Plot Summary : Chapter 1 In A Nutshell

• We are told this is set near Soledad, California during the 1930s, where most men were poor, homeless and desperate for work. Along come two men in identical outfits, Lennie and George. The outfits are all that these two men have in common as George is small and clever, and Lennie is large and mentally challenged.
• Lennie starts to drink out of a dirty pond like a horse, while George cups his hands to drink the water in a civilised manor. George, being the sensible friend, has to tell Lennie when he is doing something he probably shouldn't (for example sticking his whole head in the water to have a drink)
• George reminds Lennie that they are going to work on a ranch in the morning to buck barley for 50 dollars a month.
• George also reminds Lennie why they lost their last job.
• We find out that Lennie likes to pet soft things after George finds he had been petting a dead mouse in his pocket. George throws the mouse away after arguing about keeping it and Lennie threatens to go off on his own and live in a cave all by himself.
• George bites back and says his life would be better without having Lennie to look after and get him into trouble.
• This hurts Lennie's feelings
• George feels sorry for saying that to Lennie (he should be.) and makes it up to Lennie by telling him his favourite story about how the pair of them are going to rustle up enough money to buy themselves their own ranch with their own crops so they don't have to work for anybody else and they will have chickens and rabbits for Lennie to look after.
• As its likely something bad will happen, George tells Lennie that if he does get into trouble, he must hide in the brush by the river.