Lennie seems to be affectionate towards the dead mouse, saying: “I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along,” but it is clear that he has no idea of his own strength and also no sense of what is right and wrong, and what is acceptable behaviour in society.
This is proved when George has to remind Lennie again of just why they are on their way to a new job. Lennie has got them run out of Weed, for touching the material on a little girl’s dress. He wanted to stroke the material like it was a mouse. George explodes when Lennie complains about not having ketchup for his beans. His resentment of having to protect him boils over: “You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You keep me in hot water all the time.”
His anger does not last long and is generally replaced with pity for his companion: “ He looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames.” Lennie is definitely simple but he is quite able to manipulate George in his own way, by threatening to leave: “If you don’t want me I can go off in the hills an’ find a cave. I can go away any time.”
Interestingly, it is George who insists on him staying: “No – look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me.” It is then he has the idea of the puppy, because it will be stronger than a mouse.
The two men are used to living rough, and it’s clear from their way of speech and their way of life that they are poor and uneducated. Yet they both have a dream, which Steinbeck reveals on page 15. Lennie pleads with George to tell him the story of their future. They are different to the rest of the drifters. They have a plan. Drifters are “the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family.” But Lennie and George have got each other. They have a ritual they go through, a fantasy story which they maybe believe will come true one day.
George tells it because he remembers all the words: “Someday – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and – ,” he’s not allowed to finish because Lennie jumps in: “an’ live off the fatta the lan’,”. The most important thing for Lennie seems to be the rabbits which he gets to look after.
George uses this as a lever to ensure Lennie doesn’t spoil their chances with the new boss by opening his mouth. He even makes sure to tell him to hide in the brush if there’s trouble. Then he warns him: But you ain’t gonna get in no trouble, because if you do, I won’t let you tend the rabbits.” Just before he goes to sleep, Lennie asks for different colour rabbits, furry ones “like I seen in the fair in Sacramento”. The mind of a child, trapped in the body of a strongman.
Chapter Two introduces some new characters. I think The Boss represents authority in general. He is short, likeable, well dressed and well respected and suspicious of the relationship between George and Lennie. He cannot understand why they are together, unless George is making money out of his simple friend. “ Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. I just like to know what your interest is.”, says the Boss. George invents some story about Lennie, his cousin, being kicked in the head by a horse. Later, George tells his friend: “Well, that was a lie. An’ I’m damn glad it was. If I was a relative of yours I’d shoot myself.” Some of the remarks are rather funny, and have a feeling of comedy, but I don’t know if this was intentional.
The “swamper” who keeps the bunk house clean is really old and has a really old dog. He likes to gossip but knows when to keep his mouth shut. Next on the scene is Curley, the Boss’s son, who is also short like his father and wears the same style of heeled boots, which I suppose was a status symbol in those days.
Curley takes an instant dislike to the newcomers, particularly Lennie because he towers above him, and this brings out George’s protective streak again. The swamper tells them Curley is newly married, and in the old man’s opinion, the wife is a tart. George senses there is going to be trouble. It’s then that Steinbeck introduces Curley’s wife, and another character, Slim, who she fancies. Lennie is instantly besotted. All he can keep saying is: “She’s purty.” The friends fear there will be a problem, and Lennie asks to leave but George insists they have to stay to get some money.
Slim is an interesting character, and Steinbeck gives him the most detailed description of all, from his crushed Stetson hat to his ageless hatchet face and his hands, “large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer”. He used those hands to drown four pups from his dog’s new litter, so Lennie begs George to ask him for a puppy. Another farmhand, Carlson, suggests giving one of them to the swamper, to replace his dog which is smelly and old.
The chapter, which is almost like a scene from a play, ends with them going to eat their supper, but not before they are upset once more by Curley, still looking for his new wife. George has taken an instant dislike to “the angry little man”.
Francesca Gosling
