Group- OF MICE AND MEN Chapter Six

OF MICE AND MEN

Chapter Six

• Analyze how Steinbeck brings the novel to a close and how the ending reflects key themes such as friendship, mercy, and the American Dream.
• Interpret the symbolic significance of the setting and repeated imagery from Chapter One.
• Evaluate George’s final decision and its moral implications.

LESSON OBJECTIVE

DO NOW:

• IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT DOES TRUE FRIENDSHIP REQUIRE — HONESTY, LOYALTY, PROTECTION, OR SACRIFICE?
• CHOOSE ONE AND EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING IN 2–3 SENTENCES.

The Dream and Its Unraveling

• Curley's Wife's Death (Chapter 5):
• The pivotal moment occurs when Curley's wife enters the barn while Lennie mourns his dead puppy. She allows Lennie to stroke her soft hair, but when he won't let go and she begins to scream, he panics and accidentally breaks her neck trying to quiet her.
• Lennie's Flight:
• Remembering George's instructions to hide in the brush by the river if trouble arises, Lennie flees the ranch.
• The Lynch Mob:
• Curley discovers his wife's body and, filled with rage, organizes the workers into a vengeful mob determined to kill Lennie. George realizes what he must do.

THE FINAL MOMENTS

SETTING THE SCENE

LENNIE'S FATAL MISTAKE

• The encounter begins innocently when Curley's wife finds Lennie alone in the barn mourning his dead puppy. She confides in him about her loneliness and lost dreams of becoming a movie star, then invites him to feel her soft hair after learning about his fascination with petting soft things.
• Lennie's panic triggers the tragedy when he strokes her hair too roughly and she begins to scream in fear. Unable to understand the situation and terrified of getting in trouble with George, Lennie tries to silence her by covering her mouth and holding on tightly, accidentally breaking her neck with his immense strength that he cannot control.
• The killing represents the destruction of the dream as it's the final incident in Lennie's pattern of accidents involving soft things—from dead mice to the puppy to now a human life. This irreversible act makes it impossible for George and Lennie's shared vision of owning a farm to ever come true, sealing both their fates.

GEORGE'S IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

• George faces an impossible moral choice between protecting Lennie from a brutal lynch mob death or allowing his friend to die confused and afraid.
• He knows Curley and the other men will torture and kill Lennie violently, but taking matters into his own hands means becoming his best friend's executioner—a burden he'll carry forever.
• George must balance mercy with betrayal as he comforts Lennie with their shared dream one final time.
• By painting the vision of their farm and the rabbits while Lennie faces away toward the river, George gives his friend a moment of happiness and hope, but this act of kindness is simultaneously an act of profound deception as he prepares to pull the trigger.
• George experiences the death of his own future and identity alongside Lennie's death.
• For years, George has defined himself through his relationship with Lennie and their shared dream—complaining about the burden but finding purpose in their partnership. By killing Lennie, George not only loses his companion but also destroys any possibility of the life they imagined together, leaving him utterly alone and adrift as just another lonely migrant worker.

THE FARM DREAM AS A CENTRAL SYMBOL OF HOPE

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE DREAM

The dream of owning a small farm represents far more than simple property ownership in Steinbeck's novel—it functions as a powerful symbol of autonomy, dignity, and human connection in a world that offers migrant workers none of these things. For George and Lennie, the farm symbolizes escape from the endless cycle of exploitative labor. They envision a place where they work for themselves rather than bosses who can fire them on a whim, where they answer to no one, and where Lennie can tend rabbits without fear of doing something wrong. What makes the dream particularly potent is how it spreads to others. When Candy overhears George and Lennie discussing their plans and offers his life savings to join them, the dream suddenly transforms from fantasy to genuine possibility.

Essential Passages for Review and Analysis

OPENING DESCRIPTION OF THE CLEARING (PG. 99–100)

“The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still in the late afternoon... The rabbits sat as quietly as little gray, sculptured stones.”

The serene opening of Chapter 6 mirrors the novel's beginning, creating a circular structure that emphasizes how despite all the tragedy, nature remains unchanged and indifferent to human suffering. The stillness and peace of the setting creates a sharp contrast with the violence about to occur, making Lennie's death even more poignant. The detailed description of the rabbits foreshadows Lennie's final moments, as George will paint this same peaceful image of tending rabbits while ending his friend's life.

Essential Passages for Review and Analysis

LENNIE’S HALLUCINATIONS (PG. 101–103)

“Aunt Clara was gone, and from out of Lennie’s head there came a gigantic rabbit...”

Lennie's hallucinations of Aunt Clara and the giant rabbit reveal his profound guilt and internalized fear of disappointing George, as both figures scold him harshly for his mistakes. The surreal, nightmarish quality of these visions shows Lennie's deteriorating mental state as he grapples with the knowledge that he's done something terribly wrong. These hallucinations serve as Lennie's internal punishment before his actual death, demonstrating that he understands, in his own way, the gravity of what he's done and the consequences it will bring.

Essential Passages for Review and Analysis

LENNIE’S HALLUCINATIONS (PG. 101–103)

Essential Passages for Review and Analysis

GEORGE’S DECISION (PG. 104–106)

“And George raised the gun and steadied it... He pulled the trigger.”

George's decision to shoot Lennie himself represents an act of profound love and mercy, sparing his friend from the terror and brutality of Curley's lynch mob. The moment captures George's ultimate sacrifice as he takes on the unbearable burden of killing the person he cares about most to give Lennie a peaceful death while dreaming of their farm. George's hand trembles as he pulls the trigger, revealing the immense emotional cost of this choice and the weight of guilt and loss he'll carry for the rest of his life.

Why did George kill Lennie?

Essential Passages for Review and Analysis

SLIM’S FINAL LINE (PG. 107)

“Never you mind. A guy got to sometimes.”

Slim's words offer George the only comfort possible in this moment—an acknowledgment that George did what he had to do and shouldn't torture himself with guilt. The laconic, understated phrase reflects the harsh pragmatism of the migrant worker world, where sometimes impossible choices must be made without the luxury of moral certainty. Slim's understanding and compassion stand in stark contrast to the other men's reactions, positioning him as the one person who truly grasps the depth of George's sacrifice and grief.

George Shoots Lennie

Breakout Room Activity – Chapter 6

Step 1: Group Setup (2–3 minutes)

• Discussion Leader – keeps group focused
• Evidence Finder – locates quotes
• Recorder – types responses in shared doc/slide
• Reporter – shares with the class

🔵 Room 1: George’s Decision – Mercy or Betrayal?

• Why does George choose to find Lennie before the others?
• Why does he tell Lennie the dream again before the ending?
• What is George feeling in this moment? Provide evidence.
• Find one quote that shows George’s emotional state.
• As a group, decide: Was George’s action an act of mercy or betrayal?

Discussion Question: Did George have any other realistic choices?

Breakout Room Activity – Chapter 6

🔴 Room 2: Themes & Symbolism

• How does the ending connect back to the opening setting?
• What happens to the dream of the farm?
• Identify two themes that are clearly shown in this chapter (examples: friendship, loneliness, mercy, fate, the American Dream).
• Find one quote that supports each theme.
• What might the setting by the river symbolize?

Discussion Question: Why do you think Steinbeck ends the novel where it began?

Breakout Room Activity – Chapter 6

🟢 Room 3: Reactions & Author’s Purpose

• How do Slim and Carlson react differently to what happened?
• What does Slim understand that Carlson does not?
• Find one quote that shows Slim’s understanding.
• What emotions does the ending create for the reader?
• Why do you think Steinbeck chose this ending instead of a happier one?

Discussion Question: Why do you think Steinbeck ends the novel where it began?

EXIT TICKET

• In 3–4 sentences, respond to the following:
• Do you believe George made the right choice at the end of the novel?
• Why or why not?
• Support your opinion with one piece of textual evidence from Chapter Six.