Of Mice and Men Notes
Use these notes to help you
understand the novella
Vocabulary Chapter 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Bindle (noun) – a bundle of bedding carried by a traveler
Jack (noun) – slang term for money
Morosely (adverb) – with sadness (She morosely took
the test because she knew she hadn’t studied very hard.)
Pantomime (verb) – to copy (The toddler pantomimed
his mother’s actions.)
Drone (verb) – to go on and on in a monotone (The math
teacher droned on about fractions.)
Contemplate (verb) – to think about deeply (He
contemplated his next move very carefully.)
Allusions and Historical References
Chapter 1 – Soledad, CA
Allusions and Historical References
Chapter 1 – Salinas River
Allusions and Historical References
Chapter 1 – Weed, CA
Allusions and Historical References
“watchin the blackboard”/ work
cards
Literary Terms Chapter 1
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Imply – To guess what the meaning is based on information
gathered. (I can imply that you had math homework last
night because I see many of you trying to finish it right
now.)
Allusion – a reference in literature to something that the
author assumes is within the readers’ frame of reference.
(Weed, CA)
Exposition – The very beginning of the novel (How
everything starts out)
Setting – Time, place and historical context of the story
(What’s the setting of this novel?)
Point of view – The perspective from which the story is told
(What are the different points of view in literature? What is
this story told in? Check the first page!)
Vocabulary Chapter 2
1.
2.
3.
Swamper (noun) – handyman; someone who
performs odd jobs (What job might this
person be responsible for on a farm?)
Tick (noun) – A mattress cover; like a thick
sheet
Stable buck (noun) – A stable is a place for
horses, A buck is used in this instance as a
derogatory term for a black man. Therefore,
a stable buck is a black man that works in a
stable with the horses.
Vocabulary Chapter 2
4. Skinner (noun) – a person responsible for driving the
mules (in this case a job that requires a higher level of
skill than your average farm worker)
5. Cesspool (noun) – An stagnate pool of water that
usually has algae growing in it among other things
6. Ominously (adverb) – Ominous means foreboding or
dangerous so doing something ominously would be
doing it in such a way that it causes suspicion or fear
7. Pugnacious (adjective) – Filled with anger;
argumentative
8. Mollified (verb) – to feel appeased; to have feelings
of anger grow less intense
Literary Terms: Chapter 2
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Dialect – Language used by a specific group of
people (Southern dialect vs Californian dialect)
Novella – A short novel
Irony – When the opposite of what you expect to
happen, happens
Direct Characterization – When the author gives you
a specific description. (What is a piece of direct
characterization for George?)
Indirect Characterization – When an author sets up a
situation where you learn about the character based
on his or her actions. (What is a piece of indirect
characterization for Lennie?)
Impressions/Predictions
Vocabulary Chapter 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
Derision (noun) – ridicule or mockery; making fun
of someone. (The derision in the classroom caused
much commotion.)
Receptive (adjective) – willingness to receive (The
students were receptive of the information that the
teacher provided.)
Reprehensible (adjective) – deserving blame (If
someone is reprehensible, he or she has done
something bad or wrong.)
Reverence (noun) – a feeling of deep respect. (I
show reverence when meeting an award-winning
author. I have respect for her work.)
Chapter 3
Allusions and Historical References
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Luger – German semiautomatic pistol
Chapter 3 Literary Terms
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Theme – The central lesson that the author is
trying to convey. (Topic + Opinion = Theme)
Imagery – Description that creates a mental
picture for the reader. (Uses all 5 senses)
Onomatopoeia – A word that sounds like its
meaning. (pop, sizzle, cuckoo)
Foreshadow – When an author gives hints
about what is coming up in the novel.
Chapter 3 Literary Terms
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Conflict – The problems that arise during the
course of the novel.
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Man vs Man
Man vs Nature
Man vs Society
Man vs Self
Chapter 4 Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
Aloof (adj): reserved, indifferent (The aloof
student sat in the back of the classroom and
hardly participated. )
Fawning (verb): to seek notice or favor by a
servile demeanor, obsequious (The fawning
mother continued to brag about her child’s
award.)
Apprehension (noun): nervous about an
outcome (The students faced much
apprehension while waiting for their AP Euro
test to be returned. )
Chapter 4 Vocabulary Continued
4. Indignation (noun): strong displeasure at
something considered unjust or offensive
(She had much indignation when she was
passed over for a promotion because she was
pregnant.)
5. Crestfallen (adj): dejected, sad (The
crestfallen child cried after she lost the soccer
game.)
Chapter 4 Literary Terms
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Verbal irony: When a person says or writes
one thing but means another; the words are
meant to convey a meaning opposite of a
literal meaning
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Saying, “Terrible weather we're having!" on a
beautiful, sunny spring day.
Symbolism: Symbols used to represent
something with a larger meaning (the dream
farm for Lennie, George and Candy represents
what on a greater scale?
Chapter 5 and 6 Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
Woe (noun): Deep suffering (She was filled
with woe when she heard that her dear aunt
had passed.)
Writhed (verb): To twist in pain (The
caterpillar writhed when the little boy pierced
him with the stick.)
Belligerently (adverb): ready to fight (The
student belligerently yelled at the teacher and
then ran out the door.)
Monotonous (noun): same thing again and
again (Math is sometimes monotonous.)
Chapter 5/6 Literary Terms
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Protagonist: The main character who faces
conflicts throughout the novel
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Who is the protagonist in the novel? Who
encounters the most problems?
Personification: Giving human-like qualities to
non-human things
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Example: The sun is smiling down his happy rays
of golden delight!
Chapter 4 Paragraph
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Topic sentence: In Of Mice and Men
Steinbeck explores the idea that life is not
complete with out having a person to share it
with. He focuses on this theme through several
characters who are faced with loneliness. For
example, ________ says, “…” This
demonstrates…Another character, _________
shows (his/her) longing for a companion when
….