Of Mice and Men

Act One

Scene One

It is Thursday night in the beautiful yet forlorn Salinas Valley in California. Two best friends, Lennie and George, make their way to a river crossing and stop for refreshment on their way from Northern California to find more work at a ranch. George is the leader, with lean good looks and a quick mind. Lennie is basically a giant child: he is a strong man but has no intelligence or adult understanding. George explains their upcoming plan to Lennie, who has already forgotten it: when they get to their new place of employment, George will give the owner their work permits, and Lennie will say nothing.

George alludes that Lennie had gotten them in trouble with their last boss. During this discussion, Lennie keeps trying to play with a mouse, but George stops him from doing so because each time Lennie does, he accidentally kills them. Since the ranch is half a mile away, they decide to camp by the river for the night. George tells Lennie about their dream: to have