The Basic Stuff
Who were the 4 main characters?
George, Lennie, Curley, Curley's Wife
Describe Curley accurately.
Curly hair, stocky, fighter-build, angry, jealous, creepy Vaseline glove, etc...
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Who said "Where you boys been working?"
Da Bo$$
What is theme?
The message or lesson of a text
Who is the best character and WHY?!
<3 <3 <3 R.I.P. LENNIE <3 <3 <3
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What time period did this book take place?
1930's California
How does Lennie's past influence his character and actions in "Of Mice and Men"?
Lennie's history of accidentally harming things fuels his fear of getting in trouble, prompting him to seek reassurance from George.
Why does the author compare Lennie to a bear, a horse, and a dog in Chapter 1?
To show that he behaves more like an animal since he is very unintelligent
Who are the 4 loneliest people in the book and WHY?
Candy, Crooks, Lennie, Curley's Wife
What kind of figurative language is "Well, God knows he don't need any brains to buck barley bags"?
Alliteration
What does Slim tell Curley to say if anyone asks about what happened to his hand?
It got caught in a machine
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What does the way Curley's Wife treats Crooks reveal about her character?
She is racist and wants to feel powerful over him
What can be inferred about Curley by this description, "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy"?
Curley is jealous of bigger men and will start conflicts to prove his strength.
Give one theme that applies to the book.
(REMEMBER! Theme is one sentence!)
Holding onto a dream can help in unjust situations, Don't judge a book by its cover, etc...
What kind of figurative language is "He reached over and patted the ancient dog"?
Hyperbole
Who uses the gun to kill Candy's dog?
Carlson
What assumption can the reader make about Candy's character after hearing the description of him on page 18?
Candy is isolated from everyone else because he cannot work like they do because he is old and disabled.
What is the tone of the fight scene in Chapter 3 according to the quote, "But Lennie watched in terror the flopping little man whom he held. Blood ran down Lennie's face, one of his eyes was cut and closed. George slapped him in the face again and again, and still Lennie held on to the closed fist. Curley was white and shrunken now, and his struggling had become weak. He stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie's paw"?
Intense and Brutal
How does the structure of the final chapter in the brush add tension/mystery/suspense?
The reader is uncertain of what will happen to Lennie while they discuss their dream ranch
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What literary device is used when Lennie begs George, "Don't let him sock me, George" when referring to Curley?
Irony
What is one reason George wants Lennie to stay away from Curley?
Curley likes to fight big guys like Lennie
What can be inferred from what George says right after they find the body of Curley's Wife? "Couldn' we maybe bring him in an' they'll lock him up? He's nuts, Slim. He never done this to be mean."
He cares for Lennie and does not want him to be harmed
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Why does the author include the sentence where George tells Lennie, "Ever'body gonna be nice to you. Ain't gonna be no more trouble..." at the end of Chapter 6 before he kills him?
To highlight the sense of false hope and optimism George tries to provide Lennie before the inevitable tragedy.
In "Of Mice and Men," how does John Steinbeck explore the theme of the American Dream?
Through George and Lennie's aspiration for land ownership, symbolizing hope and independence in the face of adversity.
What was Curley's Wife's dream and why did she not achieve it?
Curley's Wife dream of becoming a famous actress in Hollywood didn't happen because of societal expectations, limited opportunities for women, and her marriage to Curley.