Of Mice and Men Study Guide

Name: _____________________________________________Book #_______________________

Class Period: _____________________

Pre-Reading Friendship survey

1

Friendship Traits Activity

Everyone looks for certain qualities in a friend. Below is a list of qualities you might
look for. Rank these qualities in the order of their importance to you. Give the
highest number to the quality that is most important to you and go down from
there. Therefore, the quality that is least important to you should be ranked
1 and the highest 9. Make sure you answer these honestly and individually. Let
me know if you have any questions.

1. The Ideal Friend

2. Your Best Friend

_____ honesty

_____ honesty

_____ loyalty

_____ loyalty

_____ understanding

_____ understanding

_____ popularity

_____ popularity

_____ physical appearance

_____ physical appearance

_____ similar interests

_____ similar interests

_____ companionship

_____ companionship

_____ money and influence

_____ money and influence

_____ trustworthiness

_____ trustworthiness

3. Pretend that your best friend is ranking these qualities about you. How
will he/she rate you as a friend? Be honest.
_____ physical appearance
_____ honesty

_____ similar interests

_____ loyalty

_____ companionship

_____ understanding

_____ money and influence

_____ popularity

_____ trustworthiness
4. What is the most important thing a good friend could ever do for you?
2

5. What is companionship? Is it important? If so, why?

6. What different types of companionship exist? Please list all that you can
think of.

7. What happens to people who are without companionship?

Pre-Reading Notes
Author: _____________________________________________________________
3

Setting: _____________________________________________________________
Characters: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Themes:

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Major Conflicts:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Symbols

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Character Maps

Physical
Description:

Consequenc
es:

Lenni
e
Actions:

Motivations:

Physical
Description:

Consequenc
es:

Georg
e
Actions:

Motivations:

Pages 1-16 (answer all with complete sentences and MLA Citation)
1. How would you describe the relationship between George and Lennie? Give an
example from the text.

2. What does Lennie have in his hand? Why does he have that? How did it die?

3. Why doesnt George want Lennie to talk in front of his new boss?

4. What happened to the men in Weed? Why did they have to leave?

5. What are Lennie and George going to do in Soledad?

6. Explain the connection between Lennies mouse and what happened in Weed.

7. Do you think Lennie means to cause problems? Why or why not?

8. What is Lennie and Georges dream?

9. Why is the story about the rabbits important? What does it symbolize?

10. Where are Lennie and George supposed to meet if either gets into trouble?

Pages 17-37(answer all with complete sentences and MLA Citation)

1. How does Whitey represent a ranch hands life and the books mood of
alienation?

2. Why is the boss so mean to the stable buck? How do the ranch hands treat the
stable buck?

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

4. How does George explain why Lennie is different? Is Georges story accurate?

5. How would you describe Curley? What is his attitude toward Lennie?

6. What does Candy think about Curleys wife?

7. What words of advice does George have for Lennie regarding Curley?

8. What words of advice does George have for Lennie regarding Curleys wife?

9. What do Carlson and Slim say about Candys dog? What does that reveal about
their characters?

10. What from this section may represent foreshadowing?

Pages 38-65(answer all with complete sentences and MLA Citation)

10

1. How does Lennie feel about his new puppy? How can you tell?

2. What does the story about Lennie nearly drowning in the river suggest about the
way George and Lennies relationship has evolved?

3. Why does George trust Slim?

4. What does George tell Slim happened in Weed? How does he portray Lennie in
the story?

5. Analyze Carlsons reasons for wanting to kill the dog and Candys reason against
it. What might this say about a larger theme in the novel?

6. Why doesnt George want to spend money at the brothel?

11

7. Do you think Lennie and Georges dream is achievable? Why or why not?

8. How are Candy and his dog similar?

9. Describe the fight between Lennie and Curley.

10. How does Slim help Lennie after the fight? Why does he do that?

Pages 66-83(answer all with complete sentences and MLA Citation)

1. What does Crookss room reveal about him?

12

2. What do Crookss thoughts reveal about loneliness?

3. Why is Lennie so convinced George wont leave him?

4. What is Crookss reaction to Lennies dream? Why does Crooks have that
reaction?

5. How does Curleys wife seem to deliberately provoke the men?

6. Why does Curleys wife act the way she does?

13

7. What about Curleys wifes words and actions seem most destructive? Do you
think she acts this way on purpose? Why or why not?

8. How is Crooks at a disadvantage when it comes to Curleys wife?

Pages 84-98(answer all with complete sentences and MLA Citation)

1. How is Lennies treatment of the dead puppy typical of his character?

2. How does Curleys wife feel about him? How does this relate to the theme of the
novel?

3. How does Curleys wife entice Lennie into touching her?

14

4. Why does Curleys wife get mad at Lennie?

5. How does Lennie handle Curleys wifes struggle? What eventually happens to
Curleys wife?

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

7. What is Georges response to Curleys wifes death?

8. How does Candy react to Curleys wifes death?

15

9. How does Curley react to his wifes death?

Pages 99-107(answer all with complete sentences and MLA Citation)

1. What is Lennies mindset as he waits near the bush?

2. The description of Lennies death mirrors another event in the novel. Which event
is that and how are the events similar?

3. What does this parallel reveal about Georges motives?

4. Explain Georges last marks to Lennie.

16

5. Why does George lie about the gun?

6. How does Slim act around George? Why does Slim treat George the way he does?

7. Explain the last line of the novel.

17

Of Mice and Men Wrap-up Questions

1. List three examples of foreshadowing from the novel with page numbers.
A) _________________________________________________________________________
B) _________________________________________________________________________
C) _________________________________________________________________________
2. Explain how each of the following themes shows up in the novel.
A) The American Dream

B) Loneliness

C) Loyalty, friendship and sacrifice

D) Power

E) Discrimination
3. Explain each of the following symbols and what it represents in the novel.
A) George and Lennies farm

B) Candys dog

C) Lennies puppy

18

D) Rabbits

4) Sequence the major events of the novel in the boxes below.

19