“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”

“We will rich soon, and you who handle poverty badly will handle riches equally badly... In poverty she is envious. In riches she may be a snob. Money does not change the sickness, only the symptoms.”

“And I get to tend the rabbits…Lennie giggled with happiness.”

“What the hell kind of bed you giving us, anyways? We don't want no pants rabbits.”

“I have no choice of living or dying, you see, sir--but I do have a choice of how I do it. If I tell them not to fight, they will be sorry, but they will fight. If I tell them to fight, they will be glad, and I who am not a very brave man will have made them a little braver.”

“On'y way you gonna get me to go is whup me.' She moved the jack handle gently again. 'An' I'll shame you, Pa. I won't take no whuppin', cryin' an' a-beggin'. I'll light into you. An' you ain't so sure you can whup me anyways. An' if ya do get me, I swear to God I'll wait till you got your back turned, or you're settin' down, an' I'll knock you belly-up with a bucket. I swear to Holy Jesus' sake I will.”

“For how can you remember the feel of pleasure or pain or choking emotion? You can remember only that you had them.”