L*

0F MIC
AND MN
BY JOHN STEINBECK

Name:
 - Chapter One -

Record answers for the following questions in your exercise book.

Ijnless otherwise directed, you should answer in full sentences.

1. The Saunas Valley was an area that Steinbeck knew extremely well. In the opening two
paragraphs, he draws upon this knowledge to describe the natural world. Find quotations from
this section that describe each ofthe following:
a) The river.
b) Thetrees.
c) The mountains.

2. From the third paragraph onwards, Steinbeck begins describing the characters of Lennie and
George for the first time. He takes great care in describing them and provides the reader with
a very strong image of them from the outset of the novel.
a) Find at Ieast three quotes that help describe Lenny.
b) Write down three more dot points, identifying what key information we Iearn
about Lennie.
c) Find at Ieast three quotes that help describe George.
d) Write down three more dot points, identifying what key information we Iearn
about George.

3. On the second and third page, Steinbeck uses animal imagery to describe Lennie’s
characteristics.
a) Find and write out two such quotes.
b) Why do you think Steinbeck describes Lennie in this way?
c) What happened to George and Lennie that meant they had to leave Weed?
d) Why do you think Lennie likes hearing the story about the ranch so much?

4. George and Lennie have a very unique and strong relationship, which is introduced and
emphasised in the first chapter. Reread the conversation between George and Lennie, and
answer the following questions:
a) Find two examples of Lennie acting like a child.
b) Why does Lennie like the mouse?
c) Why 15 George worried about Lennie?
d) Why do you think George stays with Lennie?

5. One ofthe majorthemes ofthe book 15 ‘The American Dream’ —the hope of creating a better
life. Look at the description of Lennie and George’s dream to own a farm. How does this story
relate to ‘The American Dream’?
 - Chapter Two -

Record answers for the following questions in your exercise ook.

Unless otherwise directed, you should answer in full sentences.

1. Reread the first paragraph. Steinbeck sets the scene by providing a detailed description of the
bunkhouse before the characters arrive.
a) What details of the bunkhouse are emphasised?
b) Why do you think he provides this detailed description?

2. We meet several important characters in this chapter, including the boss, Curley, Curley’s Wife
and Siim. For each of these three characters, write down at least three dot points on the
following:
a) Their appearance.
b) Their personality.
c) One useful quotation relating to that character.

3. Why do you think George lies to the Boss about his relationship with Lennie?

4. Look closely at the conversation between SIim and George. What sort of man does SIim seem
to be?

5. During this chapter, Steinbeck drops hints about what might happen later in the novel. This is
called ‘foreshadowing’. Find the quotations below and write down what events you think they
could be foreshadowing:
a) “You keep away from Curley, Lennie.” (George)
b) “Why’n’t you get Candy to shoot his old dog...” (Canson)
c) “Hide tilI corne for you. Don’t let nobody see you.” (George)
d) “Gosh, she was purty.” (Lennie)

6. Reread the last paragraph ofthe scene. Referring back to the events so far in the novel, what
do you think the significance of Candy’s old dog might be? What does his description suggest?
What is the significance of mentioning Slim’s pups in this same section? What sirnilanities does
he share with other characters? What might be foreshadowed here? Write down in dot points
at least five of your ideas.

24
 - Chapter Three -

Record answers for the following questions in your exercise book.

Unless otherwise directed, you should answer in full sentences.

1. A lot of new information and foreshadowing 15 delivered in this chapter. Take a close look at
the opening description of George and SIim’s conversation in particular, and answer the
following questions:
a) What aspects of Lennie’s character are emphasised through this conversation?
b) What do we learn about Lennie’s relationship with George?
c) Why is the story of the woman in the red dress important?
d) What risk do you think Lennie poses to the puppies?

2. What do we learn about Siim, and how would you describe his personality?

3. Look at the descriptions and discussions of women in this section (namely Curley’s wife and
the prostitutes). How do the men on the ranch view these women?

4. At this point, we really get introduced to the concept ofthe ‘American Dream’ and how George
and Lennie are trying to fulfil their version of the ‘dream’.
a) What exactly is their ‘dream’?
b) What reasons are we given to think their ‘dream’ wiII succeed or fail?

5. Reread the description of Curley’s attack on Lennie, and Lennie’s defence of himself.
a) Find three examples of animal imagery, and explain why you think Steinbeck
connects these images with Lennie.
b) What is revealed about Lennie and George’s friendship in this passage?

6. In the scene where Candy’s dog is taken away and shot, Steinbeck creates an extremely tense
atmosphere. This is also an incredibly important event that foreshadows what wiII happen later
in the novel.
a) Find at least three quotations that show how Steinbeck creates this sense of
tension (hint: look for references to quietness, stillness, waiting, etc).
b) Why is Candy’s dog put down, and do you think this the right thing to do?
c) Why do you think Candy says: “I ought to of shot that dog myseif, George. I
shouldn’t ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog”?
 - Chapter Four -

Record answers for the following questions in your exercise bock.

Unless otherwise directed, you should answer in full sentences.

1. Many of the characters on the ranch can be described as ‘outsiders’: they don’t fit into normal
society because they have characteristics that make them different from supposedly ‘normal’
people. For each of the following characters, identify the characteristics that make them
outsiders (including at Ieast one quote):
a) Candy
b) Curley’s Wife
c) Lennie
d) Crooks

2. Look at the conversation between Crooks and Lennie.

a) What does Crooks say that makes Lennie se upset?
b) How does Lennie react?
c) What does this reveal about Lennie and George’s friendship?
d) Why s Crooks 50 angry and mean towards Lennie, what makes him change his
behaviour?

3. Crooks questions Lennie and George’s dream and whether it can ever be achieved. What does
he say, and do you think he is correct?

4. Curley’s wife interrupts the conversation between the men.

a) How do they respond to her?
b) What does this reveal about her life on the ranch?
c) How s this foreshadowing her role in the problems to corne?

5. Crooks eventually buys into Lennie and George’s ‘dream’ and offers to work on theirfarm
for free. However by the end of this chapter his dream is dead. What exactly causes him
to retract his request and abandon his dream?
 - Chapter Five -

Record answers for the following questions in your exercise book.

Unless otherwise directed. you should answer in full sentences.

1. This chapter is the real turning point in the novel, the moment to which ail the previous
discussion of hopes, dreams and friendship has been leading, and to which ail the previous
foreshadowing has been hinting. It is therefore telling that this chapter opens with Lennie
stroking his puppy, which is now dead.
a) What has happened, and how has Lennie responded? Use at Ieast one quote in
your answer.
b) What is the role of this passage? What does it reveal about Lennie, and what
coming events could it be foreshadowing?

2. Curley’s wife does flot appear very often, but she plays a crucial role in events. She is also
ultimately presented as quite a sympathetic, if flawed, character. Look at the description of
Curley’s wife and the passage where she telis her Iife’s story.
a) Why do you think Steinbeck neyer gives Curley’s wife a name?
b) What is her position on the farm, and how do the other men view her? Include at
Ieast one quote in your answer.
c) What was Curley’s wife’s dream, and what caused it to die? Include at Ieast one
quote in your answer.

3. Steinbeck has used events throughout the novel to foreshadow what will happen in this
interaction between Lennie and Curiey’s wife. What does the reader see that Curley’s wife
cannot, and what events have led you to this conclusion? Include one quote that illustrates her
naiveté.

4. Reread the section where Lennie kilis Curley’s wife. This is an extremely descriptive passage.
Pay particular attention to Steinbeck’s use of simple, sharp statements, and sensory imagery.
a) How would you describe the tone of this section?
b) Why does Lennie kili Curley’s wife?
c) How does Lennie react to her death? Include at Ieast one quote in your answer.
d) How does Candy react to her death, what does he do, and why does he do this?

5. Explain the following quotes:

a) George: “Ail the time he lLennieJ done bad things but he neyer done one of ‘em
mea n.”
b) “Now Candy spoke his greatest fear. “You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we,
George?” George said softly, “—I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed
...

we’d neyer do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we
would.””
 - Chapter Six -

Record answers for the following questions in your exercise book.

TJnless otherwise directed, you should answer in full sentences.

1. Steinbeck uses the setting of this chapter to help mirror the opening of the book. In particular,
he uses phrases and images that are sirnilar to both: for example “[a] water-snake slipped
along on the pool, its head held up like a littie periscope...” (Chapter 1) and “[al water-snake
glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side...” (Chapter 6).
a) Find one other example of this, and use quotes to illustrate the similarity.
b) Why do you think Steinbeck uses this mirroring technique?

2. What is the significance of Lennie’s two visions (Aunt Clara and the Giant Rabbit, both ofwhom
speak in Lennie’s own voice)? Use at Ieast two quotes in your answer.

3. The story of the farm and Lennie and George’s dream is repeated once again. Given what we
have seen throughout Steinbeck’s novel, what point do you think he is making about the
American Dream? Use at Ieast one quote in your answer.

4. The events of the past two chapters, while tragic, would corne as no surprise to an astute
reader. Explain how the following aspects of the novel have foreshadowed the final tragedy of
Lennie’s death:
a) The discussion of Lennie and George’s ‘contingency plan’ in Chapter 1.
b) The symbolism of Lennie’s mice.
c) The incident between Lennie and the girl in the red dress.
d) The symbolism of Candy’s dog.
e) The symbolism of Lennie’s puppy.

5. We have now reached the climax of the novel: the heartbreaking moment when George feels
forced to kilI his closest and only true friend.
a) What drove George to believe he had to kill Lennie?
b) Do you think George did the right thing? Why/Why not?

6. Throughout the book Lennie has remained an outsider. He has been unable interact with
others and fulfil the role that society dictates he should, and as a resuit he has remained
separate from ail other people except George. Considering what happens to Lennie, what do
you think Steinbeck is saying about how society relates to outsiders? Use at Ieast one quote in
your answer.
What is
Lennie and
George’s
dream?

Why is this
dream
important
to Lennie
and George?

How is this
dream
destroyed?

What effect
does the
destruction
of this
dream have
on Lennie
and George?
What was
Curley’s
Wife’s
dream?

Why was
this dream
important
to Curley’s
Wife?

How was
this dream
destroyed?

What effect
did the
destruction
of this
dream have
on Curley’s
Wife?
What was
Crooks’
dreain?

Why was
this dream
important
to Crooks?

How was
this dream
destroyed?

What effect
does the
destruction
of this
dream have
on Crooks?
What is
Candy’s
dream?

Why is this
dream
important
ta Candy?

How is this
dream
destroyed?

What effect
does the
destruction
of this
dream have
on Candy?