of mice and men: random things to study

What is the story's setting?

The story's setting is in California in the 1930s.

Describe George

Small, intelligent, short-tempered but a loving and devoted friend, complains that taking care of Lennie makes his life much harder, terse and impatient at times, but he never strays from his primary purpose of protecting Lennie.

Describe Lennie

One of the least dynamic characters of the story. He undergoes no significant changes, development, or growth throughout the story and remains exactly as the reader encounters him in the opening pages. Simply put, he loves to pet soft things, is blindly devoted to George and their vision of the farm, and possesses incredible physical strength, he is big and has a slight mental disability.

Describe Candy

Old handyman, only one useful hand, has an old dog, the swamper

Describe Curley

Boss's son, married only two weeks and is a boxer. Becomes increasingly meaner throughout story.

Describe Curley's wife

Considered a troublemaker, temptress. She doesn't like her life. Preys on other peoples weaknesses like Lennie, Candy, and Crooks.

Describe Crooks

Lively, sharp witted, African American stable hand, has crooked back, lonely, mistreated, negative, bitter, wants to join men on their "dream" farm.

What do nearly all of the characters, including George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife, admit, at one time or another?

At one time or another almost all of the characters admitted to having a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. Each desires the comfort of a friend, but will settle for the attentive ear of a stranger.

What do almost all of the characters in this story dream about?

Almost all of the characters of this story dream about having a different life.

How does George characterize Curley's wife?

He sees her as a troublemaker and as no good.

How does Lennie characterize Curley's wife?

Lennie thinks she is "purty" and George warns Lennie to stay away from her.

What does the "dream" farm symbolize?

The "dream" farm symbolizes a free and peaceful life. It represents the possibility of freedom, self-reliance, and protection from the cruelties of the world.

What is the name of the town from which George and Lennie are fleeing when the story opens?

Weed, California

What excites Lennie most about his dream life with George?

Tending to the rabbits is what excites Lennie most about his dream life with George.

Why is Candy unable to imagine getting rid of his old dog?

Candy is unable to imagine getting rid of his old dog because he has had him since he was a puppy and they are each other's family.

Why does Carlson insist on shooting Candy's dog?

Carlson insist on shooting Candy's dog because Carlson believes the dog is too smelly, old, and decrepit.

What is Old Susy's place?

A cat house/saloon

Who discovers Curley's dead wife?

Candy

Who cared for Lennie before George?

Lennie's Aunt Clara

Of Mice and Men is set in which decade?

1930s

What does Curley's wife offer to let Lennie touch?

Her hair

To whom does Candy look for advice before allowing Carlson to shoot his dog and this person decided the dog's fate?

Slim

How did Crooks get his name?

He has a crooked back.

Before George meets Lennie in the woods in the final scene, what does he take?

Carlson's luger pistol

What does George say to Lennie before shooting him?

He tells Lennie the story of their farm.

After killing Curley's wife, which of the following pairs does Lennie imagine appears to chastise his behavior?

Aunt Clara and a giant rabbit

Whom do Lennie and George agree to let live on their farm?

Candy

Disappointed with her life, Curley's wife wonders where she would be if she had followed her dreams and become what?

A movie star

What does "live off the fatta of the lan'" mean?

The men will have their own place and provide for themselves using their garden and animals. They won't need to rely on others in order to live.

Describe Slim

He is the prince of the ranch, the person everyone listens to and respects. He is more of a boss to the men and his word is gold. Ageless.

Describe Carlson

Powerful, big stomached man-worker on the ranch. He doesn't like Candy's dog and wants the dog gone. Shoots Candy's dog. Has the gun (luger)

What are 4 lies George tells when arriving on the ranch?

1. He and Lennie are cousins 2. The job in Weed was finished 3. Lennie got kicked in the head by a horse 4. The bus let them off 10 miles out

What does Lennie want on his beans?

Ketchup

In chapter 1, what does Lennie have in his pocket?

A dead mouse

What game do all the men play outside the bunkhouse?

Horseshoes

Who is the first person George and Lennie meet on the ranch?

Candy

How many puppies did Slim's dog have?

9

How many dogs did Slim drown?

4

What does Slim give to Lennie?

A brown and white puppy

Where did Curley and his wife meet?

At a dance

Which 4 main characters appear in chapter 4? (in order of appearance)

Crooks, Lennie, Candy, Curley's wife

What happened to Candy's hand?

He got it caught in a machine on the ranch

How do George, Lennie, and Candy think they can actually fulfill their dream?

Candy got $250 for being injured on the farm and if they combine all their monthly earnings, they can get the farm from the old couple who need to sell it to pay for an operation.

Where was George in chapter 4 when Lennie was in Crooks's room?

In town

Where was George when Lennie killed the puppy and Curley's wife?

Playing horseshoes

With whom does Lennie fight and what happens to that person?

Curley starts picking on Lennie and Lennie ends up crushing his hand.

What is Curley supposed to say happened to his hand when people asked?

That he got it caught in a machine.

Where does Crooks live?

In the barn, his "own room" next to the animals

Who is the 4th person that wants to help out on the new farm when Lennie, George, and Candy secure the land?

Crooks

Who finds Lennie and the dead puppy in the barn?

Curley's wife

What happened in Weed?

Lennie grabbed a girl's dress, she said he raped her, and the guys run them off the land.

Who wrote "Of Mice and Men"?

John Steinbeck

Where was Steinbeck born?

Salinas, CA

Where did he go to school/college?

Stanford University

How many wives did he have?

3

How many kids did Steinbeck have?

2

What are Steinbeck's wives names?

Carol, Gwyndolyn, Elaine

What are Steinbeck's kids names?

Thomas and John

Who was Steinbeck's best friend? What does he do for a living?

Ed Ricketts, marine biologist

What is Steinbeck's dog's name?

Charley

Where did Steinbeck's life end?

New York

For which novel did Steinbeck win the Pulitzer Prize?

The Grapes of Wrath

What job did Steinbeck have in WWII?

War correspondent

What is another award that Steinbeck won other than the Pulitzer Prize?

Nobel Prize

Where does the book "Of Mice and Men" start?

A few miles south of Soledad by the Salinas River

who gets into a fight with Curley and then crushes his hand.

lennie small

what is lennie’s first reaction after seeing the men on the ranch.

leave because it ain't no good place.

what is the setting of the final chapter

the brush in front of the pond just like the beginning of the story.

from context clues about curley, what does the term "handy" mean?

great fighter in the ring

what is candy’s "greatest fear" when he finds out that Lennie has killed Curley's wife?

that their dream ranch will now never come true.

what does lennie ask george to get for him in chapter two?

one of slim’s newly born puppies

which character does george repeatedly remind lennie to stay away from?

curley’s wife

who really stole carlson’s luger?

george (blamed on lennie)

what happens to curley’s wife in chapter five?

lennie breaks her neck.

which character is the most short-tempered, insecure and loves to fight?

curley

which best describes why george and lennie are constantly on the move?

lennie keeps getting in trouble and losing every job he and george get.

where are george and lennie going in chapter one?

they have work tickets at a new ranch in salinas.

where does george tell lennie to hide if he gets in trouble?

the brush

what two lies does george tell the boss?

lennie is his cousin; lennie was kicked in the head by a horse

what does it mean to "live off the fatta the lan'"?

to live off of the things the land produces

based on previous experiences, what has crooks learned to believe about men who "have a little piece of land in their heads"?

they will NOT achieve their dreams

"Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?"

carlson

What are two of the major themes we discussed in Of Mice and Men?

loneliness and the American Dream

What is the dream that Lennie likes to hear from George to calm him down?

the two friends are going to get a small farm and live off of it

Which character was the wise, receptive character in whom George felt like he could confide about his past with Lennie?

Slim

Guys that work on ranches are the ___________ guys in the world according to George.

loneliest

Which statement best describes Lennie?

A huge man with a shapeless face, large eyes and wide, sloping shoulders

Which statement best describes George?

A small and quick man with a dark face, restless eyes, and strong features

What is happening with Lennie during the beginning of chapter 6?

He is imagining conversations with his Aunt Clara and a rabbit.

Why is Crooks called Crooks?

He has a crooked back after being kicked by a horse.

What happened to Lennie's puppy?

Lennie killed it.

Why did George and Lennie have to leave the last job they were at?

Lennie grabbed a girl's dress and they were chased out

Who suggests that Candy should shoot his dog?

Carlson

setting

1930s (great depression)

Literally:The bunkhouse (where the workers live)

Metaphorically:Cramped, filthy proving grounds where only the strong survive

thematic topics for of mice and men

Survival=Lice in bedding; wanting to kill Candy's Dog; Slim drowning 4/9 puppies; Curley picking a fight; opinions of Curley's Wife? Who are the strong? Who are the weak? Who will survive?

Friendship=Bond between George & LennieWhy do the boss & Slim point out the rarity of George & Lennie's partnership?

American Dream=How does the "Dream Farm" grow then suddenly fade?
Survival=How do the "weak" characters turn on each other?

Loneliness=What makes these characters lonely? Can they control it?

circular plot

The story ends the way it began

Foreshadowing

the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

Imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event

Dialect

a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.