Outline
Background: John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, where most of the novel takes place. He dropped out of college and lived as a manual laborer for some time, just like George and Lennie before achieving success as a writer.
Theme: Making sacrifices for the greater good.
Thesis: In any set agreement, sacrifices will have to be made for the greater good; but all good things eventually cease/terminate/end.
I. George is forced to flee the job in Weed with Lennie and migrate north in search of another.
A. Lennie goes overboard when feeling the silky texture of the woman’s red dress, causing her to feel violated.
1. He is attracted to the woman’s red silk dress.
2. He wants to innocently feel the texture, but gets too aggressive.
B. The woman goes back to the ranch and calls on all the workers to go capture Lennie.
1. “We run. They was lookin’ for us, but they didn’t catch us”
2. They hide behind bushes by the river and wait for the workers to pass.
C. Foreshadowing to when Lennie kills Curley’s wife.
1. Steinbeck uses the same structure for both situations.
2. Lennie gets in trouble with a woman, outlawing them both.
II. George isolates himself from a lot of the workers’ activities and is never able to keep a long-term, steady job because of Lennie.
A. George is able enough to make a successful life for himself.
1. He chooses to stay with Lennie because he loves him and wants to protect.
2. Lennie always finds trouble, dragging George down with him.
B. Only reason to continue being migrant workers together is to achieve the dream of owning their own farm and living comfortably.
1. George promised Lennie’s aunt that he would always look out for him.
2. They want to “…live off the fatta the lan…”(14)
C. The workers go out to a whore house one night to release stress and enjoy.
1. George wants to pass up on the opportunity to not leave Lennie behind.
2. He ends up going but does not spend any money.
III. George kills Lennie...