Vocabulary
In context, what does ranch mean?
A place where livestock are raised or cared for.
What dream do George and Lennie share?
They hope to own a small farm and live independently.
Which animals are most closely connected to Lennie’s dream?
Rabbits and other small animals, including mice and the puppy.
Where does Lennie go after the incident in the barn?
He goes to the brush by the river, where George told him to hide if there was trouble.
Where does Lennie wait for George at the end of the novel?
Lennie waits in the brush by the river.
What does mend mean when Lennie talks about tending rabbits?
To care for or look after something.
How does Lennie’s dependence on George develop the theme of companionship?
George protects and guides Lennie, while Lennie gives George companionship.
What repeated description or action introduces the novel’s river setting?
The recurring description of the natural riverbank and the characters’ movement through it.
What has happened to Lennie’s puppy, and how does his reaction reveal his fear?
Lennie has accidentally killed the puppy. He worries George will be angry and that he will not be allowed to tend the rabbits
What does George ask Lennie to imagine while they sit by the river?
George asks Lennie to picture their future farm and the rabbits he will tend.
How can the word soft suggest both a texture and Lennie’s longing for comfort?
Soft refers to a gentle texture, while its connotations suggest comfort and safety for Lennie.
How do Curley’s wife’s words reveal her loneliness?
She describes how isolated she feels and how her earlier ambitions were disappointed.
How does the dream of the farm return throughout the story?
George retells the farm dream, making it a repeated source of comfort and hope.
How does Curley’s wife’s way of speaking shift during her conversation with Lennie?
She begins by speaking sharply, then becomes more personal as she describes her loneliness and past hopes.
How do the peaceful riverbank descriptions contrast with the events approaching the characters?
The peaceful setting contrasts with the danger and conflict approaching, creating an uneasy mood.
What is the effect of repeated words and phrases about rabbits and tending them?
Repetition emphasizes Lennie’s dream and his need for reassurance.
How do the characters’ dreams reveal both hope and the barriers they face?
Their dreams offer hope, but poverty, isolation, and personal circumstances make those dreams difficult to achieve.
How does the river setting function as a motif in both the opening and closing chapters?
The river frames the story’s beginning and ending, linking the characters’ escape with the final scene.
How does the contrast between the busy ranch and the quiet barn shape the scene’s mood?
The busy ranch suggests ordinary activity, while the isolated barn creates a private, tense mood.
How does Steinbeck’s return to the river setting connect the ending to the opening of the novel?
Returning to the opening setting gives the story a circular structure and recalls George and Lennie’s earlier escape.
How do the novel’s informal dialogue and regional expressions help establish time, place, and character?
Informal speech and regional expressions make the characters’ voices distinctive and help create a sense of time and place.
What message about friendship and responsibility emerges from George and Lennie’s final scene? Support your response with details from the text.
George’s actions show care and responsibility while also acknowledging the tragic limits of their situation.
How do recurring images of animals, the farm, and the river combine to shape the novel’s mood and meaning?
recurring images connect Lennie’s hopes and vulnerabilities with the story’s peaceful yet tragic mood.
How do the scene’s dialogue and descriptions build tension before the other ranch workers discover what happened?
The dialogue and focused descriptions increase tension by revealing the characters’ emotions and delaying the group’s discovery.
How do the chapter’s setting, dialogue, and pacing shape the reader’s response to George’s final decision?
The calm setting contrasts with the urgent events. The dialogue returns to the dream, while the pacing slows the final scene and emphasizes its emotional weight.