The Ending of "Of Mice And Men"

Lennie, the man who had murdered the wife of the ferocious Curley, ran off to the brush near the Salinas River like his pal George had said to. He jumped out of the brush and quietly walked towards the river’s water, like a bear, and drank. He heard a sound and jerked up, but the sound was a bird chirping and so he continued to drink. Afterwards, he sat down on the banks of the river, his side facing the direction of the water, and he stared at the entrance of the trail. “I di’n’t forget, you bet, God damn. Hide in the brush an’ wait for George.” Lennie pulls his hat down lower, about to his eyes, and complains about how George probably wanted to be alone and he came along. “If George don’t want me...I’ll go away. l’ll go away.” Lennie sees a fat lady walking towards him, talking to him in Lennie’s voice. She was telling him, “I tol’ you an’ tol’ tou.” The woman was Aunt Clara; Lennie was imagining things. She was telling him about how George is a good person and how what Lennie did was bad. They talked until Aunt Clara was gone and from out of Lennie’s head came a giant rabbit. The rabbit sat down on its haunches in front of Lennie; it also spoke in Lennie’s voice. The rabbit complained about how Lennie was not going to tend any rabbits because of what he had done and what he is able to do; Lennie started to yell because he did not want to hear anything anymore. George came in and asked him what he was yelling about. Lennie asks George, “You ain’t gonna leave me, right George? I know you ain’t”; George says no and Lennie gets relieved. They talked and talked. George tells Lennie to re-tell their dream, in full detail; Lennie agrees to do it. “We’ll have a cow,” said George. “An’ we’ll gave maybe a pig an’ chickens... an’ down the flat we’ll have a... little piece alfalfa-----” Lennie gets really excited and starts telling George more things they will have when they fulfill their dream. As Lennie is distracted, George takes out his gun. Lennie continued on as George raised and aimed his gun at Lennie’s head. His hand was shaking, but he knew he had to do it. Moments later he pulled the trigger and took the shot; he shot his old pal Lennie. He looked at the gun and shivered. From a distance came the shuffling of feet; Slim was calling George’s name, “George. Where you at, George?” George just stood there and looked at the hand that killed Lennie. As he explained how he shot Lennie to Slim and Carlson, he stood there and looked at his hand. Slim offers his hand to George and tells him, “Me an’ you’ll go in an’ get a drink.” George allows Slim to help him up be lifted up. They start to walk towards the direction in which they came from; up the trail and towards the highway. Curley and Carlson take care of George. Carlson says “Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them to guys”?

The End. 

Steinbeck's English Literary Techniques

Imagery: Mental images or figures that appear in the head when words are described. 

Imagery Example: “On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curves up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees-willows fresh and green every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter flooding; and sycamores with mottled, while, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool”

Characterization: A term where the author of a novel/play reveals a characters inner personality.

Characterization Example: "Curly was quick and mean."

Motif: A distinctive idea that comes to mind

Motif Example: "An' live off the fatta the lan'," this quote is describing the main idea behind the book.

Foreshadowing: To show or indicate beforehand

Foreshadowing Example: “And Lennie softly said to the puppy, ‘Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice. I didn’t bounce you hard’”

Zoomorphism: The act in which a person is referred to as an animal of some sort

Zoomorphism Example: Lennie is described as a bear. "...and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws."

Suspense: A condition of uncertainty; usually comes with anxiety. 

Suspense Example: When Lennie doesn’t let go of the hair of Curley’s wife. “Lennie was in panic. His face was contorted. She screamed then, and Lennie’s other hand closed on her mouth and nose.”

Mood: A condition or feeling that a person is in/feeling.

Mood Example: "There was an embarrassed silence."

Round Character: A character who have big roles in the novel and who have a big say in things that happen in the novel. 

Round Character Example: "He damn near drowned before could get him out.....Well I ain't done nothing like that no more."

Flat Character: A character who does not have much say in the book, not as important, does not have a big role. 

Flat Character Example: The Boss is introduced at the beginning of the book.

Character Foils: Two characters that contrast each other.

Character Foils: George and Lennie are very good examples.  Lennie is big, strong and the person with little brain. While George is small, weaker but has the brains. Also George seems to be very good at reading the situation and always knows what is going on.But Lennie does not seem to know what is going on at all because he doesn’t get to experience or partake in these events. George always tells him to be quiet.

Symbolism: Something used to represent something; an object that represents something.

Symbolism Example: "He gathered some cards together and started shuffling"

Dialogue: the conversation between characters in a novel, drama, etc.

Dialogue Example: “‘No I ain’t’”

Setting: The place where a scene takes place. 

Setting Example: “One end of the great barn...”

Theme: A subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic

Theme Example: "An' live off the fatta the lan’”. This describes how George and Lennie earn the money and be independent.