In Of Mice and Men (1937) chapter 2, George and Lennie arrive at their bunkhouse on the new ranch. They meet the other characters, including Curley, who seems like he’ll become the main antagonist. Chapter 2 in Of Mice and Men does the necessary legwork in establishing the players and the arena, and it teases how things could go south in a hurry.
| Overview - Of Mice and Men Chapter 2 |
| Brief Summary of Chapter 2 |
- George and Lennie arrive at the new ranch, which will be the main setting for the remainder of the book. They are late due to the bus dropping them off far away on the previous day.
- Candy, an old worker with an old dog, tells them that the boss is angry they are late.
- George and Lennie meet Curley, the boss’s son, who immediately dislikes Lennie because Lennie is big and Curley is small. George can’t stand Curley and thinks he’ll be trouble.
- George also thinks Curley’s wife will be trouble. They hear she flirts with the ranchers, and indeed she flirts with George when she passes by in search of her husband. Curley and his wife were just recently married.
- George and Lennie meet Slim, “the prince of the ranch,” a soft-spoken and skilled man whose dog just had puppies. Lennie wants George to ask Slim if he can have one.
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| Characters in Chapter 2 | George Milton, Lennie Small, Candy, Slim, Curley, Curley's Wife, Crooks (mentioned) |
| Setting in Chapter 2 | A ranch in rural California |
| Style in Chapter 2 | 3rd-person narrator |
| Literary Devices and Themes in Chapter 2 | Foreshadowing, survival of the fittest, abuse of authority, the bonds between men |
Of Mice and Men Chapter 2 Summary
The chapter opens with George and Lennie arriving at their new accommodations on the new ranch. An old swamper named Candy introduces them. Candy has an old dog who is described as stinking and half-blind. George, who is skeptical about lice in their bedding, has a brief battle of wits with Candy, as they both weave stories about their backgrounds.
A swamper is an assistant to a driver of horses or mules.
Candy tells them that the boss won’t be happy they are late, and indeed, the boss wants an explanation from George and Lennie when he arrives. George explains that the bus dropped them off “ten miles away.” Throughout this, George talks for Lennie, although Lennie at one point makes an idle comment that inspires the boss to get more from him. George immediately takes back the reins and has to make up a story to explain why he won’t let Lennie talk. George says he is his cousin and that a mule kicked Lennie in the head as a boy.
After the boss leaves, George admonishes Lennie for talking, saying that he almost cost them their job.
Curley comes by to see the new hands. Curley is the boss’s son, and he immediately takes a disliking to Lennie because of his size. Curley is small, while Lennie is huge. Curley apparently is something of a fighter and is known to pick fights with folks. When Curley is gone, George tells Lennie to avoid Curley at all costs and never speak to him. George thinks Curley is an idiot—albeit he expresses this in much more colorful language.
Of Mice and Men was written in 1937 and is filled with harsh language.
George runs Lennie through a list of reminders again, including another reminder to hide in the brush at their campsite should any trouble occur.
Speaking of trouble, Curley’s wife comes around looking for her husband. She and Curley have just been married. That said, she is flirtatious, which makes her dangerous to someone like Lennie, who isn’t known for his cleverness. Curley’s wife flirts briefly with George before leaving. Lennie describes her as “purty,” but George quickly tells him not to look at her or talk to her, because that will just give Curley one more thing he feels he has to prove. Lennie wants to leave, calling this place "mean," but George says they can't. They have to get a little more money to go somewhere else. Maybe they could pan for gold.
Fig. 1 - Panning for gold in the 1930s, over 80 years after the California Gold Rush, is a desperate idea to make money.
Finally, George and Lennie meet Slim, the “prince of the ranch.” He does incredible work, and people respect everything he says. He has a quiet, serene grace to him. Slim is understanding and kind to George and Lennie. Apparently, Slim’s dog has just had puppies, although Slim had to drown four of them right away because there were too many for his dog to nurse. Lennie asks George to get him a puppy before Slim kills another one.
Slim is described as a “jerkline skinner.” In this context, a skinner is not someone who skins animals (although given the fates of the animals in this novella, that wouldn’t be a bad guess). In fact, though, a skinner drives a team of draft animals. As for “jerkline,” it means that Slim uses ropes rather than reins to guide his mules.
Of Mice and Men Chapter 2 Analysis
It's worth starting each analysis with the simple question, "How is the dream progressing?"
In this chapter, Lennie and George's dream to quit work and live on a farm is progressing as planned. They have arrived at the new ranch and they have new jobs. Now, all they need to do is last long enough to make the money required to buy the land. This of course is easier said than done, and George quickly gets upset at Lennie for talking. Already Lennie is causing problems.
So what else is going on? There is a large influx of characters in Of Mice and Men chapter 2, and readers see a few more themes develop. At the same time, the plot picks up steam as the audience begins to see how things could go terribly wrong between Lennie, Curley, and Curley’s wife. This setup, including the initial meeting between Curley and the protagonists, also serves as the primary conflict of the chapter.
Characters in Of Mice and Men Chapter 2
Steinbeck wastes no time bringing the other characters into the story. One at a time, like clockwork, George and Lennie (and by extension, the readers) are introduced to Candy, the boss, Curley, Curley’s wife, and Slim. Crooks, the Black stable worker, is mentioned, but he’s not seen. Crooks is segregated from the white workers. The minor character Carlson (who is described as “big-stomached”) appears with Slim.
These are all the players of the story, and now the plot is ready to take off.
Interestingly, this is the first and last chapter where the boss appears. Consider how the person with the most control has the least direct impact on the plot, yet how his passive decision to let Curley roam also enables the story.
Animals in Of Mice and Men Chapter 2
You’ve met all the new characters; however, many new animals were also introduced. This includes Candy’s old dog, Slim’s dog, the puppies of Slim’s dog Lulu, and the many mules that the ranchers discuss and drive.
Consider:
How do the animals and people relate?
How much control do the animals have?
How much control do the people have?
What is the driving factor for their destinies?
As you read on, think about mice and men in metaphorical terms as well. Are there other “mice” in the story besides the actual mice (and other animals)?
Consider whether the animals and people are destined to die. This becomes the big question at the end of the story, when George kills Lennie.
There is also a theme of mercy-killing animals. Slim drowns several puppies as a mercy to them, as there is not enough sustenance to go around. Carlson suggests shooting Candy’s old dog as a mercy killing (and occurs in the following chapter). And at the end of the story, George kills Lennie as a mercy to him.
Of Mice and Men Chapter 2 Quotes
Here are two quotes from Of Mice and Men chapter 2.
After a moment the ancient dog walked lamely in through the open door. He gazed about with mild, half-blind eyes. He sniffed, and then lay down and put his head between his paws. Curley popped into the doorway again and stood looking into the room. The dog raised his head, but when Curley jerked out, the grizzled head sank to the floor again."
These are the final lines of the chapter (in a six-chapter book), so it’s fair to say Steinbeck put some thought into them. What's interesting is the care put into describing the dog. He doesn't seem so different from an older, tired person who witnesses a blur of activity around them. The dog exudes calmness.
In this quote, the dog seems almost human. As you read on, consider how the human characters seem almost like animals.
His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought. His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer."
The narrator paints Slim in almost otherworldly terms. Notably, he is understanding. He understands people, the world, and the many layers of both. Because Slim is so trustworthy and insightful, pay attention to what he says and does, and let him help you understand the layers of the story.
Of Mice and Men Chapter 2 - Key Takeaways
- In this chapter, George and Lennie arrive at the new ranch and meet most of the remaining cast.
- A tension between Lennie and Curley is established. Curley doesn't like Lennie for being so big.
- Curley's wife flirts with the ranch hands and seems like a key player in the coming troubles.
- More animals are introduced, including a handful of puppies. Lennie wants one.
- Many characters, including George and Lennie, don't seem to control their destinies. Neither wants to be at the ranch, knowing it could be trouble, but they need the work.
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