Of Mice and Men Chapter 6

Of Mice and Men (1937) reaches its tragic conclusion. In chapter 6, the source of so many of the story’s problems is eliminated: Lennie. It’s tragic because Lennie never meant any harm to anyone and because the one to end his life is George, the only one who understood him.

Of Mice and Men Chapter 6 Summary

It’s a beautiful late afternoon in the woods outside of the ranch. It’s filled with animals like snakes and herons, and a peaceful wind rustles the trees. In this tranquil scene, Lennie emerges at his and George’s campsite from chapter 1. It’s where George told him to go if Lennie got into trouble. Lennie drinks water from the pond.

Lennie congratulates himself for remembering to come here. However, he thinks George will “give him hell” for what he did. Lennie suggests to himself that he could go live in a cave. As he talks to himself, “out of his head” comes his Aunt Clara. Aunt Clara, speaking in his voice, tells him how nice George has been to him. She tells Lennie that he just weighs George down.

Next, Lennie experiences a delusion of a rabbit. Like Aunt Clara, this rabbit talks to him in his own voice. The rabbit says he’ll never tend any rabbits because he doesn’t deserve it. The rabbit says George will come, beat him with a stick, and abandon him.

Distressed by his hallucinations, Lennie calls out for George, who appears. Lennie is ecstatic and grateful that George came and doesn’t hurt him. George is the opposite of excited. George is wooden, and something weighs heavily on his mind. He’s tired, and when he sits down next to Lennie, he thinks about how he could do more of what he wanted without Lennie.

Like in chapter 1, Lennie tries to get George to stay with him. George “bites,” but it’s clear he doesn’t mean what he says this time. Lennie asks George to tell him about how they are special and will go buy some land. Lennie says they should do it now, right now.

Meanwhile, George has told Lennie to take off his hat and look across the water. He pulls out Carlson’s luger, which he stole. He raises the gun, shakes, lowers it, raises it, shakes, steadies it, and shoots Lennie in the back of the head, just as Lennie is saying they should do it right now.

Curley, Carlson, and Slim, who were about to find them anyway, come running out of the brush to find Lennie dead and George standing over him. Carlson asks if Lennie had the gun. Emotionally drained, George says yeah, he did. Carlson asks if he took it and shot him the struggle. George says yeah, he did.

Slim immediately can tell what really happened, though, and leads George off, telling George that he had to do it. He offers to buy George a drink. Confused, Carlson asks Curley what’s “eating” those two.

Of Mice and Men Chapter 6 Analysis

The dream is already over by the time this chapter starts. The tragedy is that Lennie doesn't realize it—only George does. George never breaks the illusion for Lennie, killing him instead.

Of Mice and Men chapter 6 takes the story full circle, both literally and thematically.

Chapter 6 Circles Back to 1, Literally

• Chapter 1 begins with Lennie and George walking down the road toward the ranch. They are fleeing Weed. It’s late afternoon for them, the woods are full of life, and Lennie takes a drink from a pond. After that, George and Lennie camp at a well-worn campsite, where George tells Lennie that they are special and will one day have some land together. On this land, Lennie will be able to tend rabbits.

• Chapter 6 begins on the same road, at the same time of day, with a description of the wildlife. Lennie, who is fleeing the ranch, takes a drink of water from a pond. He stops at the same campsite from chapter 1, and George appears. George tells Lennie that they are special and will one day have some land together. On this land, Lennie will be able to tend rabbits.

In chapter 6, though, instead of earnestly giving Lennie another chance, George kills Lennie, severing their bond. This has a deeper thematic significance.

Chapter 6 Circles Back to 1, Thematically

In the article covering chapter 1, one of the themes discussed is:

• People do not have control over their worlds. Lennie has no control over his strength, which is why things went so poorly in Weed. Lennie’s lack of control has obstructed his and George’s dream of freedom.

In chapter 6, this theme returns.

• Lennie’s lack of control over his strength has caused things to go downhill again. Like before, a lynch mob follows him. George’s need to look after Lennie continues to obstruct his dream of freedom.

Chapter 6 complicates this, though, because George now “makes the choice” to pursue this freedom by killing Lennie. But is it actually a "choice," or did he have to? In other words...

Did George have no choice but to kill Lennie?

This is the question of the entire story. Here’s a chart with anecdotal evidence to support each stance.

Peace, Dreams, and Death in Of Mice and Men

First, think back to chapter 4 and what Crooks said about dreams and death. Crooks’ quote might be the single most illuminating quote in the story with regard to Steinbeck's question, "Is the dream achievable?"

Crooks equates getting real land with really finding heaven. In other words, however people end up, it will never be anywhere happy.

Crooks' perspective is only one side of the coin, though. Consider again the description of Curley’s wife after she is killed in chapter 5.

Here, the reader sees that maybe there is something peaceful about death. Curley’s wife is angelic after dying, despite what Crooks said about never ending up anywhere happy.

As you think about these two perspectives, the puppies that Slim killed, and the dog Carlson killed, consider the following:

Was killing Lennie merciful?

Steinbeck pulls no punches in Of Mice and Men, and these are the essential questions of the story. There's no right answer, either.

Of Mice and Men Chapter 6 Quotes

Here are three powerful quotes from the chapter and small descriptions of each. All of these quotes relate to the themes presented previously: that many people don't have control of their lives and that death might be the only peace some people can find.

This quote is something Lennie says to George. However, no matter how special the two are, there are limits to what the world is willing to tolerate. Perhaps there is even a limit to what George is willing to tolerate.

George mutters this just before he shoots Lennie. It’s in response to Lennie saying, “Le's do it now. Le's get that place now." This quote really puts George’s “choice” into perspective. Does he have to? Does he not?