| A | B |
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| Where does the novel take place? | Salinas River Valley in California (early 20th century) |
| Who are the two main characters? | George and Lennie |
| Where is George and Lennie going? | going to work at a ranch in Soledad |
| What has Lennie been concealing in his pocket? | a dead mouse; Lennie likes to pet soft things |
| Who was the lady that once gave Lennie mice to pet? | Aunt Clara |
| What bad thing happened to Lennie at their last job in Weed? | Lennie wanted to touch a women's soft dress and was charged with assault. |
| What is the dream that Lennie talks about? | He wants to own his own piece of land and raise rabbits on it. |
| How does George explain the difference between him and Lennie and other ranchers? | They have a future and each other and will one day save enough money to buy a farm. |
| What is Lennie's favorite part of their dream? | The prospect of having rabbits, the care of which will be put in his charge. |
| Should anything go wrong at the ranch, where was Lennie told to go? | He was told to come back to the same spot where they are sitting and hide int he brush until George comes for him. |
| Who is the one-handed caretaker who gives Lennie and George a tour of the ranch and bunkhouse? | Candy |
| Why is the "boss" upset with Lennie and George? | Because they did not get to the ranch in time to go out with the morning crew. |
| How does George answer the boss who asks why he does everything for Lennie? | He told him that Lennie got kicked in the head as a kid and he promised his aunt he would take care of him |
| Who is the boss' son? | Curley |
| Why does George warn Lennie to stay away from Curley? | He does not like Curley |
| Who poses a serious threat to Lennie? | Curley's wife |
| Who is the wise leader of the workers whose dog just had puppies? | Slim |
| Who suggests that Candy replace his old, blind sheepdog with one of Slim's puppies? | Carlson |
| What has Lennie smuggled in from the barn? | one of Slim's puppies |
| Who shots Candy's old dog? | Carlson |
| What is the name of the black stable buck who warns Slim that Lennie is messing around with his pups in the barn? | Crooks |
| Who invites George to go out to a brothel with the rest of the guys? | Whit, another worker |
| Who is allowed to become part of George and Lennie's dream and offers to put $350.00 towards the place? | Candy |
| Why does Curley attack Lennie? | Curley thinks that Lennie is laughing at him when Curley is really thinking about the ranch and rabbits. |
| What does Slim tell the whimpering Curley to tell everybody about his hand? | tell everybody that his hand got stuck in a machine |
| How did Crooks get his name? | He had a crooked spine as a result of being kicked by a mule |
| Who helps to convince Crooks that Lennie has the money and will actually get a place? | Candy (Crooks asks for a share in it) |
| Why does Curley's wife come to Crook's door? | She is looking for Curley. She confesses to being lonely up in the house all the time and does not like Curley's company |
| How does Curley's wife figure out that Lennie busted Curley's hand? | She notices the bruises on Lennie's face and realizes what really happened to Curley's hand. |
| Why does Lennie fear he had done a bad thing and will not get to tend the rabbits? | He had killed the puppy by accident |
| What was Curley's wife's unfulfilled dream? | Becoming an actress and living in Hollywood and wearing nice clothes. |
| How does Lennie kill Curley's wife? | Lennie likes to pet nice things and when he petted her hair, he ended up breaking her neck. |
| Who finds Curley's dead wife? | Candy |
| Why does George pretend like he does not know what is going on? | If Curley suspects that George was involved, he will want George dead as well. |
| Who does Candy blame for all that has happened? | Curley's dead wife |
| Who claims that Lennie has stolen his gun? | Carlson, with the same gun that he used to kill Candy's old dog |
| Where does George find Lennie? | alongside the pool of the Salinas River-the same setting that started the novel |
| What two ghosts confront Lennie as he waits? | Aunt Clara and the rabbit |
| What does George do as he tells Lennie about the farm and the rabbits? | He shots Lennie and throws the gun away. |
| What does Slim's words of comfort at the end, "You hadda George" indicate... | the sad truth that one has to surrender one's dreams in order to survive , which is not the easiest thing to do in America, the land of promise. |
| Who is Candy's dog a metaphor for? | Candy is left with no other option but to shoot his longtime companion which is a metaphor for what George must do to Lennie who proves no good to himself. |
| What do the handicaps represent, such as Candy is missing a hand, Crooks has a crooked spine, Lennie is mentally slow, and Curley has acquired a mangled hand? | Schemes of men gone awry. Physical deformities occur regardless of the handicap's person's will or desire to be otherwise, just as George and Lennie's dream goes wrong despite how much they want it to be fulfilled. |
| What does the game of solitaire that George always plays represent? | Solitaire is a metaphor for the loneliness of the characters in the novel who have no one except for themselves. It is also a metaphor for George's desire to be solitaire and no longer burdened by Lennie's company. |
| What are the dead mouse and dead puppy a metaphor for? | The dead mouse and puppy are a reminder that things will go wrong, even the desire to pet a mouse or dog. |
