Of Mice and Men” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”
You will need to consider the historical background we discussed as well as the events in Steinbeck’s story.
You should jot down your answers in your note book, the final, typed responses are due _______________.
The homework each night is to type your responses from the day’s reading. The key to success is to
compare both of these and then relate the two together.
1. Setting: Where are Gilbert and Arnie waiting? What is the similarity between
where Gilbert and Arnie are waiting and where Lennie and George are first
introduced? What about in terms of what they are waiting for? How often do the
trucks come? What kind of workers were Lennie and George? (Put this entire
question into one answer, don’t just write several one word answers).
2. What does it mean “the town is like dancing with no music?”
3. Where does Gilbert work? What is the significance of this occupation (in relation
to the novella)? ***
4. What does Arnie kill? How does that relate to Lennie and the mice? What is
different about Arnie’s reaction from Lennie’s? ****
5. Think back to number 3. What about Gilbert’s comparison between his store and
Foodland…how does that relate to Lennie and George’s occupation in the story?
In terms of the historical context?…remember why people had to do what they
had to do.
6. Setting: Gilbert describes the store as “just a phase, they’ll be back.” Relate
that to what Crooks says about the jobs in the novella. *****
7. How does Gilbert get Arnie to come down? How are these like the story
George tells Lennie? How about when Gilbert and Arnie say that it’s the last
time he goes up the water tower? How is that similar to what Lennie does
throughout the novella? *****
8. Does Gilbert really have nothing to do? Explain.
9. What does Burger Barn represent from “Of Mice and Men?” What does
Arnie’s party represent? Be sure to explain your answer thoroughly and use a
quote from the book. ******
10. What do they offer to momma? Why doesn’t she want to move? How does
that fit in with some of the problems you saw characters in “Of Mice and
Men” experience? Again, explain your answer thoroughly. ******
11. In the diner: when the funeral guy talks about people not knowing that they
could die at any second – what scene from the book does that mimic? Explain.
12. How does Ellen make Arnie cry?– how does Gilbert’s discussion of “nobody
hurts Arnie” fit with Lennie’s fight with Curly?
13. Why does Gilbert leave Arnie at the house after the incident with Ellen? Find
a similarity between this incident and something that happens in the book.
****
14. What do Becky and Gilbert watch? How does Becky describe the sky? How
does her description of the sky reflect the opposite of life that Gilbert has led?
How does that fit with the lives of characters in the novella?
15. What happens when Gilbert leaves Arnie in the bathtub? What lesson does
Gilbert learn about Arnie from this incident? How did George learn a similar
lesson about Lennie (and what was the lesson)?*****
16. Who does Ms. Carver trick Gilbert into calling? How is this like Curley’s
wife’s flirtations? What does she tell Gilbert while he’s sitting in the truck?
Explain what her conversation with Gilbert mirrors in the book.
17. What does Gilbert help Becky’s grandma with? How is Gilbert helping the
truck get started like George letting other people in on their farm dream?****
18. What “crime” does Arnie keep committing? Just like the _______ from Of
Mice and Men (fill in the blank).
19. Where do the police take Arnie? Who goes to help get him out? After Arnie
gets released, why does everyone stop and stare?
20. Who does Arnie invite to the party? How does that mimic what Lennie does
when he’s in the room with Crooks and the guys?*****
21. What does the guy say about why Burger Barn is so important? How is Burger
Barn like California in this instance?******
22. Why does Gilbert go to Foodland? How is this similar to George killing
Lennie? (Explain thoroughly, discuss what caused both incidents and how
those ideas are related). *****
23. What does Gilbert do to Arnie? Is Gilbert justified in his reaction? Did you
think George was justified in killing Lennie?
24. Setting: briefly describe what’s similar about where Arnie goes and where
Lennie went to get away?
25. Look back to question 24. What’s different about these situations? Not just the
reasons but the results and consequences.
26. Mama keeps saying she never mean to get “like this.” How does this line
relate to what George, Candy and the rest of the guys are thinking at the end
of the story? **********
27. Explain why Gilbert burns the house down. What s important about the fact
that Gilbert and Arnie leave with Becky the next time the season comes
around. What feeling does this give to the end of the movie in comparison to
the end of the novella. What kind of life does it imply Gilbert and Arnie might
have, what kind of life does the story imply that George might have?
28. There are many characters in the movie who (could) represent different characters
from the novella. Who do the following movie characters represent: Be sure to
EXPLAIN your reasoning thoroughly by discussing scenes from the movie and
from the novella. Letter ‘D’ will require the most thought and the best, logical
explanation. Remember- it doesn’t have to be a character, it can be an idea!
*********
a. Gilbert and Arnie (I know this is easy, but give a quality explanation
anyway)
b. Mr. and Mrs. Carver
c. Bob and Tucker (the guy drives a hearse and the guy who helps Gilbert
work on the house)
d. Becky (the girl whose camper broke down)
29. Does anyone represent Aunt Clara? Explain.
30. Where does the aspect of being a migrant, seasonal worker come in to the movie?
Even though the movie doesn’t involve migrant workers, how is Gilbert’s life
similar to what we learned about the lives of migrant workers? Don’t just talk
about the fact that it’s a hard life. Be specific!******