Of Mice and Men

Exam Review

Characters

GeorgeLennieCandySlim

CurleyCurley’s WifeCrooksCarlsonBoss

George

He takes care of LennieHe is always afraid that Lennie will get in troubleSmall and quick witted he is considered the brains

George Quotes

"God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy.“ Says this when he talked about Lennie messing up."Ya know . . .I'm scared I'm gonna tangle with that bastard myself. I hate his guts.” Talking about Curley"I'll work my month an' I'll take my fifty bucks an' I'll stay all night in some lousy cat house. Or I'll set in a poolroom till ever'body goes home. An' then I'll come back an' work another month an' I'll have fifty bucks more.“ What he will do when Lennie is gone."No, Lennie, I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now. That's a thing I want ya to know.” Talks to Lennie before he dies

Lennie

A huge man with a small brainHe constantly gets in trouble but isn’t meanHe loves soft things including mice, rabbits and women’s hairAccused of raping a woman in WeedKill’s Curley’s wifeA TRAGIC character

Lennie Quotes

"I don't know why I can't keep it. It ain't nobody's mouse. I didn't steal it. I found it lyin' right beside the road” Trying to convince George he can keep a dead mouse"I done another bad thing.“ Talking about when he killed Curley’s Wife“But not us, George, because I... see, I got you to look after me, but you got me to look after you.” When he discuss why he and George are lucky“She’s purty” Talking about Curley’s Wife“And I get to tend the rabbits!” Discussing a future farm that he and George live on.

Candy

An elderly manHe is missing one handHe lost his hand in a machine accidentPlans on getting a place with Lennie and GeorgeHis dog is killed when it is no longer of use

Candy’s Quotes "You an' me can get that little place, can't we, George? You and me can go there and live nice, can't we, George? Can't we?“ After Lennie killed Curley’s wife“Lennie I’ve done some figurin’” Every 5 pages after he convinces George he can join him and Lennie on the ranch"I ought to of shot that dog myself . . . I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.“ After Carlson shoots his dog…Foreshadowing!!!"Maybe if I give you guys my money, you'll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain't no good at it.“ Candy talks about the ranch

Slim

Best Skinner on the ranchThe “Prince” of the ranchHis word is lawGive Lennie a puppyAgrees to keep George and Lennie’s secret about Weed

Slim Quotes

“You hadda, George. I swear you hadda” After George shot Lennie

Curley

Self-absorbedHe always has to prove himselfAlways looking for a fightLikes to fight bigger guysNapoleonic Complex

Curley’s Quotes

"Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. . . . I'll show ya who's yella.“ Curley taunting Lennie as he is fighting him

Curley’s Wife

A “purty” lady with an ugly heartAlways seeking attentionCould have been a movie starTartRacist/BigotFalls at the hand of Lennie

Curley’s Wife’s Quotes

“Coulda been in the movies, an' had nice clothes—all them nice clothes like they wear. An' I coulda sat in them big hotels, an' had pitchers took of me.“ She is discussing what she could have been with Lennie"Well, I ain't told this to nobody before. Maybe I ought'n to. I don' like Curley. He ain't a nice fella.“ She reveals her true feelings about Curley to Lennie

Crooks

The lone black characterHe has a crooked back and that is where he gets his nameHe is often verbally abusedLonely and thinks of joining Lennie and George

Crooks’ Quotes

"You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.“ Crooks discussing people entering his room. He is fighting for his right as a human being.

Carlson

A plump/round bellied manHe often gets “the eye” from Curley’s wifeA minor character that kills Candy’s dog

Carlson’s Quotes

"Well, I can't stand him in here . . .That stink hangs around even after he's gone.“ Discussing Candy’s dog before he is shot.

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1

The chapter opens up with Lennie and George at the river bend. Lennie drinks from the river and George will not. George takes a dead mouse away from Lennie. We discover that Lennie is slow and large and that George is quick and small. They eat beans for dinner and George loses his temper. Lennie threatens to leave where he could have ketchup and keep his mice…but does not. Even though they don’t have ketchup Lennie stayed. George made Lennie repeat “in the brush down by the river.” This is where we first hear about the rabbits and their dream of living on their own ranch!

Chapter 2

We go to the ranch. Lennie isn’t suppose to talk to the boss but does anyway. George gets upset. The boss questions them but they pass the test. We meet Candy, Curley, Curley’s Wife, Slim and Carlson. We get a view of the bunkhouse and into some of the characters. We see that Curley is a jerk, Curley’s wife is a flirt and Slim is the god of the ranch.

Chapter 3

Slim agrees to give Lennie one of his newly born puppies. George tells Slim how they met and how he helped Lennie out after the death of his Aunt Clara. He also tells Slim about the incident with the girl in Weed (Lennie touches dress, doesn’t let go, girl freaks…cries rape, lynch mob, hide in irrigation ditch). Slim asks if the girls was ok…George said she was fine. Carlson offers to and kills Candy’s stinky dog. Candy asks if he can go live with Lennie and George on their dream ranch. He offers $350 and George agrees. They decide to tell no one. Curley accuses Slim of sleeping with his wife. Lennie is smiling about the dream and Curley fights him. Lennie crushes Curley’s hand when George says…”get him Lennie”.

Chapter 4

This is the infamous barn chapter. Lennie is visiting his pup and sees Crooks’ (the stable buck) light is on. He goes in to talk to Crooks. Crooks scares Lennie asking him what he would do if George didn’t come back. Lennie threatens Crooks and Crooks says he was only supposin’. Candy enters and they all talk about the ranch. Crooks calls them crazy but asks if he could work there. Curley’s wife enters and no one notices. She calls them rejects and threatens Crooks. Crooks backs up and Candy says they tell the truth. She said no one would believe them. Candy convinces Curley’s wife that the boys are back and she leaves. George enters and Crooks then tells Candy to forget what he asked him.

Chapter 5Barn Scene Take 2. Lennie is alone in the barn with his now dead pup. He had smacked the dog when it tried to bite him. He is visibly upset and worried about not getting to tend the rabbits. He is talking to himself when Curley’s wife enters. She asks him several questions and one thing leads to another. She allows Lennie to pet her “soft” hair. When she freaks out he clamps down on her hair. When she screamed he covers her mouth. He shakes her to quiet her and snaps her neck. He realizes what happened, covers the body and goes to the brush by the river. Candy discovers the body and gets George. George convinces Candy to let him go to the bunkhouse so he isn’t blamed and then he can go get the other guys. He does. Curley and the guys decide they have to go get Lennie. Curley plans to shoot him in the gut. George goes with him, with Carlson’s Luger. Carlson believes Lennie has the gun.

Chapter 6This chapter starts just like chapter 1. They describe the river valley in detail. We see Lennie again at the rivers edge. He has a short interchange with an imaginary Aunt Clara and a large rabbit. He is fearful that George will leave him. George appears and there is a touching scene. George tells Lennie he was never mad at him. He then tells Lennie about the ranch…now Lennie’s heaven. Lennie asks when they can go there and George shoots Lennie in the back of the head (like Candy should of done for his dog). George throws the gun aside. Slim yells for George and they are soon joined by the other men. Slim tells George he “hadda” do it. They go have a drink. Carlson wonders why they are both so upset. (enter creepy banjo music)

Themes and Figurative Language

What are these quotes examples of???. "The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, . . ."

Metaphor

"Suddenly, Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves."

Simile

"I wisht I could put you in a cage with about a million mice an' let you have fun."

Hyperbole

Vocabulary

 

aloof

not involved with or friendly toward other people

 

appreciate

to understand the worth or importance of 

 

apprehend

To arrest or seize

 

belligerent

 angry and aggressive

 

bemuse

to make confused

 

brittle

easily broken

More Vocabulary

 

complacency

a feeling of being satisfied with how things are

 

derision

a state of being laughed at or ridiculed

 

imperious

intensely compelling

 

indignation

anger caused by something that is unfair or wrong

 

juncture

a place where things join

 

mollify

to soothe in temper or disposition

 

monotony

a lack of change that makes something boring

 

morose

very sad or unhappy

 

mottled

spots or blotches

 

ominous

suggesting that something bad is going to happen

 

plaintive

expressing suffering or sadness

 

pugnacious

showing a readiness or desire to fight or argue

 

relish

enjoyment of or delight in something

 

reprehensible

very bad

 

revere

to have great respect for

 

slough

to plod through or as if through mud

 

stilted

 awkward especially because of being too formal

 

wooden

awkward or stiff 

Last Thoughts

Look over these notes and your chapter questions. This will give you a good idea about the questions asked.Review your vocabulary worksheets and vocabulary words. These will help you a lot on the matching section.Remember points where I stopped and pointed things out. There was a reason each and every time. Remember those points and they will help youGood Luck!!!