Author
John Steinbeck was born and raised in which U.S. state?
California
Who is Lennie’s friend and traveling partner; small, sharp, and devoted to protecting Lennie?
George Milton
Who is the powerful and respected mule driver who serves as the voice of reason on the ranch?
Slim
What are George and Lennie hoping to buy with their earnings?
A small farm of their own
The rabbits in Lennie’s dream symbolize:
Freedom, safety, and comfort
Steinbeck based Of Mice and Men on his experiences:
Working on California ranches and farms
A kind but mentally disabled man who loves petting soft things; he accidentally kills Curley’s wife.
Lennie Smalls
The boss’s aggressive son, recently married and always looking for a fight.
Curly
Why did George and Lennie leave their previous job in Weed?
Lennie scared a girl by grabbing her dress
Which of the following best describes the tone of the novel’s ending?
Tragic yet merciful
Many of Steinbeck’s novels focus on:
Working-class people and social injustice
The only woman on the ranch who dreams of being a movie star.
Curly's wife
Practical ranch hand who shoots Candy’s dog and owns a Luger pistol.
Carlson
Who offers money to help George and Lennie buy their dream farm?
Candy
What is one major theme of the novel?
The inevitability of loneliness
What award did John Steinbeck receive in 1962 for his contribution to literature?
The Nobel Prize in Literature
Former ranch worker who lost his hand; offers his savings to join George and Lennie’s dream.
Candy
Lennie’s deceased relative, who cared for him before George, represents Lennie’s conscience.
Aunt Clara
What happens to Lennie’s puppy?
Lennie accidentally kills it
How does Steinbeck use the character of Crooks to explore themes of loneliness and discrimination?
He is isolated due to race, and he longs for companionship
What major historical event shaped much of Steinbeck’s writing?
The Great Depression
The only Black worker on the ranch; isolated and bitter but intelligent and proud.
Crooks
The ranch’s owner, who is fair but suspicious of George and Lennie traveling together.
The Boss
Where does Lennie hide after killing Curley’s wife?
By the river where he and George camped
Compare Candy’s dog’s death to Lennie’s. How are these events connected symbolically?
Both are killed out of mercy and symbolize societies cruelty towards the weak.