Characters
Who is Lennie SMALL?
Crooks's life is made more difficult by this longterm American problem that is still alive and bad today.
What is racism?
Because it was old and smelled bad.
Why did Carlson shoot Candy's dog?
Ketchup
"An' I got you. We got each other, that's what, that gives a hoot in hell about us," Hint: "What does ______________ say to/about __________?"
What does Lennie say about George?
He is Lennie's gaurdian and travel companion.
Who is George?
She isn't in a good relationship with her husband and seeks attention from the farm workers who don't want her around (for good reason). Curley's wife is an example of this theme.
What is loneliness/isolation?
Because Slim and George didn't want Lennie to be locked up and treated badly after he accidentally killed Curley's wife.
Why did George shoot Lennie?
soft things
What does Lennie like to touch/feel?
"Well, you keep away from her, 'cause she's a rattrap if I ever seen one. Hint: "What does __________ say to Lennie about ________________?"
What does George say to Lennie about Curley's wife?
This character isn't given a name in the novel.
Who is Curley's wife?
Lennie and George have a dream to own their own farm. Their dream sounds good to Candy and Crooks, too. They want to not just be selling their labor all the time, and in owning their own place, they will have more freedom. This is an example of the theme of
e__________nics, or how money/material posessions is controlled in a society.
What is economics?
Lennie lets Curley harm him, but finally George tells him to fight back. There is a serious consequence for Curley. Name the consequence in the form of a question.
What is Lennie crushing/breaking Curley's hand?
rabbits
What does Lennie want to tend/take care of?
"Oh! Please don't do none of that," he begged. "George gonna say I done a bad thing. He ain't gonna let me tend no rabbits." HINT: "What does _____________ say to ______________ when she ______________________?"
What does Lennie say to Curley's wife when she resists him touching her hair too much?
He lives alone in the barn.
Who is Crooks?
Lennie kills mice and the puppy on accident because he is so strong. Lennie himself is in danger of losing his life becuase he is mentally "weaker" than most of the people around him. Crooks is at risk for being lynched just because he's an African-American man. All of these are examples of V_______________, or the condition of being in danger because one has less power than others who are likely to make one a victim.
What is vulnerability/being vulnerable?
Because a woman said Lennie was harming her.
Why did George and Lennie run away from Weed?
Candy lost one; Curley has a crushed one.
What is a hand?
"You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me." He led George into the entrance of the trail and up toward the highway. Hint: "What does ______________ say to George after_______________?"
What does Slim say to George after George shoots Lennie?
He offers to kill Candy's dog for him.
Who is Carlson?
Candy's dog is old. The "solution" is to put the dog down (shoot him). Slim's dog has "too many" puppies, so he drowns part of them. In the end, Slim and George agree, sadly, that shooting Lennie is the right thing to do to save him from those who would treat him worse. All of these are examples of what can be called the theme of "the culture of d___________", or "solving" "problems" by killing or seeing harming and killing as an OK way to run a society.
What is death?
What is Curley's wife reminding Crooks that she can get him lynched ("strung up") very easily?
What George finds and complains about when he arrives at the bunkhouse that makes him think the beds may have bugs in them. Candy assures him the last guy who stayed there was just really careful about keeping things clean.
What is a container of pesticide?
A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin' books or thinkin' or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin', an' he got nothing to tell him what's so an' what ain't so. Maybe if he sees somethin', he don't know whether it's right or not. He can't turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can't tell. He got nothing to measure by. I seen things out here. I wasn't drunk. I don't know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an' then it would be all right. But I jus' don't know." HINT: What does ____________ say that indicates he feels very ____________________ becuase the white folk segregate him?
What does Crooks say that indicates he feels very isolated/alone becuase the white folk segregate him?