Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis
Summary
It is evening near the Salinas River, just south of Soledad. Rabbits sit like statues in the sand. The tracks of raccoons, dogs, and deer cover the landscape. Among the willow trees, a path beaten down by the activity of rambunctious boys and weary tramps can be seen.
Two men clad in denim trousers emerge, each carrying a blanket roll. One of the men, George, is small, dark, and quick; the other, Lennie, is large, pale, and sluggish. Lennie dips his head into the river, hat and all, and proceeds to gulp the water thirstily. George is hesitant to drink, because the river water is scummy, but he follows suit, remarking that Lennie would drink “out of a gutter” if he were thirsty.
The men discuss their situation. Much to George’s chagrin, Lennie can’t recall where they are going or why they are going there. George reminds Lennie that they’re headed to a ranch to start a new job. Their most recent job, in the town of Weed, didn’t work out well. George warns Lennie to stay quiet when they meet the new boss: “You jus’ stand there and don’t say nothing.”
Details about the incident in Weed aren’t given, but George says that Lennie did “bad things” that led the two men to be chased out of town. George says to Lennie, “God, you’re a lot of trouble.” As they settle down for the night, George muses on how easy his life would be without Lennie burdening him.
George sends Lennie to gather sticks for a fire so the men can heat some cans of beans for supper. When Lennie returns, he holds a dead mouse in his fist. George scolds Lennie, but Lennie explains that he enjoys petting it. George makes Lennie get rid of the dead mouse. Lennie cries at the loss, recalling a “lady” who used to give him mice to play with. Scoffing, George reminds him that the lady was Lennie’s aunt Clara.
The men eat their beans, and Lennie wishes aloud for ketchup. George says, “Whatever we ain’t got, that’s what you want.” Sensing George’s unhappiness, Lennie says that he was “only foolin’” about wanting ketchup. “If it was here,” George replies, “you could have some.”
Lennie offers to leave, saying he could go off into the hills and live alone. “I want you to stay with me,” George answers, explaining that Lennie wouldn’t fare well by himself. Someone would “shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself,” he says.
The pair fall into a discussion that they have obviously had before. “Tell me about the rabbits,” Lennie begs. George describes a scenario in which the men save up enough money to stop working on ranches and settle down on a farm of their own with cows, pigs, and rabbits.
Lennie exclaims with glee that the two of them will “live off the fatta the lan’.” He listens, enraptured, as George describes the bounty they will enjoy: a garden, a rabbit hutch, and a stove to keep them warm in the winter.
As the men eat their beans, some of the food slips out of Lennie’s mouth and down his face. The discussion eventually returns to their plans for tomorrow. George reiterates that Lennie must keep his mouth shut when the new boss asks him questions. If anything goes wrong at the new job site, Lennie is to return to the riverbank and “hide in the brush.” In that event, George would soon join Lennie, and if necessary, they would flee the town.
“I won’t get in no trouble, George,” Lennie promises. The men lie down in the sand. As they drift off to sleep, Lennie breaks the silence. “Let’s have rabbits of different colors, George,” he says. George says, “Sure.”
Analysis
Chapter 1 takes place in a peaceful natural setting. Steinbeck describes the protagonists, Lennie and George, as they roam the banks of the Salinas River. The dialogue and description serve to characterize Lennie and George, who are polar opposites in terms of stature and wit. Lennie is large and burly and seems to have cognitive disabilities; George is small, lean, and quick-witted. Lennie has a “shapeless” face and light-colored eyes; George has sharp, defined, dark features. Even the manner in which each man approaches the scummy water of the river, with Lennie gulping heartily and George sipping hesitantly, reflects the difference between the two.
As the men converse, it becomes clear that they are traveling companions and that Lennie’s forgetfulness irritates George. For example, when Lennie asks, “Where we goin’, George?” George scowls, saying, “You forgot that awready, did you?” With this statement, the reader understands that the men have spent considerable time together and that George is familiar with Lennie’s limitations.
Although they are both adults, George has clearly adopted a stance of authority over Lennie. For instance, when Lennie picks up and plays with a dead mouse, George admonishes him, telling him to leave it alone. George asks him, “You gonna give me that mouse or do I have to sock you?” As evidenced by this language, George’s authority over Lennie seems at once parental and fraternal.
The incident with the mouse is significant because, as the reader will see, Lennie holds a keen interest in small animals. The power struggle between weak and strong creatures is a recurrent theme that is reflected in the title of the novella. An interesting contrast exists in this regard: whereas Lennie is a massive man with unbridled physical power, small animals have limited strength. There is a connection, too, between Lennie’s relative innocence and his love of animals.
In spite of the differences between George and Lennie, it is clear that George has a soft spot for his companion. “Poor bastard,” he mutters to himself when Lennie goes off to gather sticks for a fire. With these words, the reader sees that in spite of his irritation, George feels compassion for Lennie. Compassion is a motif that recurs throughout the story.
The men move through a series of conversations that feel familiar, as if they have occurred before. George expresses frustration by saying, “When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts.” Lennie promptly offers to leave George and go live in a cave, but George shuts down the idea. He says Lennie couldn’t do that because he “ain’t got sense enough to find nothing to eat.” Moments later, George apologizes for the remark, saying, “I been mean, ain’t I?” He reassures Lennie that their companionship is still valid, saying, “I want you to stay with me.” This conversation almost seems to follow a script, and, in fact, it recurs at the end of the novella.
George and Lennie are two markedly different characters, but they share some similarities. Both are wanderers who carry blanket rolls. Both are workers for hire who wear denim trousers and jackets. Both have a dream of earning enough money to abandon their current lives and settle on a farm where they can coexist with animals and live off the fat of the land.
Expert Q&A
What does George tell Lennie to do if he gets in trouble at their new job in Of Mice and Men Chapter 1?
In Chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men, George instructs Lennie to return and hide in the brush if he gets into trouble at their new job. This directive is given in anticipation of potential problems, as Lennie has a history of causing issues due to his mental weaknesses. George's intention is to help Lennie escape should trouble arise, illustrating his protective nature, although this setup unknowingly foreshadows the tragic end.
What are three similes in the first two chapters of Of Mice and Men?
In the first two chapters of Of Mice and Men, three similes are used. First, Lennie drinks water "like a horse," highlighting his animalistic nature. Second, a water snake's head is compared to "a little periscope," vividly describing its movement. Lastly, Lennie's reluctance to give George a mouse is likened to "a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master," illustrating his stubbornness and innocence.
What page in Of Mice and Men does Lennie mention giving George his ketchup?
In the Penguin Books paperback edition of "Of Mice and Men", Lennie's mention of giving George his ketchup is found on page 14 of the first chapter. This scene is significant as it reveals Lennie's misunderstanding of George's frustration, thinking it's about ketchup, not their precarious situation. It also foreshadows the tragic end of their relationship, with George feeling increasingly burdened by Lennie's impulsiveness and trouble-causing behaviour.
What are "work cards" in chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men?
"Work cards" in chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men are identification cards issued by the WPA during the Great Depression, allowing men to be eligible for employment. Employers hired men with these cards and were reimbursed by the government. Lennie's panic over potentially losing his card highlights the importance of these cards for securing jobs.
In Of Mice and Men, why do Lennie and George arrive late at the ranch?
George and Lennie arrive at the ranch late in Of Mice and Men because they wanted to avoid bucking barley on Friday morning. George deliberately showed up late after he saw thrashing machines on Thursday afternoon and chose to spend the night by the riverbank instead of traveling to the ranch.
Where does George tell Lennie to hide in Of Mice and Men?
George tells Lennie to hide in the brush if he gets into trouble. This instruction is crucial because Lennie, who is mentally impaired, often finds himself in problematic situations due to his inability to control his strength. George uses this plan to manage Lennie's actions and protect him, ultimately leading to George finding and mercifully killing Lennie to save him from a worse fate.
Who did the boss punish when Lennie and George were late? Is he as nice as Candy suggests?
The boss punished Crooks, the stable buck, when Lennie and George were late. This reflects the boss's racist behavior, as he vented his frustration on Crooks without reason. Despite Candy's claim that the boss is "nice," the boss's actions suggest otherwise. While Candy mentions the boss's occasional kindness, such as gifting whiskey at Christmas, his treatment of Crooks and his general demeanor indicate he is not as nice as suggested.
In Of Mice and Men, what does Lennie want to eat with his beans?
In Of Mice and Men, Lennie wants to eat his beans with ketchup. During the opening scene by the Salinas River, George tells Lennie they will have beans for supper, to which Lennie responds that he likes beans with ketchup. Despite George explaining they have no ketchup, Lennie becomes distraught and threatens to leave, but later reassures George he wouldn't take any ketchup if they had it.
List 15 important points in chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men.
In chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck introduces the main characters, George and Lennie, and sets the themes of the novel. The chapter describes the Salinas River Valley, establishes George's authority over Lennie, reveals Lennie's obsession with soft things, and mentions their past troubles. It introduces their dream of owning a farm and foreshadows potential future conflict by instructing Lennie to return to the river if trouble arises.
On which page in Of Mice and Men does George discuss Lennie's habit of carrying dead mice?
In Of Mice and Men, George discusses Lennie's habit of carrying dead mice in Chapter 1. In the Penguin paperback edition, this occurs on page 5, following a conversation about rabbits and Lennie's missing work card.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.