Novel Project LRB #4

"Of Mice and Men"
John Steinbeck



This novel started out by introducing the two main characters, Lennie Small and George Milton, two travelers on their way to a new job. George fights with Lennie twice about the mouse and a few or more times about his terrible memory. George then gets serious and he tells Lennie to make sure he comes back to the spot where they presently are at and hide in the brush if anything bad happens, in which it has before. Apparently Lennie attracted the attention of the men in Weed because he "raped" a girl, but all he did is want to feel her dress. He likes to "pet soft things." The fact that this incident is introduced in the beginning gives room for one to foreshadow future events; a place to hide and a history of bad incidents, it seems inevitable to happen again. This exposition acts as the narrative hook by creating curiosity in the reader about what may happen to cause Lennie to retreat to the brush once more.
The rising action is steadily moving upward throughout the entire book, from Lennie getting a puppy, something he should not be able to pet to death, to the reader really believing these two will finally have to place to work for the money that they need to get their farm.The small things pale in comparison when the action skyrockets at the point in which Candy, Lennie, and George figure that they have the money to fulfill Lennie and George's long awaited dream, to have a place of their own, a place that they can call home. The only reason it is really possible is due to Candy's life savings. Nonetheless, the introduction of the fact they will finally achieve that which they desire so much is soon coming, and the rising action seemingly tops off right there, but, as usual, something comes along and disrupts the process.
George, Candy, and Lennie all endured the doubtful remarks about their dream, but until the unthinkable happens, they were convinced that the dream was absolutely theirs for the taking. Lennie did something that is unparalleled by anything he had ever done before, he kills Curley's wife, not out of meanness, but out of fear. She offered to him the opportunity to pet her soft hair, and when things got out of hand, they really got out of hand. This is the pinnacle moment in which the story begins its descent, the moment the dream meets its demise along with Curley's wife. Lenny suffocated the dream just as he did all those mice, just like his puppy, and just like Curley's wife. He can not help it though, he was too dumb to realize.
The falling action can be analyzed as Curley's wife is discovered by the others and Lennie has made a run for his hiding place, the search for the innocent murderer is waged, and what becomes of him is truly a shock to all.
The story is resolved with the death of Lennie, not by Curley's hands, but George's. When he pulls the trigger on Lennie, he also pulls the trigger on his dream, his hope of having a place of his own. His hopelessness returns and he seemingly sinks into the same plagued state that all of his fellow pals are in, the repetition of loneliness and its life-draining ferocity.