"Of Mice and Men"
Study Guide
Chapter One
1.
Name the town where Lennie and George last worked.
2.
What is the name of the town where Lennie and George have come to work?
3.
Write a two sentence description of George.
4.
Write a two sentence description of Lennie.
5.
Describe the incident that caused Lennie and George to leave their last place of work.
6.
Describe Lennie and George's dream for the future.
7.
State the two main reasons why George didn't want Lennie to have a mouse.
8.
The author John Steinbeck compares Lennie to two different animals. Name these animals
and state the author's reason for the similes.
9.
The author calls Lennie's hands "paws". Why is this an effective comparison?
10. In your own words, describe the relationship between George and Lennie. Do you think
George treated him very well? Explain.
11. Why do you think George stayed with Lennie and looked after him?
CHAPTER TWO
1. Who is Candy (the Swamper)? Explain.
2. Who is Slim? Explain.
3. Who is Curley? Explain.
4. What are Lennie and George's last names? Why did Steinbeck use these names (in your
opinion)?
5. Name the three lies which George told his new boss? Explain.
6. What was the main reason why Curley didn't like Lennie?
7. Why did Candy say Curley wore a glove on his left hand?
8. What was supposedly in his glove?
9. How long have Curley and his new wife been married?
10. Who is she supposedly having an affair with? Do you believe they were "messin' around"?
Explain why or why not.
11. Write two sentences describing Slim.
12. Who is Carlson?
13. What do you think his role will be in the story?
14. What were the two main reasons why Carlson wanted Candy's dog to be put to sleep?
15. Foreshadowing plays an important part in this chapter. a) What do you think is going to
happen between Curley and Lennie?
16. What about Candy's dog?
Chapter Three
1. What type of relationship is developing between Slim and George?
2. What secret does George tell Slim?
3. In what way is Lennie like a kid rather then an adult? Give an example.
4. Who is Crooks? How did he get his name?
5. Who shoots Candy's dog?
6. How was Slim like a judge?
7. How did his pass verdict on the dog?
8. There is symbolism in Candy's dog being shot. Tell how this incident is symbolic of Candy's
own life on the ranch.
9. State what the atmosphere is like in the bunk house just before the gun shot rang out in the
air.
10. Who is old Susy?
11. Who is Clara?
12. How much does Susy charge and how much does Clara charge?
13. How much money does Candy have saved?
14. How did Curley hurt his hand?
15. What story did he promise to tell about his injury? Why would he agree to go along with this
lie?
16. Describe the scene where Lennie and Curley fought. Tell what or who started the fight, what
happened, who stopped it, etc. Don't forget to include the lead-up.
Chapter Four
1. Write two sentences describing Crooks cabin.
2. Why didn't Candy go into town with the rest of the men?
3. Why didn't Lennie want to go?
4. Why do you think Crooks wasn't invited into town?
5. What does the manner in which Crooks is treated by the rest of the ranch hands say about
prejudice or racism in the 1930's?
6. What did Crooks mean when he said to Lennie: "You got no right coming into my room"?
7. Why do you think Lennie walked into Crooks bunk, even though the other men at the ranch
never went near there?
8. Why did Lennie get mad at Crooks?
9. Why do you think Crooks teased Lennie?
10. What does Crooks say will happen to Lennie if George doesn't come back?
11. How did Curley's wife know that Lennie was the one who broke Curley's hand?
12. What threat did she say to Crooks?
13. Name four of the animals which Candy states they are going to have someday on their farm.
14. What is so symbolic about Crooks at the end of the scene changing his mind about working
on Lennie and George's farm?
Chapter Five And Six:
1. Explain how and why Lennie's dog died?
2. Where were George and the men while Lennie was in the barn?
3. Explain the scene were Lennie killed Curley's wife? Tell why and how he did it etc.
4. Why isn't Curley's wife named? Remember to support your answer.
5. Why did she marry Curley, if she didn't love him? Explain your answer.
6. Who found Curley's wife and how did he initially react?
7. Why did George tell Candy not bring the others into the barn until he was far away?
8. Besides the dog and Curley's wife, what else died that day in the barn? Explain your answer.
9. Explain the scene where George shoots Lennie. Tell in detail and include how he did it.
10. What do you think happened to George? Candy? Their dreams?