CHAPTER ONE:

1. What is the setting of the novel? What tells us where it takes place?

2. List words that describe Lennie.

3. What is Lennie’s intellectual age versus his chronological age? What behavior leads you to your decision? What specific examples of childlike actions and comments come from Lennie?

4. What type of animal is Lennie compared to? What does this comparison imply?

5. What type of animal would you compare George to and why?

6. Why were George and Lennie forced to leave Weed?

7. Does George want Lennie to go away? Explain your answer.

8. What is the meaning of the phrase “live off the fatta the lan”?

9. Where does George tell Lennie to hide if he gets in trouble? What device might Steinbeck be using here?

10. What does Lennie have hidden in his hand, and why does he want to keep it?

11. Who was the lady who used to give mice to Lennie? Why did she stop?

12.How does George react when Lennie repeatedly says that he likes ketchup on his beans? Why does he react this way?

13. What other items could we list in the same category with Lennie’s desire for ketchup?

14. What responsibility does Lennie have for the trouble he gets into? Is he to blame? Explain.

15. Define “exposition” and explain the relevance of this term to chapter 1.

CHAPTER TWO

1. Who greeted George and Lennie at the bunkhouse? What is his job?

2. What unusual habits did Whitey have?

3. Whom did the boss punish because George and Lennie were late? Why? What theme from the notes does Steinbeck touch upon here?

4. Discuss the significance, symbolism, or irony of some of the characters’ names.

5. Who is the skinner? What is the purpose of a skinner?

6. What is a bucker?

7. Why does George answer all of the questions about Lennie?

8. Lennie is again compared to an animal. Which animal is he compared to this time and what is the implication of this comparison?

9. How does the boss react to George’s friendship with Lennie? Why is he suspicious of George?

10. What excuse does George give for Lennie’s slowness?

11. Who is Curley? How does he react to Lennie’s silence?

12. How does Curley respond to the idea that Lennie and George travel around together?

13. What is meant by the comment, “Curley’s pretty handy”?

14. Describe Curley’s stature. How does that play into his relationship with Lennie?

15. What uneasy feeling does George have about Curley’s wife?

16. What reason does Curley’s wife give for going to the bunkhouse?

17. What does Curley think her reason is?

18. Why do you think Steinbeck refers to her only as “Curley’s wife” instead of telling us her name? How does that underscore one of the recurring themes?

19. What is Carlson’s chief complaint about Candy’s dog? What does he think Candy should do with the dog? #AintNobodyGotTimeForASmellyDog

20. How is Candy’s dog also a metaphor for the character of Candy? #geezers

21. Prediction: Based on what you have read so far, do you think Lennie will stay out of trouble? Why or why not?

CHAPTER THREE

1. Who is Slim? What does he do for Lennie?

2. What is Slim’s response to George and Lennie traveling around together?

3. What do the guys do for recreation? At the ranch? In town?

4. Why does George tell Slim what happened in Weed?

5. What happens to Candy’s dog? Who does it?

6. Do you think it was the right thing to do for Candy’s dog? Why or why not?

7. What role does Candy have in helping George and Lennie try to buy land?

8. Why does Curley attack Lennie? What happens to Curley?

CHAPTER FOUR

1. How does Crooks fill his time and deal with his loneliness?

2. Why does Crooks get mad at Lennie for coming into his room?

3. What doesn’t Lennie seem completely unaware of regarding Crooks? How is Lennie naïve and innocent in this scene?

4. Why does Crooks finally relent and let Lennie stay? Why is he now willing to talk to him?

5. What is Crooks’ opinion of Lennie and George’s plan to “live off the fatta the land”?

6. Before Curley’s wife comes into the room, how do you think Candy, Crooks and Lennie are getting along?

7. Why does Curley’s wife interrupt Crooks, Candy and Lennie?

8. What does Curley’s wife want Lennie to tell her? Does she believe his story? Does she seem upset about it?

9. The scene ends with discriminated against characters—Candy (age discrimination), Lennie (discrimination against his disability), Crooks (racism), and Curley’s wife (sexism) all fighting with each other? Discuss the scene and your reaction to each of the characters. How does it underscore the recurring theme of loneliness and isolation?

10. What happened to the dream of buying their own ranch together during this scene?

CHAPTER FIVE

1. What did Lennie do to the puppy? Was it on purpose?

2. Why is he angry at the puppy? What is he trying to do with the puppy?

3. How does Curley’s wife respond when Lennie seems to reject her?

4. Like Crooks, Curley’s wife is honest with Lennie in a way that she hasn’t been with any of the other characters. What personal dream does she share with Lennie?

5. What does she ask Lennie to do? What ends up happening as a result?

6. Lennie runs out. Where is he likely heading?

7. Who discovers what Lennie did in the barn first? Who does he get after seeing it?

8. What do you think should happen to Lennie? Why?

9. George seems saddened about the events, but Candy is angry. Why is he angry? Whom does he blame for the death? Why?

10. Why does George leave and then return to the scene of the crime with the others?

11. What is Curley’s reaction?

12. What 2 possible fates does Slim fear that Lennie is facing?

13. Who does Carlson think has stolen his pistol? Who actually did?

CHAPTER SIX

1. Where does Lennie hide?

2. Describe Lennie’s unusual hallucination. What is really happening?

3. How do the characters in Lennie’s dream treat him?

4. Lennie is very concerned that he “done a bad thing” and that George will be mad at him. When George arrives, how does he react to Lennie’s concerns?

5. Why does George have Lennie look across at the beautiful scenery?

6. What does George do? What do you think was his motivation for this course of action?

7. Do you agree with George’s action?

8. What situation does this parallel from earlier in the book? How was that earlier scene a foreshadowing of this one?

9. Why did George lie to the others about what really happened?

10. The ending. Your reaction. Go. (Yes, I just used fragments and I’m not yet a famous writer!)