Of Mice and Men Important Quotes

George 1j George says that his life would be easier without him 

"Whatever we ain't got, that's what you want. God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want."

George 2; George describes the dream farm to Lennie; It symbolizes hope, belonging, and freedom from their harsh lives as migrant workers

"All kin's a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there. There wouldn't be no more runnin' round the country and gettin' fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we'd have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house."

The Boss; The Boss is suspicious of George and Lenni’s relationship, showing how rare their friendship is 

"Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. I just like to know what your interest is."

George 3; George talks about loneliness and how Lennie can sometimes be a companion; Companion is better than isolation

"I ain't got no people. I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin' to fight all the time. . . . 'Course Lennie's a ******** nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin' around with a guy an' you can't get rid of him."

Crooks 1; Crooks talks about the damaging effects of loneliness, especially for him since he’s black

"'Spose you didn't have nobody. 'Spose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black. How'd you like that? 'Spose you had to sit out here an' read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody—to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."

Crooks 2; Crooks doubts George and Lennie’s dream, comparing it to a false hope like heaven 

"I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an' that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an' they quit an' go on; an' every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a ******** one of 'em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of lan'. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It's just in their head. They're all the time talkin' about it, but it's jus' in their head."

Crooks 3; After Crooks opens up about his loneliness, Crooks pulls away and shuts himself emotionally again, revealing his pain and mistrust of hope

"Maybe you guys better go. I ain't sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he don't like 'em."

Curley's Wife; She expresses frustration about being isolated and powerless. 

"If I catch any one man, and he's alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together, and you won't talk. Jus' nothing but mad. You're all scared of each other, that's what. Ever' one of you's scared the rest is goin' to get something on you."

George 4; After lennie’s death, George confesses he always doubted the dream would come true. 

"I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we'd never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would."

Slim; Slim comforts George after Lennie’s death, recognizing that George made a harsh but necessary choice. 

"Never you mind. A guy got to sometimes."