Written by John Steinbeck
Notes
John Steinbeck
1. Author
2. Vocabulary
(You are responsible for
knowing the following
words and their
meanings)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Admiringly
Ashamedly
Brusquely
Brutally
Confidently
Dejectedly
Hopelessly
Imperiously
Insultingly
2. Vocabulary continued…
10.
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15.
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17.
18.
19.
3. Symbiosis
Relationship between
two life forms
Both forms benefit from
each other
Slim and George
A. Mutualism
Example
Lice
Morosely
Muse
Ominously
Plaintively
Profound
Promptly
Pugnacious
Suspiciously
Timidly
B. Commensalism
Example
C. Parasitism
Example
4. Themes
A. Ambition
B. Friendship
One form is helped and
the other is neither
helped nor harmed
Candy and his dog
One form benefits, but
the other is always hurt
Curley and Curley’s wife
Main ideas running
through a work of
literature
Trying to get to the ranch
George and Lennie
C. Discrimination
Crooks not living
in Bunkhouse
5. Characterization
a. Directly describes
b. Character’s speech
c. Character’s action
d. Character’s thoughts
and emotions
e. Reaction of others
6. Symbols
Things that have
meaning but also
represent something
larger
A. Old Dog
B. Solitaire game
C. Lennie and George’s
Dream
D. Puppy
7. Conflict
A. Characters and
outside forces
Uselessness, old age
Men alone, isolation,
loneliness
Paradise, land of milk
and honey
Hope, new life,
happiness
Struggle between
opposing forces
Curley vs. Lennie
George vs. Society
Lennie vs. Law
Crook vs. Prejudice
B. Between characters
C. Inner Conflict
8. Foreshadowing
Examples
Curley vs. Lennie
Curley vs. Curley’s Wife
Curley vs. Wife
Curley vs. all the workers
Treatment of Lennie by
George
Lennie vs. Himself
Something that hints to
what will come in the
future
Girl in weeds
Mouse
Pup
Lennie and the river
Shooting Candy’s dog
Secret of the Ranch