Journal Assignment
As you read Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, you will be
asked to complete journal entries. This assignment is designed to
encourage active reading habits, requiring you to pause and reflect as
you read. Because this is a journal assignment, less emphasis is placed on whether
your responses are “right” or “wrong,” and more emphasis on how much you
authentically engage with the text. We will use many of your responses as “jumping
off” points for class discussions. Each entry
Directions: For each chapter you read, you will need to write 2 journal entries.
Each entry should be 1-2 paragraphs in length. Be sure to reference page numbers
and quotes!
Chapter 1:
o Who are George and Lennie? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their
relationship? Finally, why does George stay with Lennie even though he
complains about it?
o Before Lennie and George get to the ranch to work, what is the dream? How
does the dream evolve over the course of the novel and why is it repeated over
and over again?
Chapter 2:
o Comment on Steinbeck’s description of “place” in the novel, referring to
particular words, phrases, or passages. These descriptions can involve the
natural world or the environment on the Tyler Ranch itself.
o Comment on your reaction to the story itself. How do you respond to the
action? Position yourself within the text. Write about how you fit into the
story. Can you relate to some of the struggles?
Chapter 3:
o What purpose do dreams serve? Are they necessary for all of us? Finally, can
a dream be destructive? Explain.
o How does Steinbeck’s belief in “the group” take shape in this novel? Also, how
does this belief fit particularly well with the time period described in this
work? Explain.
Chapter 4:
o Compare and contrast at least two characters who live in the bunkhouse with
two characters who do not (insiders vs. outsiders). How are they the same?
How are they different?
o Describe the tone (attitude of the speaker or sometimes the author) by listing
10-12 words from an extended section (1+ pages), and then discuss how those
words serve to establish a particular tone.
Chapter 5:
o Talk to a character. Ask the character a question, scold them, advise them,
yell at them, or beg them to change… whatever! Pretend the character is
someone who may listen to you.
o Curley’s wife is viewed differently by her husband and by the farm hands.
Thinking in terms of being feminine, provocative, and/or voluptuous, how is
Curley’s wife perceived by these men? How are women perceived in the our
society today?
Chapter 6:
o Explain the parallels between Lennie and Candy’s dog. Also, why does Candy
think he should have killed his dog? Finally, who is to blame for Lennie’s
final outcome at the end of the novel?
o How would a naturalist explain the events of the story and the final outcome?