Idea of mercy killing: Our class had thought that the killing of Candy's dog had foreshadowed Candy's death. In reality, it foreshadowed George having to kill Lennie. Look back at p.61- "I ought to have shot that dog myself..." What is this importance of Candy saying this? How does this foreshadow that George 'has to' kill Lennie?
Read the first two pages of this chapter and pay attention to the description of the setting and the animals.
Is there much action in the forest before George and Lennie enter?
Reference to the wind: Things are beginning to happen, move...This all serves as foreshadowing.
In this chapter, George and lennie enter TOGETHER!
What is the mood of the last chapter?
Again, read over the first two pages of this chapter and compare it to the first chapter. What is different?
What is the importance of the heron plucking the snake out of the water? Death maybe? Fate? Something bad is going to happen? Also, why does Steinbeck mention that ANOTHER snake comes to the surface after the first one? It might be the idea of the cycle of life, of death and rebirth...
Again, reference to the wind...THINGS ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN!
Lennie comes into the clearing this time ALONE!
What is an ash pile? How is it formed? How could this possibly represent the foreshadow the idea of shattered dreams?
From p.10...Lennie throws twigs on the ash pile. What is he trying to do? Perhaps he is trying to start the dream up again, rekindle it.
Why does George throw the luger on the ash pile in the last chapter? How does this symbolize that the dream might be over?
Why would John Steinbeck choose a rabbit and Aunt Clara to come out of Lennie's head?
The rabbit and Aunt Clara act as Lennie's conscience. They reprimand him and tell him that he has done bad things.