mean here." George tells Lennie that they will leave when they have saved up enough money to attain their dream. After getting to know the ranch hands, Lennie and George allow two other workers, Crooks and Candy, to join in their dream for their own place. .
Curly does not like anyone that is bigger than he is (which is pretty much everyone). He has a very big complex and acts mean and picks on people to make up for his size. Of course, Lennie being almost twice as big as him, angers Curly very much. He tries to start a fight with Lennie but Lennie does not have violence in him and does not fight back. Only after being prompted by George to defend himself does Lennie fight Curly. Curly ends up with a crushed hand and a brutally injured ego. .
The next afternoon brings trouble. Lennie had been playing in the barn with a puppy. By handling it too much, he has accidentally broken it's neck. As he tries to hide the animal, Curley's neglected wife enters the barn, looking for company. She and Lennie talk about her sad life and how she can't stand Curly. When she learns of Lennie's love of soft things, she invites him to touch her hair. He does so, but as usual, holds on too tight. The woman begins to struggle and yell, scaring Lennie. He panics and accidentally breaks her neck. .
Scared, Lennie flees. Candy finds the woman's body in the barn and, immediately thinking of Lennie, finds George and tells him the situation. George thinks for a minute, remembering when he told Lennie that if he ever got into trouble that they should meet at the riverbank. He grabs a fellow ranchers gun and enters the barn with the others. He attempts to talk Curly into only having Lennie "put away" but Curly won't hear of it. Now he has found the perfect reason to get back at Lennie for embarrassing him in front of the others. They all go out to search for Lennie. .
Lennie is waiting at the riverbank for George and is just starting to realize the severity of his actions.
