OF MICE AND MEN: ENTRY

JOURNAL
Honors English I
Christie Davis

The left side of your table must contain 2 quotations per chapter from the reading with page
numbers noted. Should you wish to refer to a particularly large selection, you may paraphrase it.
The right side of your table contains comments about the quotation on the left.

CHAPTER ONE: QUOTE ONE

SPEAKER – LENNIE SMALL
“Lennie broke in,
Pg. CONTEXT
‘But not us! An’
13 Lennie has asked George to tell him the story of what
why? Because…
their life will be like together when they can keep a job
because I got you to
long enough to collect some savings. In his excitement at
look after me, and
hearing the tale, he keeps interrupting George to finish his
you got me to look
sentences for him.
after you, and that’s
why.’ He laughed
ANALYSIS
delightedly.”
Lennie interrupting George and the fact that he can
continue the story verbatim, even with his severe memory
loss, shows his eagerness and excitement when hearing
the story. Hearing this story provides him hope of a safe
life in what is a confusing and overly complex world to
Lennie. It also deepens the dynamic between George and
Lennie. George will always care for and protect Lennie in
like a father would, but Lennie is too simple minded to
realize how much he depends on George. He believes that
they are equally supporting each other that their dream
farm is truly achievable.
CHAPTER ONE: QUOTE TWO
SPEAKER – LENNIE SMALL
Pg. 9 “Lennie looked CONTEXT
sadly up at him. Lennie is responding to George. George is irritated by
‘They was so little,” Lennie since he keeps capturing mice to pet while they
he said, walk. Unfortunately, Lennie keeps killing them when they
apologetically. I’d resist him. George is making his annoyance known to
pet ‘em, and pretty Lennie when he discovers that Lennie has captured yet
soon they bit my another mouse.
fingers and I bit
them, and I pinched ANALYSIS
their heads a little Lennie is physically strong in that he can kill the mice
and they was dead- easily just by pinching their heads. But his mental
because they was weaknesses causes him to not know his own strength,
so little.’” which is why he cannot learn from his past experiences
with the mice. This quote also shows that Lennie does not
kill the mice out of cruelty, he is saddened and remorseful
when he speaks of their deaths, but he does not realize
the full weight of his actions. This is because Lennie does
not process the world in terms of right or wrong but
rather the consequences. He does not realize that killing
the mice is wrong, but rather that they keep dying when
he plays with them.

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CHAPTER TWO: QUOTE ONE
SPEAKER – GEORGE
Pgs. “’We gotta keep it
CONTEXT
30- till we get a stake.
George is attempting to comfort Lennie after he
31 We can’t help it,
complains about the conditions of the ranch on which
Lennie. We’ll get
they will be starting work. He does so by agreeing with
out jus’ as soon as
Lennie and reminding him that their current situation is
we can. I don’t like
only temporary.
it better than you
do.’” ANALYSIS –
This quote shows that George does not like the
atmosphere of the ranch either. But his insistence that
they stay on the ranch shows how important the dream
farm is to him. George is willing to stay in a hostile
environment where Lennie, the person whom all his other
actions revolve around protecting, may be in danger, just
for the sake of raising the money to fund the dream. It
shows that George values long term stability over short
term comfort.

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CHAPTER TWO: QUOTE TWO

SPEAKER – CANDY/ THE SWAMPER

Pg. “’ Never did seem CONTEXT
25 right to me. S’pose The swamper is expressing his opinion of Curley to George
Curley jumps a big and Lennie while they are standing around in the bunk
guy an’ licks him. house.
Ever’body says
what a game guy ANALYSIS –
Curley is. And This quote connects to the larger theme of strengths and
s’pose he does the weaknesses in that Curley’s stature could be perceived as
same thing and a weakness, but instead of allowing it to be a disability,
gets licked. Then Curley uses it to his advantage making it a strength. If he
ever’body says the wins a fight with a guy larger than him, he is lauded as
big guy oughtta strong and masculine. But, if he loses, he can blame the
pick somebody his big guy and claim the fight to be unfair. This quote
own size, and develops the relationship between Curley, George and
maybe they gang Lennie. When the swamper, someone who is trusted by
up on the big Lennie and George, provides his opinion of Curley to the
guy.’” two men, it affects and affirms their initial impression of
him. This pits Curley against Lennie and George, making
their relationship a tumultuous one. This quote also
shows what the other ranch workers think of Curley: he’s
sneaky and a cheater with deep-seated insecurities.

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Chapter Three: Quote one

“’Tell you what

made me stop
Pg. that. One day a SPEAKER – GEORGE MILTON
38 bunch of guys was CONTEXT
standin’ up around George is explaining why he feels the need to protect
the Sacramento Lennie with such fervor to Slim. However, he is not
River. I was feelin’ making excuses, he is defending he and Lennie’s
pretty smart. I relationship as well as confiding in Slim.
turns to Lennie and
says ‘Jump in.’ An’ ANALYSIS –
he jumps. Couldn’t Through this quote, the reader learns that George and
swim a stroke. He Lennie’s relationship did not always resemble that of a
damn near parent and a child, it used to resemble that of a bully and
drowned before a victim. George used Lennie’s dependency of him to
we could get him. abuse Lennie. But when a practical joke went too far,
An’ he was so nice George realizes his actions against Lennie, who is
to me for pulling unintelligent, does not make him anymore intelligent. This
him out. Clean quote also shows that George is not a static character. He
forgot I told him to can learn from his actions and grow as a person.
jump in. Well, I Additionally, this quote provides a deeper explanation of
ain’t done nothing why George feels the need to protect Lennie. Perhaps the
like that no more.” fact that Lennie almost died and thanked him for pulling
him out of the river guilted George and made him feel
indebted to Lennie in the sense that he needs to make up
for the poor way he used to treat him.

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CHAPTER THREE:
SPEAKER – CANDY
QUOTE TWO CONTEXT
Candy explains that he should have but down his dog
himself after he, George, and Lennie have all agreed to
“"I ought to wait until the end of the month and swing for the dream
PG.58 of shot that dog m farm.
yself, George. I
shouldn't ought to ANALYSIS –
of let no Candy is remorseful of his actions because he realized,
stranger shoot my though it would have been difficult to shoot his dog, the
dog." animal had suffered enough and keeping him alive would
have only been to serve Candy’s own selfish needs.
George will learn from this remark and it will dictate his
actions later on in the novel. When he realizes that
Lennie’s fate will be filled with torture, shame, and
confusion he decides to kill Lennie on the basis that he
has suffered enough at the hands of an overly-complex
world that does not understand him and that Lennie will
die thinking of gives him the most comfort: the dream
farm.

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CHAPTER FOUR: QUOTE ONE

“’Cause I’m black.

PG.65 They play cards in SPEAKER – CROOKS
there, but I can’t CONTEXT
play because I’m Crooks is explaining to Lennie why he isn’t wanted around
black. They say I the other ranch workers in their leisure time after Lennie,
stink. Well I tell who is also a social outcast, comes into Crooks’ room one
you, you all stink to night after seeing his light on from the barn.
me.’"
ANALYSIS –
Crooks is a lonely character, described as distant and
aloof. He is segregated from the other men on the farm
on the basis of his race. He cannot sleep in the bunks nor
join in on any pleasurable activities with the other ranch
workers. He is very protective of his space and is
defensive of what is his own. Like Curley’s wife Crooks is a
discouraged character who uses his susceptibility as a
weapon to attack those who are even weaker.

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CHAPTER FOUR: QUOTE TWO

“The girl flared up.

PG.74 ‘Sure I gotta SPEAKER – CURLEY’S WIFE
husban’. You all CONTEXT
seen him. Swell Curley’s wife had found Crooks, Lennie, and Candy in
guy ain’t he? Crooks room. She is trying to engage with them when
Spends all his time Crooks accuses her of being floozy because she has
sayin’ what he’s approached them while also simultaneously being
gonna do to guys married to Curley. The quote details her response to this
he don’t like, and accusation.
he don’t like
nobody. Think I’m ANALYSIS –
gonna stay in that The fact that Curley’s wife is never given a name
two-by-four house throughout the novella demonstrates how the ranch
and listen how workers view and value he: as Curley’s property. Up until
Curley’s gonna this point we have only been able to gather clues about
lead with his left her character from how these ranch workers choose to
twice and bring the objectify her. This is the first moment where we truly see
ol’ right across? Curley’s wife’s life from her own perspective. It is revealed
‘One-two’ he says. that Curley’s wife too is a lonely character and that her
‘Just the ol’ one- endless search for attention does not originate from poor
two an’ he’ll go breeding, but rather her being deeply starved for love and
down.’ “ respect. It also shows that Curley’s wife is aware of her
husband’s deep insecurities and that she finds them
extremely unattractive. She is discontent with her life
being married for him and is appalled that her looking for
support from others instead of her husband is viewed as
trampy and cheap.

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CHAPTER FIVE: QUOTE ONE (figurative language)

“It was Sunday

PG.80 afternoon. The SPEAKER – NARRATOR
resting horses CONTEXT
nibbled the This quote is used to describe the setting and time of the
remaining wisps of barn at the beginning of Chapter 5.
hay, and they
stamped their feet ANALYSIS –
and bit the wood Steinbeck is extremely descriptive throughout the
of the mangers duration of Chapter 5 and uses the setting in particular to
and rattled the hint at and foreshadow future events in the novella.
halter chains. “ Steinbeck’s use of onomatopoeia gives action and
excitement to the horses’ movements while
simultaneously giving the reader an auditory detail that
makes the scene that is being described more vivid and
life-filled. This quote in particular hints that already
something is awry. While the overall atmosphere of the
barn is described as peaceful and still, the horses, which
are animals who are usually the victims of Lennie’s
unknown strength, are restless and stirring. This is the
calm before the storm.

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CHAPTER FIVE: QUOTE TWO (figurative language)

“He put his hand SPEAKER – GEORGE

PG.89 over her heart. CONTEXT
And finally, when George has just been called into the barn by the request
he stood up, slowly of Candy to find Curley's Wife's lifeless body on the
and stiffly, his face ground, half covered by hay.
was as hard and
tight as wood, and ANALYSIS –
his eyes were hard.
“ This quote informs the reader of George’s reaction to
Curley’s Wife’s death. After confirming her death, George
is shocked, taking time to process what is occurring. He
realizes that the only one capable of this act is Lennie. He
knows that Curley, who already holds animosity towards
Lennie, will not be gracious when he finds out. George
also realizes in this moment that their hopes at the
prospect of a dream farm is dead. Steinbeck uses a simile
to emphasize George’s facial expressions and present
emotional state. George is now faced with what his
decision will be. Will he do the hardest thing he can
imagine and kill Lennie as an act of protection against and
overly complex and cruel world or will he take the easy
path and hope that Curley and the other ranch workers
will have mercy on Lennie.

10
CHAPTER SIX: QUOTE ONE

“Slim twitched
PG.102 George's elbow. SPEAKER – SLIM, GEORGE, AND THE NARRATOR
‘Come on, George. CONTEXT
Me an' you'll go in George has just killed Lennie and the ranch workers have
an' get a drink.’ just stumbled to the riverbank to find George holding
George let himself Carlson’s luger and Lennie’s lifeless body.
be helped to his
feet. ‘Yeah, a
drink.’” ANALYSIS –
The fact that George let himself be helped to his feet by
Slim shows how much he has grown as a character over
the course of the novella. George had always been the
leader, telling Lennie what to do and how to act. But now
George has shifted to being a follower since him being
helped up shows that his has lost an amount of agency
and authority in his life. This shift occurred because
Lennie had always depended on him and Lennie was
represented George’s hope for a better life. George
destroyed that hope when he shot Lennie.

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CHAPTER SIX: QUOTE TWO

“A water snake
PG.102 glided smoothly up SPEAKER – NARRATOR
the pool, twisting CONTEXT
its periscope head This quote is used to describe the setting of the Salinas
from side to side; Riverbank where George and Lennie slept under the stars
and it swam the in the first chapter of the novella and where George told
length of the pool Lennie to go and hide if he ever got into trouble again.
and came to the
legs of a
motionless heron ANALYSIS –
that stood in the The water snake and its physical characteristics and
shallows. A silent movements are introduced to the reader in the first
head and beak chapter of Of Mice and Men. Its reappearance in the last
lanced down and chapter shows the circular story Steinbeck has created in
plucked it out by which the characters are figuratively imprisoned in their
the head, and the current circumstances, whether it be the death of a
beak swallowed dream or a person. The water snake’s subsequent death
the snake while its at the hands of the heron also foreshadows Lennie’s fate
tail waved at the hands of George and Carlson’s luger.
frantically.”

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