Of Mice and Men
English II—Academic
Chapters 1 & 2
Chapter 1
• What part of the country does the novel
take place?
– Why would Steinbeck pay so much attention
to the setting?
– Does it remind you of a beautiful, perfect
place you’ve heard of elsewhere (think
allusion)?
– What happened in this place?
Chapter 1
• What words are used to describe Lennie?
– What element does Steinbeck use to create
imagery that helps you better picture Lennie?
– What types of things is Lennie compared to?
• Why would Steinbeck do this?
Chapter 1
• What words are used to describe George?
Chapter 1
• Why were George and Lennie run out of
Weed?
– Does this remind you of anything else Lennie
does in the first chapter?
Chapter 1
• Does George really want Lennie to go
away?
– What proves that he doesn’t?
– Why would he say this?
Chapter 1
• What does “an live off the fatta’ the land”
mean?
• Where does this phrase come from?
Chapter 1
• live off the fatta the lan': Live off the fat
of the land. The fat of the land is an
expression that refers to having the best of
everything. In the case of Lennie and
George and their dream for a place of their
own, it also means that they believe they
will be able to survive and prosper by
simply relying on what they can grow and
raise -- that the land is so "fat" they will
need nothing else to be happy.
Chapter 1
• Where does George tell Lennie to hide if
he gets in trouble?
– What literary device could Steinbeck be using
here?
Chapter 2
Candy
18
Crooks
20
Boss
20
Slim
33
Curley
25
Curley’s Wife
28
Carlson
35
Chapter 2
• George tells two lies about he and Lennie.
What are these two lies?
– Why would George lie?
Chapter 2
• How does Slim react to George and
Lennie’s relationship?
Chapter 2
• How does Curley react to Lennie and
George’s relationship?
– How does Curley treat Lennie?
– What literary device could Steinbeck be using
here?
Chapter 2
• What happened to Slim’s dog?
– What does Carlson want to do with a pup?
– What does Lennie want to do with a pup?