The beginning of the book included a scene with a water snake and a stilted heron, as does the end. In the end, the heron swallows the snake while it frantically fights back. This event foreshadows the fate of Lennie. In the beginning, he had hope for the future. After killing Curley's wife, all hope for realizing his dream is gone. Lennie eventually meets the same fate as the snake.

Water Snake and Stilted Heron