the setting forsome of his most memorable writing. Hisearly life was comfortable, and as a boy heenjoyed exploring the mountains and valleysaround his home and seeing the workers andfield hands at work. In high school,Steinbeck did well in his classes and editedthe school yearbook. He worked at varioussummer jobs, including as a ranch hand onlocal farms—experience that would greatlyinfluence the youngster and become atheme in his novels and short stories.

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, Steinbeck enrolledin Stanford University, and though heremained there until 1925, he nevergraduated. He did, however, continue towrite and work on farms, especiallySpreckels Sugar Ranch. Steinbeck immersedhimself in the agriculture of the time andmet many people who would be representedin works such as Of Mice and Men and TheGrapes of Wrath. After college, Steinbeckmoved to New York and spent five yearsworking various jobs, writing and driftingfrom city to city. In 1929, he returned toCalifornia, and published his first book, Cup of Gold, just two months before thestock market crash.

During the depression of the 1930s,Steinbeck married his wife Carol Henning,and the two lived and worked together inLos Angeles. Steinbeck continued writingand his wife did his editing, though theworks he produced at the time including ThePastures of Heaven and To a God Unknownwere both less than successful. His motheralso fell ill during this period, and when shedied in 1934, her son was greatly affected.

STEINBECK’S BREAKTHROUGH inliterature came in 1935, with his novelTortilla Flat, a work which had been rejectedfive times before being published in NewYork. He received the Gold Medal of theCommonwealth Club of San Francisco as thewriter of the year’s best novel and earnedalmost $4,000 for the film rights.Encouraged by this success, Steinbeckcontinued to write and produced a popularand critical success in 1937 with Of Mice andMen. Following the book’s production, hecreated a play version which won the NewYork Drama Critic Circle’s Award and laterbecame a popular movie.

WHEN Of Mice and Men was opening onBroadway, Steinbeck was already nearlyfinishing his next masterpiece, The Grapes ofWrath. The story of migrant workers firstwas assigned to Steinbeck as a piece for the

FRATERNITY/FRIENDSHIP

One of the reasons the end of the play is so tragic is because we realize that George and Lennie have lost an almost perfectfriendship. The two men travel, live, work and even dreamtogether, with no cause for the companionship but love. It seemsat times that George must hate having to constantly care forLennie, but we come to realize that Lennie gives just as much toGeorge as he receives. This idealized friendship is presented as souncommon and strange to the other men on the ranch, that weunderstand its true uniqueness and value to both men.Symbols

Themes &

FRIENDSHIP

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San Francisco News. In his research, hebegan traveling around the country toobserve first-hand the hardships of the livesof the people. Moved by the violence andinjustice many Americans were facing at thistime, Steinbeck created his novel whichquickly became a best seller, selling overhalf a million copies. His critical success didnot come without a price, however, as hismarriage began to suffer. Increasing publicattention made reconciliation difficult, andin 1943, Steinbeck and Henning divorced.

DURING THE NEXT decade, Steinbeckbegan traveling a great deal and becameinterested in political writing. Hispromotional book, Bombs Away, centered onthe Army Air Force, and The Moon is Downdescribed a Nazi invasion of a smallNorwegian village. Steinbeck also wrote thescript for the war movie, Lifeboat, and acollection of articles published under the titleOnce There Was a War. At this time, Steinbeckalso met and married his second wife, GwenConger, with whom he had two sons.

AFTER THE WAR, things were progressingreasonably well for Steinbeck. In 1945, hewrote Cannery Row and in 1947, The Pearl,which was also filmed. Things took a turnfor the worse, however, in 1948 whenSteinbeck received a blow with the suddendeath of his long-time friend Ed Ricketts.

His marriage to Conger also ended at thistime and Steinbeck fled to California to findpeace in his writing.

THE 1950S brought Steinbeck a welcomechange of pace. He began work on a greatnumber of projects, including a screenplayfor Viva Zapata!, the novel and play BurningBright and the biblically inspired novel Eastof Eden. Steinbeck was also married again,for the third and final time, to Elaine Scott.He continued the story of Cannery Row withSweet Thursday, and later Rodgers andHammerstein used this story for theirmusical Pipe Dream. Steinbeck also returnedto his favorite King Arthur stories of hischildhood, and began work on a book hecalled The Acts of King Arthur and His NobleKnights.

IN 1961, Steinbeck was invited to theinauguration of President John F. Kennedy,an event which would lead to a lastingfriendship with the White House. The nextyear, he won the Nobel Prize for Literaturefor his body of work which shows “anunbiased instinct for what is genuinelyAmerican, be it good or bad.” Steinbeck diedin his apartment in New York in 1968. Hiswife took him home to his beloved Salinasto be buried in a place reminiscent of themany valleys and rivers that graced thepages of his books.

GEORGE AND LENNIE’S FARM

The farm that George continuouslydescribes to Lennie represents not onlytheir dream, but the hope of paradisethat everyone shares. They strive forthis dream, sacrificing along the way inhopes of attaining it, but in the endreality will not let them reach theirparadise. They, and the othercharacters, must be content with thelife that fate has presented them.

DREAMS

Many of the characters in this play show us that they aredreaming for a different life. Curley wants to take over the ranch;Slim thinks of a mule team of his own; Crooks imagines workinga garden patch and even Curley’s wife admits her dreams of aHollywood life. George and Lennie share a dream for a betterfuture which Crooks tells us has been the dream of many men onthe ranch. When Candy hears about their plans, he is immediatelydrawn in by the possibility of a better tomorrow. This dream bondsthe men together and keeps them fighting through the bad turnsthey have all faced; however, in the end it seems that they mustresign themselves to accepting their reality.

FARM DREAMS

IN OF MICE AND MEN, George and Candyboth struggle with decisions about endingthe life of a friend. With the recent acclaimof the award-winning Million Dollar Baby andthe massive media attention surrounding thelife and death of Terri Schiavo, it is hard tomiss America’s own current turmoil over thelegality and morality of a person’s right todie. The word “euthanasia” comes from theGreek words meaning “good” and “death,”and in modern usage has come to refer toassisted dying. The nature of this act requiresa person to participate in the death ofanother.

Indirect euthanasia involves a physicianproviding means, such as a lethal dose ofdrugs, which a patient may then choose touse to cause death.

Direct euthanasia means the physicianactually administers the medication or othertreatment leading to death, rather than thepatient performing this act alone.

In Voluntary euthanasia a request must bemade by a fully informed and competentadult or surrogate.

Nonvoluntary euthanasia occurs without theconsent of a patient (or surrogate) or evenover the objection of the patient.

WHILE DIFFERENT LAWS make directeuthanasia legal in several countries aroundthe globe, currently it is illegal in the UnitedStates. In Oregon, however, a form of indirecteuthanasia known as physician-assistedsuicide was legalized in 1997 and upheld bythe Supreme Court in January of 2006. Thiscitizens’ initiative was voted on in a generalelection in November of 1994 where it passedby a margin of 51% to 49%. An injunctiondelayed the act until November 1997, when itwas voted on again and passed by a marginof 60% to 40%.

OREGON’S DEATH WITH DIGNITY Act is very specific, and the state collects data yearly to ensure strict compliance. The law states that in order for a patient to participate in the Death with Dignityprogram, a person must be: a legal adult, 18 years of age or older; capable of makingand communicating health care decisions forhim or herself; and diagnosed with a terminalillness that will lead to death within sixmonths. If a patient meets all of these

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

Steinbeck presents many opposing views of strength andweakness in this play. Lennie is weak mentally, but iscertainly strong physically. George is almost theopposite—quick witted but small and sometimesdependant on Lennie for physical protection. Curley tries tobe strong by asserting his physical prowess, though he isnot wise like the true strength on the ranch—Slim. Candyis maimed physically by the loss of his hand, but has ahidden power in his savings account. Even with all theirdifferent strengths, each character is rendered powerless at one time or another.

NATURE

George and Lennie’sfarm, the quiet rivermeeting place—thenatural environments inthis play show ussanctuary. These areplaces wherecharacters can findpeace and safety,places they can escapethe troubles of real life.

NA

TURE

STRENGTH

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criteria, he or she must then make two verbalrequests, separated by 15 days, to thephysician. The patient must then make awritten request, signed in the presence oftwo witnesses. The physician must consultwith another doctor on the patient’sdiagnosis, and the two must then determinewhether the patient is of sound mind tomake health care decisions. Any psychologicaldisorder, including depression, must befollowed by a psychological examination toensure the patient’s full understanding of thedecision. The physician must also ask thepatient to notify their family of the request,and must offer the patient alternative careoptions. If all of these steps are followed, thephysician may then provide a prescription forlethal medication, but may not in any case

administer the prescription him or herself.Physicians and hospitals are not required toparticipate in this program, and may end theprocess at any time.

THE STEPS AND MEASURES the state ofOregon takes to ensure the rule of law in thiscase shows how extremely important anddivisive an issue it can be. The ending ofMillion Dollar Baby provoked a barrage ofcriticism from both citizens and the mediaagainst the movie’s director Clint Eastwood,and the Schiavo and Shindler familiesengaged in almost a decade of legal battlessurrounding Terri Schiavo’s fate. Eachindividual’s religious, moral, political, legaland personal beliefs create very passionateopponents on both sides of the issue.

➤ Where does your belief lie and why? What factorsinfluence your decision?

➤ Research both Million Dollar Baby and the Terri Schiavo case. How are these cases different?Who has the authority to decide the outcome ofthe situation?

What other themesand symbols canyou see in the play?Choose one of yourown themes orsymbols, or choose one listed and trace itscourse throughout theplay. How does thiscontribute to the play?Why do you thinkSteinbeck chose thistheme or symbol as atool in this work?

BUNKHOUSE

The small bunkhousewhere the ranch hands livebecomes a symbol of thereal world in the story.Everything that takes placein the bunkhouse showsthe strengths and cruelty ofreality—a place wheredreams will be crushed andviolence will reign.

CANDY’S DOG

The ancient sheepdog that Candy continues tocare for seems to represent both Candy andLennie’s status on the ranch. Although Candycares very much for his dog, as George does forLennie, the fact that it has a problem which limitsits usefulness means that it is no longer necessary.Candy tries to save his companion, but the factthat he cares for the animal means nothing.Carlson’s insistence that the dog be put out of itsmisery illustrates the natural law stating that thestrong will dispose of the weak. DOG

“Oh, I don’t know. Hardly none of theguys ever travels around together. Ihardly never seen two guys traveltogether. You know how the hands are.They come in and get their bunk andwork a month and then they quit and goon alone. Never seem to give a damnabout nobody. Jest seems kinda funny. Acuckoo like him and a smart guy likeyou traveling together.”

➤ Slim seems puzzled at the strong friendshipbetween George and Lennie. Why is theirrelationship odd to him? What social andhistorical factors would make this friendshipdifferent than what is “normal?”

“God Almighty, that dog stinks….Got noteeth. All stiff with rheumatism. Heain’t no good to you, Candy. Why don’tyou shoot him?...This ole dog jus’ suffersitself all the time. If you was to takehim out and shoot him—right in theback of the head…why he’d never knowwhat hit him….Aw, he’d be better offdead.”

➤ Carlson badgers Candy quite a while beforethe old man agrees to give up his dog. Whatdoes this attitude say about the characters’views of life? How do they react differentlyto these events? What does this scene meanfor the rest of the play?

“S’pose they was a carnival, or a circuscome to town or a ball game or anydamn thing. We’d just go to her. Wewouldn’t ask nobody if we could. Justsay we’ll go to her, by God, and wewould. Just milk the cow and sling somegrain to the chickens and go to her.”

➤ George and Lennie have big dreams about afarm of their own and much of that dreamis based in the freedom this farm wouldprovide. What do these lines show about theimportance of freedom? Is this feelingunique to George, or do you think othersfeel the same?

“Why, he’d do any damn thing I tole him.If I tole him to walk over a cliff, overhe’d go. You know that wasn’t so damnmuch fun after a while. He never gotmad about it, neither. I’ve beat hell outof him and he could bust every bone inmy body jest with his hands. But henever lifted a finger against me.”

➤ When George is explaining Lennie’scondition to Slim, we see how much Lennietruly relies on George to care for and protecthim. How has this duty changed George’slife? How has it changed Lennie’s? Whatresponsibilities come with this friendship?

“I seen hundreds of men come by on theroad and on the ranches, bindles ontheir back and that same damn thing intheir head. Hundreds of ‘em. Jus’ likeheaven. Everybody wants a little pieceof land. Nobody never gets to heaven.And nobody gets no land.”

➤ When Crooks hears of George and Lennie’splans to get a farm of their own, his answeris less than hopeful. What does this outlookshow about Crooks? Why do you think heattacks their plan? If he actually has seenhundreds of men with the same dream,what does this say about human nature?What are all these men truly striving for?

George: “Guys like us got no families. Theygot a little stake and then they blow it in.They ain’t got nobody in the world thatgives a hoot in hell about ‘em!…But notus…Because I got you and…”

Lennie: “And I got you.”

At the end of the play, this exchange betweenGeorge and Lennie shows the true nature oftheir relationship. While is seems at times thatGeorge bears the brunt of Lennie’s disability,we see here that Lennie means just as much toGeorge. What does this scene tell us about thenature of human relationships? Aboutloneliness and friendship? What do you think ofGeorge’s decision to “save” his friend from thelynch group?