Of Mice and Men Chapter 6 — How George Distracts Lennie and Why He Does It

In Chapter 6 of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, George distracts Lennie by retelling their shared dream and talking about the rabbits to keep him calm and give him a peaceful final thought. This explains the method he uses and the reasons behind his choice.

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In the closing scene George finds Lennie hiding by the Salinas River. To keep Lennie calm and unaware while he prepares to end his life, George deliberately distracts him by bringing up — and encouraging Lennie to picture — their old, comforting dream.

  1. He speaks softly and reassuringly. George calls to Lennie in a gentle voice, sits close, and comforts him, which lowers Lennie’s anxiety and makes him quiet and still.
  2. He retells the dream of the ranch. George asks Lennie to imagine their future farm: the little house, the land, and especially the rabbits. He gets Lennie to describe and repeat the details (“We’re gonna have a little house… an’ I’ll let you tend the rabbits”), which fixes Lennie’s attention on a happy image rather than the danger around them.
  3. He keeps Lennie talking and smiling. By having Lennie talk about the rabbits and their plans, George occupies Lennie’s mind and emotions. Lennie becomes absorbed and calm — thinking of the rabbits makes him smile and feel safe.
  4. He acts quickly while Lennie is distracted. With Lennie comforted and looking toward the dream, George is able to do what he sees as a merciful, private act without startling or panicking Lennie.

Why he does it:

  • Mercy: George believes a sudden, peaceful ending while Lennie is happy is kinder than letting Curley and the others catch him and possibly torture or lynch him.
  • Protection: It spares Lennie from the legal and violent consequences of the accident with Curley’s wife.
  • Compassion and loyalty: George has cared for Lennie for years; retelling their shared dream gives Lennie comfort in his last moments and reflects George’s desire to give Lennie a gentle, familiar thought at the end.
  • Symbolic closure: The dream itself becomes Lennie’s final refuge — a consoling fantasy that allows him to die imagining the life he wanted rather than facing cruelty or fear.

In short, George distracts Lennie by soothing him and making him focus on their dream of the rabbits so that Lennie dies calm and smiling — an act George sees as both protective and merciful, though deeply tragic and morally complex.

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