Character and Relationships
This pair travel together and share the dream of owning land.
George and Lennie
The novel’s regional and historical setting: state and era.
California during the Great Depression
What is George and Lennie’s dream?
To own a ranch and live off the land.
Steinbeck’s opening valley description relies most heavily on which device?
Imagery.
What gas do plants primarily absorb from the atmosphere for photosynthesis?
Carbon Dioxide
Name the old swamper who lost his hand and worries about his dog.
Candy
Where do George and Lennie hide after the trouble in Weed?
Irrigation Ditch
Which scene most clearly depicts the theme of dreams vs. reality?
George and Lennie describing the rabbits—this recurring scene contrasts their hope with the harsh economic reality.
What effect does the repeated animal comparisons for Lennie create?
It creates a primal, tactile impression of Lennie’s strength and lack of refined coordination.
What is the longest river in the world by length?
The Nile River
Which character is nicknamed the “Prince of the Ranch” and commands respect among the men?
Slim
Why was the boss suspicious of George and Lennie when they arrived at the ranch?
He believed George was taking Lennie's pay.
How does the killing of Candy’s dog relate to the broader theme of mercy and practicality?
Candy’s dog’s death highlights pragmatic cruelty and the disposability of those perceived as weak.
Identify an example of foreshadowing in chapters 1–3 and explain its significance.
Candy’s dog’s death foreshadows mercy killing; discussions of Lennie’s strength and his habit of petting soft things foreshadow later tragedies.
Which event began on October 29, 1929, that had global economic impact and preceded the novel’s setting?
Black Tuesday / the stock market crash of 1929
Explain why George lies to the boss about his relationship to Lennie and give one example of a lie he tells.
George lies to protect Lennie and to avoid suspicion about Lennie’s mental state; example: he claims Lennie is his cousin or that Lennie was kicked in the head by a horse.
Describe how Steinbeck’s opening natural description (Salinas River area) establishes mood for the novel’s events.
The lush, calm natural detail creates an idyllic but fragile mood that contrasts with human cruelty and foreshadows conflict.
Analyze how loneliness is portrayed through two different characters in chapters 1–3.
Candy is isolated by age and disability; Curley’s wife is isolated by gender and social restrictions (also Crooks in later chapters).
Explain how dialogue in the bunkhouse reveals social hierarchy among the men.
Vernacular and concise dialogue show rank—Slim’s measured speech carries authority; e.g., Slim’s remarks are treated as decisive by others.
Solve for x in this simple linear equation: 2x+5=17
6
Identify two ways Lennie’s behavior creates tension with other ranch hands in chapters 1–3
Examples: Lennie’s tendency to pet soft things leads to the incident in Weed and his killing of small animals/puppies; his size and strength make other men uneasy (e.g., Curley’s antagonism).
Explain how economic conditions of the 1930s (Great Depression) shape the motives and choices of migrant ranch workers in these chapters.
The Great Depression reduced available stable work, forcing itinerant laborers to move frequently and cling to dreams of ownership and security as coping mechanisms.
Discuss how the motif of animals and animal imagery contributes to readers’ understanding of Lennie and other characters.
Animal imagery (bear, puppy, rabbits) emphasizes Lennie’s strength and innocence; rabbits symbolize unattainable comfort.
Analyze Steinbeck’s use of imagery and diction in the passage where George and Lennie describe their dream farm; explain how language reinforces theme and character motivation.
Steinbeck uses sensory diction (e.g., “green pool,” “crisp sycamore leaves”) and concrete images to build a pastoral ideal that heightens the later disruption of human conflict.
Which 1994 film, directed by Quentin Tarantino, intertwines multiple crime stories and helped popularize nonlinear storytelling in modern cinema?
Pulp Fiction