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Chapter 4 Study Guide: Of Mice and Men
Idioms: (use website http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/mice/info.html to find definitions)
booby hatch— Insane asylum
put me in pitchers— “put me in the movies”
sellin' me— trying to make me believe (convince)
strung up on a tree— hanged or lynched
Vocabulary:
Apprehension (72)—worry
Scornful (74)—feeling or expressing strong dislike
Contemptuously (78)—feeling, expressing, or showing lack of respect
Subsided (81)—decreased, became less
Study Questions:
1. Describe Crooks.
a. What is his room like?
-He has a lot of books: dictionary and the California civil code of 1905
-He has a tool bench, a bunk filled w/straw, lots of shoes, spectacles (glasses), medicine
for the horses and himself (he’s rubbing liniment on his back), and lamp.
-He’s got a lot of stuff, more than the other guys. He’s obviously been at this ranch for a
long time.
b. What is his personality/attitude like?
-He’s alert; he knows when Lennie comes in the room.
-He’s rude to Lennie, but he becomes more friendly after talking to Lennie.
-Cold and suspicious towards Lennie
-Lonely, harsh
c. Why is he called Crooks?
He was kicked by a horse, which is why he has a crooked spine and his name is Crooks
for that.
2. Crooks seems to have a real attitude with Lennie. Why does he act like this?
He’s mean with Lennie because his whole life he has been treated poorly by white men. Crooks
isn’t allowed to go in the bunkhouse to play cards with the guys, so he doesn’t want anyone
coming into his room. He’s guarding his feelings and place.
3. Why does Crooks think that George hangs around with Lennie? Why does this make Crooks so
excited?
George wants company, he wants a guy to be around, and if he tells Lennie things, Lennie will
forget almost everything. Crooks is excited because Crooks has found a friend in Lennie,
someone to talk to. Lennie is too busy thinking about George and rabbits.
4. What does Crooks ask Lennie that upsets him? How does Lennie react?
Crooks asks Lennie what he would do if George got hurt or never came back. Lennie says that
George would never get hurt, and Lennie is scared that George might not come back. Lennie
becomes angry and acts like he might hurt someone.
5. What seems to be the feeling that is motivating Crooks in his conversation with Lennie? Write
one quote down that hints at this feeling.
6. Crooks comments on Lennie and George’s dream. What does he say about it? What is his tone?
Crooks says that it’s the same dream that other men have, but none of them ever achieve it. He
seems kind of angry that more people are trying for the dream. He also seems scornful, strong
dislike, doesn’t believe in the dream.
7. How do we know that Crooks seems to change his opinion of Lennie and George’s dream?
He realizes that they have a plan and that their dream is actually going to happen.
8. Curley’s wife and Candy get into an argument, and Candy seems to change as he speaks with
her. How does he change? Why does he change?
He becomes mean, and he changes because she insults them and threatens Crooks. After she
threatens Candy, he stops being mean and pulls into himself. He seems timid, scared.
9. After the argument described above, Crooks seems to have changed. How does he change?
Why does he change?
Crooks wanted to be part of the dream, but when he hears George say that Lennie wasn’t
supposed to tell anyone about the dream, Crooks tells Candy to forget what he said about
joining them. He realizes that the others don’t think of him as an equal. He changes back to
what he was like in the beginning of the chapter.
10. Read the last sentence of the chapter. What is it similar to? What does this mean for Crooks?
In the beginning of the chapter, he was putting on medicine and now at the end he’s putting on
medicine. Life is going to be the same for Crooks…he’s not going to have anyone to talk to. Even
after being with Lennie, he is alone now.
Summary and Analysis Time!
Directions: Complete the following chart to the best of your ability at this point in the reading.
George
Lennie
Candy
Crooks
Curley’s Wife
What is his dream?
What is his dream?
What is his dream?
What is his dream?
What is her dream?
He wants to own a
ranch and be his
own boss.
He wants to tend
the rabbits.
He wants to be
cared about and be
useful.
He wants friends,
people to talk to.
She wants to be in
the movies.
Do you think it will
come true?
Do you think it will
come true?
Do you think it will
come true?
Do you think it will
come true?
Do you think it will
come true?