a.) the men on the ranch being seen as the knights from le morte d arthur in search of their version of the holy grail( living off the fat of the land/being self sufficient)

Well, I think these men are searching for companionship and belonging. The small ranch is a holy grail as far as George, Lennie, Candy and even Curley are concerned. I'm not sure they are knights. There isn't really chivalry involved in this.