GCSE English Literature

“Of Mice and Men” Question Booklet

Use the following questions to pick out relevant quotes and make notes in your exercise
book under the provided headings. (Page references are based on the Longman Edition)
 Characters

George Lennie Slim

Candy Crooks Curley

Curley’s Wife Carlson The Boss

Themes
Friendship Dreams

Ranch Life Loneliness Power

Conflict/Violence Discrimination/Prejudice

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Chapter 1

George and Lennie camp in the brush by a pool, the night before starting new jobs as ranch hands.
George finds Lennie stroking a dead mouse in his pocket. He complains that caring for Lennie
prevents him from living a freer life. We find out that Lennie's innocent petting of a girl's dress led to
them losing their last jobs in Weed. However, when they talk about their dream of getting a piece of
land together, we know they really depend on each other.

The Brush (Page 1-2)

1. The novel starts off “A few miles south of Soledad”. What does “Soledad” mean and why do you
think Steinbeck has set the novel here?
2. How is the setting described? What impression does Steinbeck create? Pick out 3
descriptions/quotes to support your ideas.
3. What sentence(s) in the second paragraph suggests that this setting is enjoyed by many people?
Why do you think ranch workers and others come here?
4. Why do you think Steinbeck takes time to create a vivid, beautiful and peaceful setting here
before we arrive at the ranch in Chapter 2?

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George and Lennie’s Introduction (Page 2-4)

1. Why do the characters walk “in single file down the path” and why does Lennie stay behind
George? What does this reveal about their relationship?
2. What do their clothes and possessions reveal about George and Lennie?
3. How is each character physically described? What impression does this give for each character?
4. How does Steinbeck present the similarities and differences between George and Lennie? Are
they more different than they are alike?
5. How/why is Lennie described in animalistic terms? What does this reveal about his mental state?
6. What do the physical descriptions of Lennie drinking from the pool suggest about his character?
7. How does George respond to Lennie’s actions? What do his reactions and instructions to Lennie
reveal about the power dynamics in their relationship?
8. What moments reveal Lennie to be a childish character? What else do these moments reveal
about him?
9. What evidence is there to suggest that Lennie admires George and wants to seek his approval?

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George and Lennie’s Relationship (Page 4-11)

1. How does George react to Lennie’s forgetfulness? What does his language/comments to Lennie
reveal about their friendship?
2. How does Steinbeck illustrate Lennie’s forgetfulness in his speech?
3. Why does George take care of Lennie’s work card?

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4. Why does George demand that Lennie hand over the dead mouse? What does their interaction
reveal about their relationship?
5. Why does Lennie want to keep the mouse? What does this reveal about his character?
6. Why do you think George tells Lennie to not speak when they eventually meet the boss of the
ranch?
7. What aspect of Lennie’s character does George want to highlight to the boss instead? Why do
you think this is?
8. What type of language does George use when he compliments Lennie for remembering to stay
quiet? What does this reveal about their relationship?
9. What menial task does George give Lennie in preparation for supper while George himself rests?
What does this tell you about George’s treatment of Lennie? Does this reinforce anything about
Lennie’s character?
10. Why do you think George is more comfortable and relaxed when Lennie isn’t there?
11. What animalistic simile is used to describe Lennie and his relationship with George? Why do you
think this is used?
12. How does George’s language show that he is insensitive to Lennie?
13. After upsetting Lennie by taking his mouse, how does George respond? Does this reveal a
different side to George than we have seen before?

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George’s tirade (Page 11-14)

1. When they are about to eat their supper, what does Lennie do that makes George explode with
rage? Does Lennie deserve this anger?
2. Why does George repeat the phrase “I could” in his tirade?
3. According to George, how has Lennie negatively affected his life?
4. To what extent does George let his anger linger after his tirade? What parts of the text make you
think this?
5. Despite George’s abusive language and comments, how does Lennie feel about George? How
does he demonstrate these feelings?
6. What forces George to become apologetic after his tirade?
7. When Lennie suggests leaving, how does George respond? What is George afraid of?

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The Dream (Page 14-18)

1. Why does Lennie insist on George repeating the details of their shared dream?
2. How does George compare his relationship with Lennie to regular ranch workers? What insight
does this give into their relationship and the lives of ranch workers?
3. How is George’s speech described when he is saying this? What does this suggest about the
nature of his and Lennie’s dream?

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4. What is George and Lennie’s dream? What do they hope to possess and achieve?
5. How does George use Lennie’s personal dream of tending rabbits to both bribe and blackmail
Lennie? What does this suggest about George’s concerns with Lennie and his attitude to the
dream?

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Chapter 2

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When they arrive at the ranch in the morning, George and Lennie are shown around by old Candy.
They meet their boss and, later, his son, Curley - George is suspicious of Curley's manner and warns
Lennie to stay away from him. They see Curley's pretty and apparently flirtatious wife and meet
some of their fellow workers, Slim and Carlson.

The Bunk House (Page 19-20)

1. What does Steinbeck emphasise about the size/dimensions of the bunk house? What impression
do you get of it?
2. How do the “small, square windows” add to your impression of the bunk house?
3. How would the “wooden latch” on the door make the ranch men feel?
4. How does Steinbeck present the bunk house as claustrophobic and uncomfortable for the
workers in the first paragraph?
5. Why do you think the ranch workers are only given two shelves for their personal belongings?
6. Why do the ranch men like to read the Western magazines? What do you think reading these
magazines offers them?
7. The men only have boxes, rather than chairs, to sit on and play cards around the table. What
does this suggest about the conditions the men have to live and work in?
8. How does Steinbeck suggest that the bunkhouse is unhygienic?

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Candy’s Introduction and the story of Crooks at Christmas (Page 20-22)

1. Why does Steinbeck draw attention to Candy’s missing hand? What is he trying to suggest about
working on the ranch?
2. Why do both Candy and George casually use racist language when discussing Crooks? What does
this suggest about life on the ranch for Crooks?
3. How does the Boss treat Crooks and how does Crooks respond to this treatment? What does this
reveal about both of their characters?
4. Based on Candy’s account, what impression do you have of the Boss and how he treats his
workers?
5. What sentence makes you think that it was unusual and unexpected for Crooks to be invited into
the Bunk house at Christmas?
6. How would you describe the treatment that Crooks received from the men and from Smitty in
particular?
7. Why does Candy not elaborate on why Crooks was treated this way?
8. Why did Candy not join the other men when they socialised in the town? What is Steinbeck
trying to suggest about his character?

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The Boss (Page 22-25)

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1. What do the Boss’s clothes reveal about his character? What impression of himself does he try
to present to the other men?
2. Why do you think he is only referred to as “the Boss” throughout the novel? What is Steinbeck
trying to suggest about him?
3. How does Candy react around the Boss? What does his speech and movements suggest about
his character?
4. How do George and Lennie initially respond to the Boss?
5. How does Steinbeck illustrate Lennie’s dependence on George?
6. Which of Lennie’s characteristics does George try to draw the Boss’s attention to? How effective
is George in doing this?
7. Which of Lennie’s characteristics does George try to conceal from the Boss? How effective is
George in doing this?
8. Why is the Boss suspicious about George and Lennie’s relationship? What does he find unusual
about it? Does this reveal anything about friendships/relationships on the ranch?

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Introduction to Candy’s Dog (Page 26-27)

1. What do the movements and physical description of the dog reveal about it?
2. What initial impression do you have about the relationship between Candy and his dog? What
evidence is there in the text to support this?
3. Why does Candy eavesdrop on George and Lennie? What does this suggest about his character?
4. Why do you think George is defensive and scolds Candy for listening in on his conversation with
Lennie? What does this suggest about George and new people?
5. What does Candy’s response (“”A guy on a ranch don’t never listen nor he don’t ast no
questions.””) reveal about relationships and friendships on the ranch?

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Introduction to Curley (Page 27-30)

1. Why does Steinbeck repeat the word “young” in his initial description of Curley? What point is
he trying to make about Curley’s authority and position on the ranch?
2. Why does Steinbeck make a point of describing Curley’s complexion, stating that he has a
“brown face”? What does this suggest about Curley and where he works?
3. Why does Curley choose to wear the same style of high-heeled boots that his father wears?
4. How would you describe Curley’s language/interaction with Candy? What does it reveal about
his character?
5. How does Curley’s body language change upon seeing George and Lennie? What is he trying to
achieve with the two men?
6. Curley looks at the men in a “calculating and pugnacious” manner. What do you think he is
trying to determine?
7. How does Curley respond to George and Lennie’s friendship?

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8. Find examples of Curley using imperatives. Why do you think they are included in his speech?
What does this reveal about how he views other people?
9. To what extent does George feel intimidated and challenged by Curley?
10. How does Candy illustrate Curley’s aggressive and argumentative nature? What does Curley
consistently do?
11. What word does Candy repeat when describing Curley? How does it depict Curley?
12. How is Curley presented as having an inferiority complex? How does he try to overcompensate
for his small stature?
13. When Candy speaks hypothetically about Curley fighting larger men, how does he illustrate
Curley’s cunning and calculating nature?
14. How does Curley’s relationship to the Boss, and the fact that he won’t ever lose his job, make
him dangerous?
15. How does Candy express his fear of Curley to George?
16. Why does having a wife make Curley feel the need to show off/act cocky towards the other
men?
17. What does the fact that Curley keeps his hand soft for his wife suggest about their relationship?
Why is it significant that it is Curley himself who is saying this to the other men?

Theme tracker:

Gossip about Curley’s Wife (Page 30-31)

1. How does Candy respond to George’s contribution to his gossip? What does this reveal about
Candy’s attitude to gossip?
2. Why does Candy repeatedly say “tell ya what” throughout this section and chapter? Why do you
think Candy gossips so frequently? What does it reveal about his character?
3. What image of Curley’s Wife is Candy trying to impress upon George and Lennie?
4. To what extent would you describe Candy’s treatment of Curley’s Wife as misogynistic? How do
George’s comments contribute to this misogyny?

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George and Lennie’s initial reaction to the ranch (Page 32-33)

1. How does Lennie react to the potential threat of Curley?

2. How does George try to protect and reassure Lennie about any potential issues with Curley?
3. Apart from Lennie’s well-being, what else is George concerned about?
4. Why is Lennie worried that he has upset George?
5. What instruction does George repeat to Lennie? Why do you think this has happened twice in
the space of two chapters?

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Introduction to Curley’s Wife (Page 34-35)

1. “Light” is often symbolic of what? Why is it important, therefore, that Curley’s Wife cuts off the
sunlight when she arrives at the bunk house?
2. What stands out to you about her physical appearance? What is the symbolic significance to the
repeated reference to “red”?
3. How do you know she is lying when she says that she is looking for Curley? What do you think
she uses “looking for Curley” as an excuse for?
4. Look at the language used to describe her speech and how she moves her body. What is she
trying to achieve? What are her intentions?
5. How are George and Lennie different in their responses to Curley’s Wife when she is in their
company? What does this reveal about their characters?
6. How would you describe the brief interaction between Curley’s Wife and Slim? What can you
ascertain about their relationship?
7. How are George and Lennie different in their responses to Curley’s Wife when leaves? What
does this reveal about their characters?
8. Look at the misogynistic metaphors that George uses when warning Lennie about Curley’s Wife.
What is he trying to suggest about Curley’ Wife?

Theme tracker:

Introduction to Slim (Page 36-38)

1. How does Steinbeck present Slim when he arrives in the bunkhouse?

2. What does Steinbeck suggest about Slim’s status/authority on the ranch?
3. With this in mind, why is it significant that Slim dresses like any ordinary ranch worker? What
does this illustrate about him?
4. What does Steinbeck suggest about Slim’s skill as a worker?
5. How do the other ranch workers respond to Slim? How does he treat the other men?
6. What can you say about Slim’s initial interaction with George and Lennie? How does he speak to
them/treat them? To what extent is this different to the welcome George and Lennie received
from other characters?
7. How does Slim react when George compliments Lennie’s work ability? Does this suggest
anything about Slim’s values?
8. How does Slim respond to George and Lennie’s friendship? How is this different to Curley and
the Boss?

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Carlson and Curley’s return (Page 38-41)

1. How does Carlson greet George and Lennie?

2. Why does Slim drown four puppies? What does this suggest about the notions of “strength” and
“weakness” on the ranch?
3. How does Carlson further these ideas when he suggests that Candy should shoot his old dog?

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4. Why does Carlson step back to allow Slim to walk in front of him?
5. Why does Curley return at the end of the chapter? Why is described as having “bounced” in?
6. What insights do you gain about the relationship between Curley and his wife based on Curley’s
brief appearance here?
7. How do George and Curley react and respond to one another here? What does it suggest about
their characters?

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Chapter 3

Later that evening, George tells Slim about why he and Lennie travel together and more about what
happened in Weed. The men talk about Candy's ancient dog, which is tired and ill. Carlson shoots it,
as an act of kindness. George tells Candy about their dream of getting a piece of land and Candy
eagerly offers to join them - he has capital, so they could make it happen almost immediately. Curley
provokes Lennie into a fight, which ends up with Lennie severely injuring Curley's hand.

George’s confession (Page 42-45)

1. What does Steinbeck suggest about Slim when he gifts Lennie with a puppy and underplays its
significance?
2. Why does George react quite abruptly to Slim’s comment on his friendship with Lennie? What
does it suggest about their friendship?
3. What insight does Slim give into the lives and relationships of normal ranch workers?
4. What does the origin of George and Lennie’s relationship suggest about the strength of their
friendship?
5. What does George admit about his past treatment of Lennie? How does this depict George?
How does he feel about it now and what does this suggest about him?

Theme tracker:

The incident in Weed (Page 45-47)

1. Why does George reveal the event that took place in Weed to Slim?
2. How does Slim react to the story as it is told and afterwards? What does this reveal about Slim?
3. What does the incident in Weed suggest about Lennie and his inability to properly
process/understand events and people?
4. Does the trouble Lennie gets into seem intentional or unintentional? Does this make it any less
problematic?
5. Why does Lennie take the pup from its mother and hide it from George?
6. Why is the timing of this disobedience important? (Look at what George is about to say to Slim
before Lennie enters the room)

Theme tracker:

Candy’s dog (Page 48-54)

1. How would you describe Carlson’s attitude to Candy and his dog? Is his view
justified/understandable?
2. From Carlson’s perspective, why should Candy’s dog be shot? How convincing are his
arguments?
3. From Candy’s perspective, why should his dog not be shot? How convincing are his arguments?
4. How does Steinbeck present Carlson as an insensitive character in this section?

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5. How does Candy react to the idea of his dog being shot?
6. Does Steinbeck present Candy as a selfish character to an extent in this section?
7. Why does Candy look to Slim and the others for support? Why do they not offer any? What does
this reveal about how Candy is viewed and treated on the ranch?
8. Slim offers Candy another dog, but also comments critically on the idea of weakness and frailty.
What is your view of Slim at this point?
9. Why does Slim get the final say in the matter? How does Steinbeck present Slim’s authority in
this section?
10. How does Steinbeck present Carlson as relentless in this section?
11. After Carlson brings the dog outside to shoot it, how does Steinbeck create a sense of tension in
the room?
12. How do you think Slim now feels after watching the emotional pain that Candy is enduring?
What does Slim do to reveal this?
13. After the dog is shot, why do the men continue on as normal?

Theme tracker:

Crooks, Curley’s Wife and women (Page 54-59)

1. Why does Crooks not enter the bunk house?

2. What impression do you get of Crooks from this brief appearance?
3. How does Steinbeck present Whit’s attitude towards Curley’s Wife?
4. What does George contribute to this discussion? What is his attitude towards Curley’s Wife?
5. What line from Whit suggests that he, and by extension the other men, don’t understand
Curley’s Wife or her intentions/motivations?
6. What is “old Susy’s place”?
7. How does Whit speak about the women there?
8. What does the conversation reveal about the men’s attitude towards women?
9. When Carlson arrives after shooting the dog, how does he show his insensitivity?
10. Why do Curley and his wife constantly look for one another? Why do you think that they always
seem to miss one another?
11. When Curley leaves the bunkhouse intent on causing trouble with Slim, how do the men react to
this potential conflict?
12. How does Whit illustrate Curley’s egotism?
13. Why do you think that no one knows how Slim can handle himself in a fight?

Theme tracker:

George warns Lennie / George’s view of women (Page 60-61)

1. Why does Lennie become immediately defensive when George starts to speak to him?
2. How does George show his protective side in this section?
3. Look at what George says about whore houses. What do his words reveal about his attitude
towards women?

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Theme tracker:

Candy joins George and Lennie’s dream (Page 61-67)

1. How does Candy react when George and Lennie speak about their dream at the beginning of this
section?
2. How is George’s voice described when speaking about the dream? How do he and Lennie speak
about it? What does this reveal about the importance of the dream to them? What does it offer
them?
3. How does George respond when Candy asks about their dream? Why does George act this way?
4. How is Candy’s eagerness/desperation to join George and Lennie’s dream demonstrated? Why
do you think he is so keen to join them?
5. What does Candy offer as an incentive/bribe to persuade George to let him join? How effective
is this strategy?
6. How does Candy demonstrate his fear about what will happen to him if he remains on the ranch
for much longer? What else does joining George and Lennie offer him in this regard?
7. What revelation does Candy come to at the end of this section about his dog? What does this
reveal about his state of mind?

Theme tracker:

Confrontation with Curley (Page 67-72)

1. How is Slim’s anger and defiance towards Curley demonstrated at the beginning of this section?
2. How does Curley speak and respond to Slim here? How is his speech/mannerisms with Slim
different to his interactions with other characters? Why do you think this is?
3. Why does Carlson begin to argue with Curley? How do you know Curley’s attempt to intimidate
Carlson is ineffective?
4. Why does Candy join in on the verbal attack against Curley? Why is this uncharacteristic of
Candy?
5. How do you think this verbal attack affects Curley and the image he tries to present to others?
6. Why does Curley proceed to target Lennie? What has Lennie done to antagonise him?
7. What does Curley hope to gain by physically attacking Lennie?
8. How does Steinbeck use language effectively to illustrate Lennie’s fear/pain and Curley’s
violence during their fight?
9. How do Slim and George initially respond to Curley’s attack on Lennie?
10. After George orders Lennie to retaliate, how does he respond? How is his strength depicted?
11. How is Curley depicted when Lennie starts to defend himself?
12. What is George afraid will happen in the aftermath of the fight?
13. How does Slim use Curley’s insecurities to protect George and Lennie?

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Chapter 4

The following night, most men on the ranch go into town. Crooks is alone in his room when Lennie
joins him. They talk about land - Crooks is sceptical, not believing that George and Lennie are going
to do what so many other men he's known have failed to do, and get land of their own. Yet when
Candy happens to come in as well, Crooks is convinced and asks to be in on it too. Curley's wife
arrives. She threatens Crooks and an argument develops. Crooks realises he can never really be part
of George, Lennie and Candy's plan.

Introduction to Crooks and his room (Page 73-74)

1. Why does Crooks have his bunk in the harness room, close to the barn?
2. How does Steinbeck suggest that Crooks’ room is unpleasant and uncomfortable? What else
does he suggest about it?
3. What do Crooks’ possessions reveal about him?
4. Why do you think Crooks owns a shotgun?
5. What can you say about the condition of Crooks’ books and reading material? What does this
suggest about why and how often he reads?
6. Why does Crooks keep a copy of his civil rights in the form of the California civil code?
7. Why do you think Crooks tries to maintain a certain distance between himself and other people?
8. What does Crooks’ physical description suggest about what he had endured in life and on the
ranch?
9. How does Steinbeck present Crooks’ injury and the treatment he must undergo? How does this
depict Crooks?

Theme tracker:

Lennie meets Crooks (Page 74-78)

1. Why does Crooks remove his hand from treating his injured spine when Lennie arrives?
2. Why does Crooks respond quite defensively when Lennie arrives?
3. Why does Crooks reject Lennie with such dismissive language?
4. How do you know Lennie is unaware of / doesn’t understand the racist treatment Crooks
receives?
5. Why has Lennie been left alone on the ranch while most of the other men are in the town?
6. When Crooks becomes more friendly towards Lennie, he asks about all of the other men going
into town. How do you think he feels about this?
7. What observation does Crooks make about George and Lennie? What does this suggest about
Crooks?
8. What does Crooks reveal to Lennie about his past? How does Crooks’ life in his youth differ from
his life now?
9. What does Crooks have to say about how others view him? Are his opinions/views respected
and considered?

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Crooks tortures Lennie (Page 78-79)

1. Why does Crooks mentally and emotionally torment Lennie?

2. Why does he specifically get Lennie to imagine something bad happening to George?
3. How does Crooks respond to Lennie’s initial frightful reaction? What does this suggest about
Crooks?
4. Why does Crooks stop his emotional torture of Lennie?

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Crooks discusses loneliness and the dream (Page 79-82)

1. What does Crooks attempt to get Lennie to appreciate?

2. How justified is Crooks in attempting to achieve his aims with Lennie here?
3. How does Crooks present the importance of friendship and the company of others?
4. How does Crooks present the harmful effects of loneliness and isolation?
5. How has loneliness affected Crooks and his view of the world?
6. How interested is Lennie in Crooks’ emotional pain? What does this suggest about Lennie?
7. What additional detail does Crooks provide about his youth and his family? How does he speak
about his past? Why does he linger on it here?
8. Why does Lennie suddenly start paying attention to what Crooks is saying? To what extent is he
interested in what Crooks is saying?
9. How does Crooks respond to Lennie’s assertion that both he and George are going to have their
own land? Why do you think he reacts like this?
10. What is Crooks’ attitude towards George and Lennie’s dream and dreams in general?

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Candy arrives and defends the dream (Page 82-84)

1. Why is Candy apprehensive about entering Crooks’ room?

2. What conflicting emotions are experienced by Crooks with having Candy and Lennie in his room?
Why is he feeling this way?
3. What comment does Candy make that shows he’s ignorant to Crooks’ circumstances?
4. Why does Crooks insist on the impossibility of their dream coming to pass? What does he
believe will prevent the men from achieving it?
5. Why is Candy insistent on trying to make their own way with their own land?
6. What convinces Crooks that the men could actually achieve their dream?
7. Why do you think Crooks offers to join the men in their dream? What does he hope to achieve?

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Conflict with Curley’s Wife (Page 84-91)

1. When Curley’s Wife arrives in Crooks’ room, she asks about Curley’s whereabouts even though
she admits shortly afterwards that she knows where he is. Why do you think this is?
2. How do the three men initially respond to the arrival of Curley’s Wife?
3. Why does Curley’s Wife look “from one face to another”? What is she trying to do?
4. Curley’s Wife is aware that her husband is at the whore house in town with the other men. How
does this affect your view of her? How does Steinbeck present her here?
5. What does her observation about the men’s changing behaviour suggest about the
relationships/trust between the men?
6. How does Curley’s Wife present her views on loneliness to the men? Why do you think the men
fail to acknowledge the loneliness that she faces?
7. How does Curley’s Wife present her attitude towards her husband? Does her inquiry into his
injury demonstrate concern? Or something else?
8. Why does Curley’s Wife use insulting language when describing Candy, Crooks and Lennie?
9. Why does she say that she’s “likin’ it” being with them, despite the current atmosphere?
10. How does Candy make Curley’s Wife feel even further isolated in his angry tirade towards her?
11. How does Curley’s Wife respond to Candy?
12. How does Crooks try to exert some control over the situation and some ownership over his
room? How does he speak to Curley’s Wife?
13. Comment on the use of racist language by Curley’s Wife against Crooks. Why does she challenge
him in a different manner to Candy? How is your view of Curley’s Wife affected by this incident?
14. How does Crooks respond to this treatment?
15. How does Curley’s Wife emphasise the powerlessness of the three men after Candy threatens to
challenge her?
16. At the very end of the chapter, why does Crooks decide to forget joining George and Lennie’s
dream? What do you think has caused this change in him?
17. Look at the beginning and the end of the chapter again. How and why has Steinbeck used a
cyclical structure here? What is significant about Crooks returning to the way he was at the start
of the chapter?

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Chapter 5

Next afternoon, Lennie accidentally kills the puppy that Slim had given him by petting it too much.
He's sad. Curley's wife finds him and starts talking very openly about her feelings. She invites Lennie
to stroke her soft hair, but he does it so strongly she panics and he ends up killing her too. He runs
away to hide, as George had told him. Candy finds the body and tells George. They tell the other
men - Curley wants revenge.

Lennie’s pup and Curley’s Wife (Page 92-96)

1. What does the incident with the pup reinforce about Lennie, his strength and his inability to
learn from his mistakes?
2. What is Lennie most concerned about in the aftermath of the pup’s death?
3. Why does Lennie consistently reject Curley’s Wife when she enters the barn?
4. How sincere do you think Curley’s Wife is being when she discusses her feelings of loneliness
with Lennie?
5. How does Curley’s Wife illustrate the controlling side of her husband in her conversation with
Lennie?
6. Why does Curley’s Wife change the subject of conversation with Lennie? What is she attempting
to achieve?
7. How does Curley’s Wife handle the rejection from Lennie and the other men? Look closely at
what she says to Lennie.

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The failed dream of Curley’s Wife (Page 96-97)

1. How do you know Curley’s Wife is still clinging to her failed dream? How optimistic is she?
2. Why does she launch into the story of her dream before Lennie has a chance to reject her again?
3. Based on Curley’s Wife account of different men telling her that she could be a movie star, how
realistic did her dream sound?
4. How naïve/gullible does Curley’s Wife seem when discussing the encounters with these men?
5. Why does she marry Curley? What does it suggest about the foundation of their relationship?
6. What other insights does she provide into her marriage with Curley?
7. What aspects of her failed dream does Curley’s Wife linger on? What did she crave?
8. Why does Lennie sigh at the end of Curley’s Wife’s speech? How invested/interested is he in
what she has to say?
9. Does this make you feel pity for Curley’s Wife? Has she been able to divulge her personal dreams
and struggles to anyone else before? Why does it seem like a wasted chance here?

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The death of Curley’s Wife (Page 98-101)

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1. Why does Lennie suddenly become comfortable speaking to Curley’s Wife?
2. How does Steinbeck present the death of Curley’s Wife? What does she experience in her final
moments?
3. Lennie never intends to harm Curley’s Wife: his actions stem from what desire?
4. What is Lennie primarily worried about?
5. Does Lennie fully comprehend what he has done and the consequences of his actions?
6. Why does Lennie hide the dead puppy but leave Curley’s Wife where she is? What does this
suggest about Lennie and how he perceives his actions?
7. How is Curley’s Wife depicted in death? What features does Steinbeck draw our attention to?

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The death of the dream / Aftermath of Curley’s Wife’s death (Page 101-108)

1. To what extent are Candy and George affected by the death of Curley’s Wife? How much of the
concern they feel is reserved for her?
2. How does George suggest that he is unable to save and protect Lennie in the way he normally
does?
3. Why is Candy trying to salvage the dream here? How does Steinbeck present his desperation?
4. Why does George abandon the idea of the dream? What does he reveal about his belief in the
dream?
5. Why does George continue to defend Lennie and clarify his intentions?
6. How does Steinbeck present Candy’s treatment of Curley’s Wife after George leaves? What is
your view of Candy here?
7. When the rest of the men arrive, how does Slim’s treatment of Curley’s Wife stand out from the
other men?
8. What is Curley primarily concerned with? Does he react to his wife’s death in a way that would
be expected?
9. How does George attempt to protect Lennie from the rest of the men?
10. How does Steinbeck present the vicious side of Curley in these final moments?

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Chapter 6

Lennie hides in the brush by the pool. He dreams of his Aunt Clara and the rabbits he will tend when
he and George get their land. George finds Lennie and talks reassuringly to him about the little place
they will have together - then shoots him with Carlson's gun. When the other men find George, they
assume he shot Lennie in self-defence. Only Slim understands what George did and why.

Lennie returns to the brush (Page 109-112)

1. Why is it significant that Lennie returns to the brush?

2. How/why has the novel come full-circle? What similarities are there between the first chapter
and this final chapter with regards to George and Lennie’s circumstances?
3. Why does Lennie hallucinate? What does it reveal about his current mental and emotional
state?
4. How does Steinbeck present Lennie’s feelings of guilt here?
5. How are Lennie’s fears illustrated in this section?

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The end (Page 112-118)

1. How does Steinbeck use the fading light of the sun to foreshadow Lennie’s death?
2. Why does George recount the story of their dream to Lennie again?
3. Why does George get Lennie to look across the river to imagine their dream?
4. What does George want Lennie to understand in his final moments?
5. How does Steinbeck present the emotional turmoil experienced by George before and after he
shoots Lennie?
6. Why does George shoot Lennie at the back of the head?
7. How does Slim attempt to comfort George after he arrives in the brush?
8. Why is the last line of the novel so important? What does it suggest about the theme of
“Friendship”?

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