John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men (1937) follows George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant ranch workers drifting through California during the Great Depression. George is sharp and protective; Lennie is physically powerful but mentally challenged, with a childlike love of petting soft things. The pair share a dream of owning a small farm where Lennie can tend rabbits. When Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife while stroking her hair, George faces an impossible choice. To spare his friend from a brutal lynch mob, George shoots Lennie himself, destroying their shared dream. The novella explores loneliness, friendship, and the elusive American Dream.
