Of Mice and Men Vocabulary and Study Guide Questions

Vocabulary:

Study Questions: Chapter One

1. How did Lennie's mouse die?
2. What does George tell Lennie to do if he gets in trouble?
3. In what ways does Lennie meet George's need for a companion?
4. In what ways does Lennie fail to meet George'e needs?
5. What is the dominant contrast in the first part of the novel?
6. The description of the setting in the first scene has a poetic, almost dreamy quality. What words contribute to the poetic quality?
7. how does this lyrical style contrast to the dialogue spoken by the characters in the novel?
8. How does Steinbeck present the exposition of the story?
9. Why do you think the author brings up a past incident at the start of the novel?
10. What are some other ways in which people try to overcome loneliness? What do you think are good ways for people to stop being lonely?

Chapter Two

1. Why does Carlson want to have Candy's dog shot?
2. How do George and Lennie react to Curley's wife?
3. Why do you think George camped in the clearing the night before and arrived at the ranch when most of the men were away, working?
4. Why do you think George tells Slim the truth about himself and Lennie when he has been cautious and defensive with other men?
5. What is significant about Candy's statement, "the stable buck don't give a damn about that," when he tells George that the boss always takes out his frustrations on the stable man?
6. When Lennie meets the boss, what more do we learn about Lennie's limitations?
7. Why do you think "Curley's Wife" is not given a name?
8. Can you think of some other character in a book you have read or a movie you have seen who was threatened by a bully? How was the problem resolved?

Chapter Three

1. What does Candy offer Lennie and George so he can share their plan to own their own place?
2. How did Lennie finally stop Curley from hitting him?
3. Would you consider Lennie violent? Why or why not?
4. Describe the mood in the bunkhouse when Carlson takes Candy's dog outside to be shot.
5. Why do you think George wants to keep their plans a secret?
6. Why doesn't Lennie's flight with Curley affect their chances of reaching their goal?
7. Contrast Lennie and Curley. How are they opposites?
8. Can you think of two other characters in a book or film who maintain a strong, if unusual, relationship?

Chapter Four

1. How are the plans for the farm developed in this part?
2. What does Curley's wife say she could have done differently with her life.
3. Would Candy have agreed to let Crooks live on the farm or not? Why?
4. What is the difference between the way Candy sees himself and the way Curley's wife sees him?
5. How does Crooks normally deal with his lonliness?
6. Although her education and experience are limited, give an example of how perceptive Curley's wife can be.
7. Who is responsible for destroying Crooks dream? How?

Chapter Five

1. What details show that Curley does not love his wife?
2. How does an innocent longing for human contact lead to catastrophe?
3. What do you think happened to Carlson's gun? Give your reasons.
4. Curley's wife had her own hopes and dreams. What are they?
5. How doesn the preceding conversation about soft things, such as hair and rabbits, add to the feeling of horror of Curley's wife's death?
6. Have the ranch workers who have seen Curley's wife as a "tart" or "tramp" juded her accurately? Why or why not?

Chapter Six

1. What details show that Lennie does not suspect that George is about to shoot him?
2. What details show that even in thsi dreadful situation, George is not a cruel man?
3. Why do you think Lennie has visions? What emotions do they make him feel?
4. What is the irony of George having to tell Lennie how free he would be without him?
5. What does Slim realize that none of the other men do?
6. Do you think George is a hero? Why or why not?