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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Lennie accidentally kills a puppy and then a woman, neither with intent
Language
Some
The language of 1930s laborers includes racial slurs and strong period-appropriate profanity
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
The men drink occasionally
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The relationship between George and Lennie is the novel's emotional core — the weight of caring for someone you love who will inevitably cause harm, and the impossible choice George ultimately faces, are devastating
What this book is about
George Milton and Lennie Small are migrant workers during the Great Depression, dreaming of owning their own farm someday. Lennie is large, gentle, and intellectually disabled — and doesn't know his own strength. Steinbeck's novella builds toward an ending that is both tragic and, in its way, merciful.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
A racial slur used throughout — historically grounded but clearly offensive
Lennie's accidental killings including a woman
George's mercy killing of Lennie — devastating ending
The Great Depression's crushing of ordinary human hope
Reader Verification
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