Of Mice and Men Pages 1-16 - Loudoun County Public Schools



The Great Depression 1929-1941

I. Massive global economic recession

a. Stock Market crash in 1929, marked the start of the world wide crisis

b. unemployment soared from 3% to 25%, manufacturing declined by 1/3

c. World-wide trade dropped by 62%

d. Consumers reduced their purchases of luxury products

e. Small farmers went bankrupt and lost land

II. Herbert Hoover

a. Underestimated severity of crisis

1. proposed works program to generate jobs

2. Deflation continued (prices went down)

b. Raised interest rates

III. Daily Life in the U.S. during the Depression

a. Not all Americans plunged into instant poverty

1. some jobs were “depression proof” (teachers, doctors)

b. Name-brand product manufacturers failed

c. Lenders restricted credit availability and repossessed furniture and other products purchased through credit

d. Movie industry flourished

IV. End of the Depression

a. Roosevelt elected in 1932 and instated the New Deal

1. proved work and relief by increasing government spending

b. U.S. entered WWII because it’ll help economy

1. increased population = more jobs

2. in 1944 only 1.2% unemployed

Of Mice and Men Name

Answer on loose leaf.

pgs.1-16

1. How does Steinbeck convey Lennie’s animal-like qualities.

2. Why does Steinbeck describe the actions of Lennie’s hands?

3. What is George’s attitude toward Lennie in this section? Why does he stay with Lennie?

4. Explain the connection between Lennie’s mous and what happened in Weed.

5. Describe George’s dream.

6. What suggests that the dream of the farm is unrealistic?

7. Give some examples of foreshadowing in this section.

pgs.17-37

1. Most of the opening paragraphs of this section consist of a realistic description of the bunkhouse. What detail suggests that the ranch hands have a “romantic” side?

2. How does the account of Whitey’s quitting contribute to the book’s mood of alienation?

3. Why is the stable buck set apart from the other men?

4. Which character names from this section have symbolic importance?

5. Why is the boss suspicious of George and Lennie?

6. What explanation is given for Lennie’s mental condition? Is it accurate?

7. What is Candy’s opinion of Curley’s wife? Does it seem justified?

8. The swamper says, “seems like Curley ain’t givin’ nobody a chance.” Explain.

9. What advice does George give Lennie after Curley and the swamper leave? What is the possible problem with Lennie being big?

10. What qualities does the description of Slim suggest?

11. What is the significance of Slim’s and Carlson’s remarks about the dogs?

12. Define internal conflict. Give an example from the novel.

pgs. 38-65

1. What does George’s conversation with Slim reveal about his past treatment of Lennie?

2. Why does George trust Slim?

3. What is George’s analysis of Lennie’s attack on the girl in Weed? Does it seem probable?

4. Analyze Carlson’s reasons for and Candy’s reasons against shooting Candy’s dog. How

do they touch on the central issues in the novel?

5. Why does George decline Whit’s invitation to visit the brothel?

6. Is the dream of owning a farm realistic?

7. What comparisons does Candy make between his own condition and his dog’s? How does this reinforce the theme of responsibility?

8. What does Lennie’s fright with Curley show the ranch hands? What does the description of this fight suggest about the nature of violence?

9. Gives some examples of foreshadowing.

10. Define external conflict. Give an example from the novel.

11. Identify the characters that fit the following character types: protagonist, antagonist, round, flat.

pgs. 66-83

1. What does the description of Crooks’s room reveal about its occupant? Why is his name appropriate?

2. Why does Crooks allow Lennie to enter his room?

3. Define indirect characterization. Give an example Steinbeck indirectly characterizing Crooks.

4. How do Crooks’s words to Lennie about loneliness reinforce this theme of the novel?

5. On page 75, Crooks lets Candy in his room. What does it mean when Steinbeck writes, “It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger”?

6. What is Crooks’s reaction to the dream of the farm?

7. How does the dream of the farm compare to the “American Dream?

8. How does the behavior of Curley’s wife seem deliberately designed to provoke men?

9. What motives does Steinbeck suggest for her behavior?

10. How is her nature as a destructive character most clearly revealed?

11. In what ways does Crooks retreat before her attack?

pgs. 84-107

1. How is Lennie’s treatment of his dead puppy typical of his character?

2. In what way is Curley’s wife a dreamer? Is her dream any more realistic than George and Lennie’s?

3. How does Curley’s wife feel about her husband?

4. List three examples of Lennie acting or thinking like a child throughout the novel.

5. How does Curley’s wife entice Lennie into touching her?

6. How does Lennie react to what he has done?

7. How does George’s reaction to the murder relate to his belief about the dream?

8. Compare the reactions of Curley and Slim.

9. Define external conflict. Give an example from this section.

10. Who do you think Candy and George fell sorry for the most – the dead girl or Lennie? Explain.

11. Describe Lennie’s state of mind as he goes to hide in the brush.

12. Do you think Lennie has a conscience? How do you know?

13. In what tone do you imagine George talking to Lennie before George kills him? Why?

14. The description of Lennie’s death recalls another event in the novel. What is it?

15. What does the parallel reveal about George’s motives?

16. Explain George’s last remarks to Lennie.

17. Why does George lie about the gun?

18. Why does Slim treat George as he does?

19. Explain the significance of the last line in the novel.

20. Based on the entire novel, identify a character trait of either George OR Lennie, then give an example in which he demonstrates the trait.

21. How does the setting of the novel affect the plot?

Characters

George Milton – short, quick, takes care of Lennie

Lennie Small – tall, big man, mentally handicapped, travels with George, does not mean to use his strength in negative ways

Candy – old swamper (helper, cleans), missing one hand, first to befriend George and Lenni, has a smelly old dog, wants to be part of George and Lennie’s plan to buy land

Whitey – previous bunkhouse occupnt, overly clean

Crooks – African American stable buck who has a crooked back, has his own room, keeps to himself

Curley – boss’s son, has a new wife, very short, heavyweight box, wants to fight big guys, mean and hot-headed

Slim – skinner (mule driver, strips and sells animal skins, respected, not sure of age, was like the prince of the ranch

Carlson – ranch hand, kills Candy’s dog

Curley’s wife – flirtatious tease, does not actually love Curley

Susy – owns a house in town, very clean

Clara – owns a house in town

Bill Tenner – formerly worked at the ranch, wrote a letter to a magazine

Aunt Clara – Lennie’s dead aunt

Whit – young laborer

Smitty – fought with Crooks at earlier Christmas party

Symbolism

Candy’s Dog

Hint: The ending with George and Lennie

The Cripples

Candy – hand, Crooks – crooked spine, Lennie – mentally slow, Curley – mangled hand

Hint: A theme – the schemes of men go awry (bad)

Solitaire

Hint: How many people does it require to play the card game?

Why does George always play solitaire and not a card game with Lennie?

Dead Mouse and Dead Puppy

Hint: Theme – dreams go wrong

What happens to George and Lennie’s dream?

Writing Assignment Chapter 1

Loneliness is a common emotion that everyone feels once in a while – some more often than others. The ranch hands in Of Mice and Men were drifters; they had no families close by and did not stay in one place long enough to make lasting friends. Two fellows, George and Lennie, found friendship early in their lives and traveled together. From them we can see what it means to be a friend and what it means to have a friend. Friendship has great rewards, but being a friend is not always easy.

Your assignment is to develop an advertisement – “WANTED: A Friend”. Your advertisement should carry all the usual information of a want ad: what you want, a job description, the requirements and the rewards. Your ad must be in an 8 ½ X 11 piece of paper. Be as creative as you like, but remember your ad must contain the information requested above and remember that you are striving for an effective advertisement.

Writing Assignment (after Chapter 3)

Everyone has hopes and dreams for the future. We hope our lives will turn out in a certain way; we hope certain events will take place; we hope we will be able to live a certain lifestyle, and so on. George and Lennie dream of having a piece of land, a farm, of their own.

Sometimes we’re lucky and things just seem to work out without our doing anything to make them happen. More often, though, we can take certain steps to make our hopes and dreams more likely to come true. That doesn’t mean they will, but the chances of their coming true can be greatly increased.

Your assignment is to choose one of your hopes and dreams for the future, describe it, and make a detailed plan as to what you believe you can do to help make your hope or dream come true.

Prewriting: Think about your future. What would you like to have happen in the future more than anything else? Think about what you can do to improve your chances of having that dream come true.

Final Writing Assignment

Now that you have completed the novel, you know that George kills Lennie. This act is presented as the humane thing to do for Lennie, which it very well could have been. Playing the Devil’s Advocate, though, one could ask if, indeed, this was the correct decision. If Lennie had been taken to trial, perhaps he would have been excused on the grounds of lack of mental competence and may have been given a better life than he had with George.

In this writing assignment, George is on trial for murdering Lennie. You are to become either the attorney for George’s defense or the prosecuting attorney. Your assignment is to write your closing arguments to the jury. Closing arguments are a lawyer’s final summary of the case and the best efforts at persuading the jury.

Prewriting: Decide which side you want to take – George’s defense or the prosecution. Jot down the facts that support your case. Then, organize them from strongest to weakest.

End of Novel Writing Assignment

Of Mice and Men has one of the most controversial endings in literature. Your assignment is to create a new ending to the story. You may choose to take off where Steinbeck left, or you may desire to create an entirely new ending. Your new ending should be close to one page and show an understanding of the plot, characters, and setting. Your story should still contain the same characters, time line, and setting; you are to simply remake the ending. Take your time and be creative!

A Cast of Eight: Characters and Character

Match the characters in Of Mice and Men with the character traits you believe them to possess.

____1. George Milton a. reserved, cautious

____2. Lennie Small b. brutish, cocky, arrogant

____3. Slim c. aged, lonely

____4. Candy d. responsible

____5. Crooks e. pragmatic

____6. Carlson f. hulking, loyal, affectionate

____7. Curley g. flirtatious, self-centered

____8. Curley’s wife h. sympathetic, perceptive

9. How many characters would you describe as lonely? Name them.

10. Which character do you like best? With whom would you probably become friendly?

11. Which character seems the angriest about the circumstances of his life? Most accepting?

12. Which character remains the most remote, the one about which we know the least?

13. Does the reader know enough about each character to develop the plot, or are there unanswered questions? What do you still want to know about any of the characters?

A Cast of Eight: Characters and Character

Match the characters in Of Mice and Men with the character traits you believe them to possess.

____1. George Milton a. reserved, cautious

____2. Lennie Small b. brutish, cocky, arrogant

____3. Slim c. aged, lonely

____4. Candy d. responsible

____5. Crooks e. pragmatic

____6. Carlson f. hulking, loyal, affectionate

____7. Curley g. flirtatious, self-centered

____8. Curley’s wife h. sympathetic, perceptive

9. How many characters would you describe as lonely? Name them.

10. Which character do you like best? With whom would you probably become friendly?

11. Which character seems the angriest about the circumstances of his life? Most accepting?

12. Which character remains the most remote, the one about which we know the least?

13. Does the reader know enough about each character to develop the plot, or are there unanswered questions? What do you still want to know about any of the characters?

Of Mice and Men Tic-Tac-Toe

Select three horizontal or vertical activities to complete for an actual “tic-tac-toe”.

Name: Due Date:

|Filmstrip of a scene |Hopes and Dreams |Careers for Mentally |

| | |Handicapped |

|Pick a scene from Of Mice and Men and create five|Everyone has hopes and dreams for the future. | |

|illustrations for a filmstrip. Describe each |Select one of your hopes and dreams, describe it,|Research possible careers that are currently |

|illustration in two sentences on the back. Each |and outline a detailed plan that will guide you |available for mentally slow, but physically able |

|illustration should be 4” by 4” and in color. |through accomplishing your hope or dream. |people such as Lennie. Also, diagnose the |

| | |possible mental handicap Lennie may have. |

|Ending Rewrite |Obituary |Book Cover |

| | | |

|Of Mice and Men has one of the most controversial|Create an obituary for either Lennie and Curley’s|Design a book cover for Of Mice and Men. This |

|endings in literature. Create a new ending. You |wife. You must include name, age, background, |includes the front of the book with an |

|may pick up the ending where you choose. The new |interests, family or friends, cause of death, |illustration and author’s name. The back should |

|ending should be at least one page and show an |scene of accident, future ambitions, what the |summarize the novel. Be creative, use color and |

|understanding of the novel. |person will be remembered for, and funeral |demonstrate your understanding of the novel. |

| |information. | |

|Grammar Editor |Map of California |Journal Entry |

| | | |

|See Mrs. Ruff for a passage from the novel. |Find a map of California to print or create a |Pretend you are George Milton and you just shot |

|Rewrite the passage so that it contains no |copy of. Highlight the Salinas Valley, |your best friend Lennie. Reflecting on the |

|grammatical errors and are in perfect, formal |Sacramento, and Weed and other major cities such |incident, write a one-page journal entry. Be sure|

|English. |as Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc. Make the map |to recall the events and describe your reactions |

| |colorful and easy to read. |and emotions. |

Of Mice and Men Pages 1-16

1. Identify and give a physical description of Lennie and George.

2. What is George’s first complaint to Lennie?

3. What trouble did George and Lennie have in Weed?

4. What is in Lennie’s pocket? Why does he have this?

5. George bursts into a long speech about what he could do if he were alone. What could he do? What prompts the speech?

6. Lennie offers to go away and live in a cave. What is George’s response?

7. Why are George and Lennie different from the other “guys like us that work on ranches”?

8. What are George and Lennie going to do someday?

9. What two things does George want Lennie to remember?

10. Why did George want to camp overnight instead of going another quarter mile to the ranch?

Of Mice and Men Pages17-37

1. Describe Whitey’s main character trait.

2. Why does the boss think George is with Lennie?

3. What does George answer when the boss asks what he is “trying to put over”?

4. Identify and describe Curley. Who is his wife?

5. The swamper says, “seems like Curley ain’t givin’ nobody a chance.” Explain.

6. What advice does George give Lennie after Curley and the swamper leave? What is the possible problem with Lennie being big?

7. Identify and describe Slim and Carlson.

8. What does Slim have that Lennie wants?

9. Identify and describe two examples of foreshadowing that have occurred in the novel so far.

Of Mice and Men Pages 38-65

1. Slim and George have a long conversation. Slim says it’s funny how George and Lennie go around together. What is George’s answer?

2. Identify and describe Candy.

3. What did Carlson do with his Luger? Why?

4. What kind of relationship do George and Lennie have?

5. What happened in the past that made George stop making fun of Lennie?

6. What card game does George like to play?

7. Describe Curley’s wife. What is the problem with her?

8. What will Lennie’s job be when he and George get their land?

9. What does White find in a magazine?

10. What does Candy want when he hears about George and Lennie’s plans? What is he willing to contribute?

11. Why does Curley fight with Lennie? What happened?

Of Mice and Men Pages 66-83

1. Identify and describe Crooks.

2. Why do you think Crooks gave in and allowed Lennie to enter his room?

3. Describe Crooks’ life growing up.

4. Describe the dirty trick that Crooks plays on Lennie

5. Lennie tells Crooks about the land. What is Crooks’ first response?

6. What does Crooks compare getting land to?

7. On page 75, Crooks lets Candy in his room. What does it mean when Steinbeck writes, “It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger”?

8. Why does Curley’s wife come to the barn?

9. What does Curley’s wife say about talking to one man versus two men? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

10. When Curley’s wife asks what happens to Curley’s hand, what do they say?

11. Why did Crooks change his mind after she left?

Of Mice and Men Pages 84-98

1. What happens to Lennie’s puppy?

2. Describe Curley’s wife when she enters the barn.

3. List three examples of Lennie acting or thinking like a child.

4. Why does Curley’s wife want to talk to Lennie? Why do you think she wants to?

5. What could Curley’s wife have done with her life? Why didn’t she?

6. Where did Curley and his wife meet? What does she think of him? What kind of relationship do you think they have?

7. What does Curley’s wife think of Lennie?

8. Based on past situations and pg. 91, what does Lennie do when he gets upset?

9. Describe what Lennie does that kills Curley’s wife.

10. George and Candy know Lennie killed Curley’s wife. What do they want to do?

11. Who do you think Candy and George fell sorry for the most – the dead girl or Lennie? Do you agree? Why?

Of Mice and Men Pages 99-107

1. Where does Lennie go?

2. Do you think Lennie has a conscience? How do you know?

3. List four adjectives to describe how Lennie probably feels about what he has done and the situation he is in now.

4. What does Lennie ask George to tell him?

5. In what tone do you imagine George talking to Lennie before George kills him? Why? How did George kill Lennie?

6. What is Carlson’s reaction? Who is the only person who truly seems to understand how George probably feels? How does this person show this?

7. List four adjectives to describe the thoughts that were going through George’s right before, during, and after he killed Lennie.

8. List four adjectives to describe how you felt during these last events of the novel.

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