Study Guide: Of Mice and Men

Directions: Answer each of the following questions with at least one complete sentence in
the unshaded areas following the questions in the shaded areas.
Chapter 1

1.    Where does the novel begin? What is the setting?

2.    Between the two characters, who appears to be in charge?

3.    What is Lennie carrying in his pocket and why can’t Lennie keep the mouse??

4.    What does George tell Lennie to do when they get to the ranch and meet the ranch boss?

5.    What does George hope will happen if the boss sees Lennie work before he hears Lennie talk?

6.    Why are George and Lennie on the road in the first place?  What happened in Weed?

7.    Who is the lady that used to give mice to Lennie?

8.   What does George say he will buy for Lennie the first chance George gets?

9.   Who does George say are the loneliest people in the world?

10.   What does George say is the difference between the two of them and most of the men who work the ranches?

11.    Why does George tell Lennie to remember the place by the river where they are now?

12.    How is this an example of foreshadowing?

13.    Compare and contrast George and Lennie.

14.    Discuss the dream of George and Lennie in detail.

15.    Explain why George stays with Lennie.

Chapter 2

16. What excuse does George give for Lennie's disability?

17.    Is Lennie able to keep his promise not to speak when George and Lennie first meet the boss?

18.    Who is Curly and what sport has Curly “done quite a bit in”?

19.    Why does the old swamper say Curly is picking on Lennie?

20.    Why does Curly wear a glove on his left hand?

21.    What is the swamper's opinion of Curley's wife?

22.    What two characters does George tell Lennie to stay away from?

23.    How does Lennie feel about the ranch so far?

24.    Why does George say that he and Lennie can’t leave yet?

25.    Who is Slim, and what does he do on the ranch?

26.    Slim is described as having ears that “heard more than was said to them.”  What does that imply?

27.    What does Carlson suggest Slim do for Candy?

Chapter 3

28.    What does George say made him stop being mean to Lennie?

29.    What does Slim say doesn’t take much sense?

30.    According to George and Slim, what happens to guys who go around ranches alone?

31.    Does Slim ever promise George that he won’t reveal what happened in Weed?

32.    Why does George tell Slim anyway?

33.    To what does Slim compare Lennie?

34.    Explain what happens to Candy's dog and why.

35.    What do Whit and George talk about, and what does George decide to do?

36.    What offer does Candy put to George and Lennie?

37.    Who does Candy say should have taken care of the old dog?

38.    What is Curley upset about?

39.    Who does Curly get in a fight with and why does Curly choose that person?

40.    What kind of deal does Slim make with Curly?

Chapter 4

41.    Who is Crooks?

42.    Why could Crooks leave his things about?

43.    Why isn’t Crooks wanted in the bunkhouse?

44.    How does Crooks tease Lennie?

45.    What does Crooks say will happen if a guy gets too lonely?

46.    We are told that it is difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger.  Why is Crooks happy?

47.    What does Curley’s wife say the men on the ranch are scared of?

48.    How does Candy say Curley hurt his hand?

49.    After telling Curley’s wife about the house, the chickens, and the prettier place, what else does Candy tell her that

they have?

50.   How does Curley’s wife threaten Crooks?

Chapter 5

51.    What has happened to Lennie’s puppy and why is Lennie afraid for George to find out?

52.    What does Curley’s wife admit about what she thinks of Curley?

53.    When Lennie says, “I done a bad thing,” what is Lennie talking about?

54.    Who is the first person to find Curley’s wife?

55.    What does George think will happen to Lennie?

56.    What punishment does Candy say Curley’s will want for Lennie?

57.    What is Candy’s “greatest fear”?

58.    Why is Candy angry at Curley’s wife?

59.    Why do you think Curley’s wife never receives a name?

60.    What does Carlson find missing?

Chapter 6

61. What scenes of death does Steinbeck describe in the beginning of this chapter that parallel the events of previous
chapters and that foreshadow the event to come?

62. How does the chapter bring the book full circle? Consider the setting.
63. What two imaginary visitors does Lennie have while sitting on the river bank?

64. What is the subject of the conversation Lennie has with his first visitor?

65. What does his second visitor tell Lennie that recalls an earlier conversation he had with Crooks?

66. How is George and Lennie’s final conversation similar to the one that they had by the river at the beginning of the
novel?

67. Why does George feel that it is necessary that he do what he does?

68. There is a tremendous amount of irony in this final scene as the other men catch up to George and Lennie. What do
Curley and Carlson believe has happened between George and Lennie?

69. Why does George lie? What does Slim say which indicates he knows what happened?

70. What is the significance of Carlson’s final line in the novel? What does it reveal about his character and the men in
general?