Of Mice and Men
Content and Analysis Questions
 

Chapter 1
1. Name the town where Lennie and George last worked.

2. Describe the incident that caused Lennie and George to have to leave their last job. (What had Lennie done?)
 

3. Why did George take the mouse away from Lennie?
 

4. What is the dream of the two main characters? What do they hope to purchase some day? Provide at least 5 details about this place.
 

Chapter 2
1. What is the name of the “swamper”?
 

2. Who is Curley?
 

3. What is George’s last name?
 

4. What is Lennie’s last name?
 

5. What was the main reason that Curley did not like Lennie?
 

6. How long have Curley and his wife been married?
 

7. Who does Curley think is “messing around” with his wife?
 

8. What were two main reasons why Carlson wanted Candy’s dog to be put down?
 

9. What is Lennie supposed to do if he ever gets into trouble while at this ranch?
 

Chapter 3
1. At the beginning of the chapter, what secret does George tell Slim?
 

2. What does George’s conversation with Slim reveal about his past relationship with Lennie?
 

3. Who shoots Candy’s dog? Why did this person want to do it?
 

4. Explain how the shooting of Candy’s dog is symbolic of Candy’s life on the ranch.
 

5. Describe the ranch that George has found for them to buy.
 

6. In what 2 ways has George’s Dream changed now?
 

7. Explain how Curley actually hurt his hand.
 

8. What story is Curley supposed to tell to explain how he hurt his hand?
 

Chapter 4
1. What does the description of his room reveal about Crooks? How does his room compare to that of the other men?
 

2. Why do you think Crooks did not go into town with the rest of the men?
 

3. What does the manner in which Crooks is treated by the rest of the ranch hands say about prejudice/racism in the 1930s?
 

4. Why do you think Crooks teased Lennie?
 

5. Why didn’t Candy go into town with the rest of the men?
 

6. Why didn’t Lennie go into town with the others?
 

7. How did Curley’s wife know that Lennie was the one who broke Curley’s hand?
 

8. What is Crooks’ reaction to the Dream of the farm?
 

9. In your opinion, at the end of the chapter why did Crooks tell Lennie that he didn’t want to be part of the plan?
 

Chapter 5
1. How and why did Lennie’s dog die?
 

2. What reasons does Lennie come up with to try to convince George to still let him tend the rabbits?
 

3. Why does Curley’s wife want to talk to Lennie?
 

4. What information do we learn about Curley’s wife’s past? (ex. Where is she from? Why did she choose to marry Curley?)
 

5. What led Lennie to touch Curley’s wife?
 

6. What happened to Curley’s wife?
 

7. Who found Curley’s wife and how did he initially react?
 

Chapter 6
1. Describe Lennie’s state of mind when he goes to hide in the brush?
 

2. Why does Lennie have hallucinations of Aunt Clara and a rabbit?
 

3. Explain George’s last words to Lennie?
 

4. What did George do to Lennie? Describe this scene?
 

5. Why does George claim it was self-defense?
 

6. If someone else had found Lennie first, what might have happened?