English 221-224 Ninth-Grade English   Name:                                                                           

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Of Mice and Men  

PART ONE  (pgs. 1-16)

ANSWER THE FOLLING QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

1. On page 1, what type of animal “comes out of the brush to sit on the sand in the evening”? 

                                                                                                                                               

 

2. Near the top of page 2, there is a tree limb that has been worn smooth?  Why?                                                                                                                                                                          

 

3. On page 2, how is the “first man” in the single-file line described?  “The first man was                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

4. And the second man:  “…his opposite,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

5. What does the “single file” manner of the men walking say about their relationship?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

6. On the bottom of page 2, the second man, the huge one (Lennie), is compared to a bear that “drags his paws.” Try to find two more animals that he is compared to in the chapter. 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

7. On page 3, how does Lennie drink the water from the green pool?                                                                                                                                                                                             And George?                                                                                                                          
8. On page 5, Lennie can’t find his work card, which he will need to show the new boss.  What does George say after he says, “I got both of ‘em here”? 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

9. Near the bottom of page 5, what does Lennie have in his hand that George takes from him? 

                                                                                                                                               

 

10. What does George do after “Lennie’s closed hand slowly obeyed”?                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

11. On page 7, what does George say to Lennie right after he says, “God, you’re a lot of trouble”? 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

12. Why does George take the mouse away from Lennie?  On the bottom of page 9, why did Lennie’s Aunt Clara stop giving Lennie mice to pet? 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

13. On page 11, George is frustrated with having to live with Lennie and he describes something that happened recently in the story—“Just wanted to…”  Why did they have to “hide in an irrigation ditch”?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

14. What is the meaning to George and Lennie of  “An’ live off the fatta the lan’” which Lennie says on page 14?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     What type of animal does Lennie want to tend on their farm?                                                   
15. At the bottom of page 15, what does George tell Lennie to do if he gets “into trouble, like you always done before”? 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

Draw three separate sketches of any scenes—in chronological order—from Part One.  Below each scene write a complete sentence that clearly describes the what is happening.

1.

 

In this scene,                                                                                                                         

2.

 

In this scene,                                                                                                                         

3.

 

In this scene,                                                                                                                         

 

 

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Of Mice and Men

 

PART TWO (pgs. 17-37) 

ANSWER THE FOLLING QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

1.              The bunk house.

a.              How many bunks (beds)?                                

b.              Two things on the shelves beside each bunk:                                                                                                                                                                                                   

c.              What’s in the middle of the room?                                                                           

 

2.              The old man (a swamper, or handyman around the farm) who greets George and Lennie at the bunkhouse is describe thus:  “He pointed with his right arm, and out of his sleeve came                                                                                                                                                                   .”

 

3.              The stable buck is the man who takes care of the horses.

a.              According to the old man, how did he (his name is Crooks, we find out later) get a crooked back?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

b.              What does he have in his room?                                                                             

 

4.              Why does George answer all the questions directed at Lennie?                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

5.              What does the boss mean when he says, “Say—what are you sellin’?”?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

 

 

 

6.              What excuse does George give to the boss for the reason that Lennie is slow of intelligence?                                                                                                                                         

 

7.              How does Curley react to Lennie’s’ silence when Curley comes into the bunkhouse looking for his father?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

8.              How do George and Lennie react to Curley’s wife?  What does “she’s got the eye” (28) mean?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

9.              What does Carlson want done with Candy’s dog?  Why?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

10.            Who is Slim? (Find out what a jerkline skinner is.)  Based on the narrator’s description, what first impression does the author want the reader to get of slim.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

11.            How has Slim responded to his dog Lulu’s litter of puppies?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

12.            Whom is George talking about when he says, “I’m scared I’m gonna tangle with that bastard myself.  I hate his guts”?                                                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Write ten sentences (they can be short) that work altogether as a summary of the key moments in this scene from the novel.  Write the sentences in the order of the chapter. Think of all the new characters who are introduced and be sure to have at least one sentence that involves each.

1.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

2.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

3.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

4.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

6.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

7.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

8.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

9.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

10.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

 

 

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Of Mice and Men  

                                                                                                (+ Questions)

PART THREE (pgs. 38-65) READ PAGES 38-65 AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES. FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT ASK YOU FOR A PAGE NUMBER, YOUR ANSWERS WON’T COUNT UNLESS YOU INCLUDE THE PAGE NUMBER.

 

1.    What kind act, which opens the chapter, does Slim do for Lennie?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Page #            

2.    Briefly retell George’s account (to Slim) of the last time he was mean to Lennie.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Page #            

3.    Why do you think George tells Slim about his relationship with Lennie and what happened in Weed?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Page #            (where he tells Slim about his relationship with Lennie and what happened in Weed.)

 

4.    From Carlson’s point of view, list words that describe Candy’s dog.                    Page #           

                                             Page #                                                                        Page #      

                                             Page #                                                                        Page #      

 

5.    Describe Carlson’s role in the significant section dealing with Candy’s dog.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Page #            

6.    Who is William Tenner? .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Page #            

7.    What is the purpose of the short section of the chapter where William Tenner is described? Why do you think the author included this section at all? Another way to think of this question is “How does this section help tell the bigger story of Lennie and George?”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

8.    Describe the significance of these two sentences:  “Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal.  And Slim gave him none” (47).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

9.    What does Candy offer Lennie and George so he can share their plan to own their own place?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Page #            

10. What does Candy tell George on page 61 about how he should have dealt with his dog?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

11. Why does Curley attack Lennie?  How does Lennie finally stop Curley from hitting him?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Page #            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

2.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

3.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

4.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

English 221-224 Ninth-Grade English         Name:                                                                          

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Of Mice and Men

 

 

PART FOUR (pgs.  66-83)

1. What does the description of Crooks and his room tell the reader about him? (What kind of person is he?)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

What are some adjectives you’d use to describe him?                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

2. What does Crooks “S’pose” (71) Lennie think about that upsets Lennie very much?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

On the top of page 72, what does Crooks say will happen to Lennie if George leaves him? (What is a “booby hatch” and how will they tie Lennie up?                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

3. Describe how Crooks responds to Lennie’s dream (and the dream of hundreds of others who have passed through) of “livin’ off the fatta the lan’”?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

4. Explain Curley’s wife’s comment on page 77, “They left all the weak ones here.”  What do you think she means?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

5. What does Curley’s wife say she could have done differently with her life—instead of being stuck on the ranch with Curley?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

6. How does Curley’s wife threaten Crooks when he tells her to leave his room?  What does she mean on the bottom of page 80 by, “You know what I could do to you?”?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

7. Why does Crooks say, “Well, jus’ forget it,” at the end of the chapter?  What is he talking about?  Why do you think he changes his position?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 English 221-224 Ninth-Grade English        Name:                                                                          

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 Of Mice and Men

PARTS FIVE AND SIX

PART FIVE (pgs. 84-98)

1. Who is Lennie speaking “softly” to near the opening of the chapter?  What seems to have happened?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

2. How does Curley’s wife react when Lennie does not want to talk with her?  What does she say to him?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

3. What does she ask Lennie to do when he says he likes to pet soft things?  Describe the details of Lennie’s response.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

4. On page 92, when Lennie says, “I’ll throw him away…It’s bad enough as it is,” what is he referring to and what does this tell the reader about Lennie’s level of understanding of the situation?  (What can you infer about Lennie’s understanding?)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

5. Whom does Candy blame for the unexpected turn of events?                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

6. Why does George tell Candy he’ll leave and then return to the barn with the others?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

7. Where does George tell the others Lennie would have run to?                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

8. What is Curley’s plan for Lennie?  What doe Slim and George hope to do?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

9. Who does Carlson think has stolen his Luger (pistol)?                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

PART SIX (pgs. 98-107)

1. Where does Lennie hide?  When do you remember this place while reading the novel?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

2. Lennie has an unusual hallucination.  Describe it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

3. How do the characters in Lennie’s dream treat him?  What does Aunt Clara say to Lennie about how he treats George?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

4. Briefly describe the novel’s climactic event.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

 

 

 

 

(These are not easy questions—do your best with them.)

 

What can you INFER about what George was thinking by his decision at the end of the novel?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

Carlson gets the last line in the novel:  “Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ (bothering) them two guys?” What do you INFER about why Carlson is jealous of Siim and George going off together at the novel’s end?  And what does this say about Carlson?