Of Mice and Men
Chapter 1 Questions
Chapter 1
1. The beginning of the novel begins with a rich description of the physical setting. Cite examples
of three uses of descriptive language. Explain the effect on the mood of the novel by beginning
the narrative with this description. What is Steinbeck trying to suggest about the area by the
Salinas River?
2. Of Mice and Men is set during the Great Depression. During this era, hobos travelled across the
United States, and in the evening, the hobos would settle in camps that were referred to as
“Hobo Jungles.” To “jungle-up” is to camp in an area that other men had used or are using for
the evening. Compare and contrast the two men who come into the clearing by the river. Why
do you think Steinbeck introduces the men by describing their physical features, highlighting
the fact that one is small and one is huge? What can the reader infer about the two men based
on their descriptions?
3. Steinbeck uses animal imagery to describe Lennie, the larger man. Cite two examples of this
type of image that is used in the first few pages of the chapter.
4. Why does George tell Lennie not to drink the water? Why might this seem like an unusual
instructions to give a man who has spent part of his adult life traveling the country?
5. George gives Lennie instructions about the water, and when he explains about the type of water
that is safe to drink, he does so “hopelessly.” What can we infer about why George might feel
hopeless when he is talking to Lennie?
6. How does Lennie’s desire for a touching sensation get him in trouble in Weed?
7. Why does George tell Lennie to remember the spot where they are camping? What might this
conversation foreshadow?
8. What literary term does Steinbeck use in the last sentence of the chapter?