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Of mIcE And mEn

Lennie Small and George Milton have one dream… which is to have a little house and a couple of acres with cows, pigs and vegetable patch. They have a pact to look after each other. Before they could turn this into reality they need to find a job. So off they went to a ranch in Soledad to work as a buckler.
They came in a day too late because the bus driver dropped them off a little too far from their destination which the Boss didn’t like a bit. They were showed to their beds by Candy, an old man who lost one of his hands in a farm accident and works as a swamper in the ranch.  He has an old dog that is almost blind and has a stinking smell.

Lennie although being a big guy thinks like a child. George is the one who watched over him when his Aunt Clara died. They’ve been travelling together since then. Lennie likes to pet things like mice but always ended up killing them. This unusual habit of him always gives them trouble which has been the reason why they lose their previous job. So, George ordered Lennie to behave himself or else he won’t allow him to pet a rabbit they got their own farm. He also told Lennie to stay away from Curley and his wife whom he regards both as bad news. Curley is proud man being the Boss’ son and also a light weight. He is a short guy that is why he dislikes big guys like Lennie so much. Curley’s wife likes to get attention from the Ranch workers. She often comes to the bunkhouse making an excuse to look for Curley. 
They also met the other ranch workers. Slim is the skinner whom the other ranch men have the utmost respect. Whatever he says were law to the guys. He has a dog that just gave birth to nine puppies, four of these he drowned. Hearing this Lennie urged George to asked Slim to give him at least on puppy which Slim didn’t object to. Excited, Lennie stayed on the stable to pet his new puppy. Carlson, one of the ranch workers is also interested with the puppies. He asked Slim if he could give Candy one so the latter can get rid of his old dog because he cannot take the smell of Candy’s dog anymore. He even volunteered to kill the dog himself to take it out of its misery by shooting a gun right at the back of its head. Candy, at first was reluctant but getting no support from the other guys consented to it. Crook, a Negro who works as a stable man, came to fetch Slim so they could put tar on a mule’s injured foot. Carlson and Lennie came back to the bunkhouse. Afterwards, Curley came in looking for his wife. When he found out that Slim was not there too he went looking for him in the stable. Whit and Carlson thinking that they might witness a scene went out to follow Curley. 
Candy, George and Lennie were left on the bunkhouse. George warned Lennie again to behave himself. They once again talked about their plan which Candy overheard. Candy offered his savings to them if they would include them in their plan. George told him that this with be a secret and he should not tell anyone about it. Then Slim, Curley and the other guys came back. Slim was really upset with Curley for suspecting him that he was with Curley’s wife. Curley was explaining to Slim when he noticed Lennie, still happy about the conversation he had with George and Candy, smiling.  He went after Lennie and started throwing punches at the guy. George ordered Lennie to fight back. Lennie got hold of one of Curley’s hand and crushed almost every bone in it. He didn’t let go until George ordered him to. Carlson drove Curley to the hospital after Slim made him agreed that he will tell everyone that his hand got caught in the machine. Lennie was really scared but George assured him that it was not his fault.
One day, while George and the other guys were in the whorehouse, Lennie went to Crooks room. Crook, being a Negro has his own room that is why he is not used to having visitors. Realizing that Lennie cannot be drove out of his room he let him in. While they were talking, Candy showed up looking for Lennie. He wants to tell him something about the land they are planning to buy. When Crook learned about this he told Candy if he could ask George to include them on their plan too. Afterwards, Curley’s wife came in too looking for Curley which Candy and Crook didn’t like. They tried to drive her away and only left when Candy says that he heard the other guys returned. George came looking for Lennie and got angry when he found out that Candy and Lennie have been talking about their plans to Crook. Then he ordered the two to leave at once before they all get into trouble. Crook told Candy to forget about what he said to him earlier.
Then one Sunday afternoon, while the others are playing horseshoes, Lennie is in the stable holding his dead puppy in his arms. Knowing that George will get mad at him, Lennie was really scared. Curley’s wife came inside the stable. Lennie throw hay over the puppy to cover it up but the woman already saw it. She sat beside Lennie and tell story about her past. When Lennie told her that he didn’t want to kill the puppy, he just like to pet things, she let him touch his hair. While Lennie was stroking her hair he gets too eagerly not knowing she’s hurting the girl. Curley’s wife tried to get away from Lennie but he got scared so instead of letting her go he hold on to her more and covered the girl’s mouth to keep her from screaming until accidentally he broke her neck which caused her death.
Seeing the lifeless girl, Lennie knew he did a bad thing. He remembered what George told him on their way to Salinas. If he get into trouble he have to return to the bush and wait there until George come for him. So he left, carrying the dead puppy with him. Candy went to the stable to look for Lennie. There he found Curley’s wife dead, lying on the hay. He went out to fetch George. George knowing that Lennie did this told Candy to get the guys but not to tell them that George already knew about the incident. When Curley knew about his wife death he gets really angry and suspected that Lennie killed her. They went out to look for Lennie. George knowing where Lennie is hiding was the first to find him. Lennie was so scared because he is sure that George is angry at him. George tells him that he is not mad and asked Lennie to look across the river while he tells him about their plans. While doing this he take out Carlson’s gun and aimed it at the back of Lennie’s head. He fired the gun and Lennie dropped dead beaside him. Curley, Slim and Carlson came rushing to him. He made them think that he killed Lennie out of self defence. Only Slim knew that he did it out of love.

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