Characters
This character dreams of owning a piece of land and taking care of rabbits.
Who is Lennie?
George and Lennie’s story begins near this river in Chapter 1.
What is the Salinas River?
Lennie and George’s dream represents this central theme.
What is the American Dream?
George and Lennie leave Weed because of this incident
What is Lennie touching a girl’s dress and being accused of assault?
Lennie’s obsession with this animal represents his childlike innocence.
What are rabbits?
He is Lennie’s friend and protector throughout their journey.
Who is George?
The majority of the novella takes place on this type of workplace.
What is a ranch?
The relationship between George and Lennie highlights this rare bond among men.
What is friendship?
This happens to Candy’s dog, foreshadowing a later event.
What is it being shot because it was old and useless?
This animal Lennie carries in Chapter 1 dies due to his strength.
What is a mouse?
This old ranch worker has only one hand and a dog that he loves.
Who is Candy?
The bunkhouse symbolizes this theme that runs throughout the novel.
What is loneliness or isolation?
The killing of Candy’s dog is a symbol of this broader theme.
What is mercy killing or euthanasia?
Lennie breaks this part of Curley’s body during a fight.
What is his hand?
The riverbank setting symbolizes this in the novel’s structure.
What is safety or a cycle (beginning and end)?
The boss’s son who is aggressive and picks fights.
Who is Curley?
This setting in Chapter 4 is where Crooks lives and symbolizes his segregation.
What is the stable or harness room?
Curley’s wife’s story explores this theme related to gender.
What is female loneliness or the limited roles of women?
This character offers to help George and Lennie buy the farm.
Who is Candy?
The farm represents this type of goal that seems possible but isn’t.
What is an unattainable dream?
This character is isolated because of his race and works in the stable.
Who is Crooks?
This specific place is where George tells Lennie to hide if there’s trouble.
What is the brush near the river?
The treatment of Crooks in Chapter 4 illustrates this social issue.
What is racial discrimination?
Lennie accidentally kills this character in the barn.
Who is Curley’s wife?
Crooks’s isolated room and limited possessions symbolize this.
What is marginalization and isolation?