Ninth Grade English
Reading Assignments
Of Mice and Men
Reading assignments are to be completed in a timely fashion. Assume 15 pages per day. There will be daily activities to entertain you.
You will complete a timeline of events, which will be due at the completion of the reading. The timeline will be the only plot summary accepted from you during the reading of this book.
Chapter 1
1. What atmosphere is established by the description at the beginning of the book? (setting)
2. Describe the two main characters:
Lennie
George
3. How does Steinbeck get across to the reader what these men are like?
4. Why is the mouse important?
5. What do you think actually happened in Weed?
6. What kind of feeling are we beginning to experience?
7. What does George tell Lennie to do if there is any trouble?
8. Which of these questions is here because the answers illustrate foreshadowing?
Chapter 2
1. Who is Candy?
2. What do we learn about Crooks from Candy's statement?
3. What more do we learn about Lennie?
4. We meet Curley. Who is he and what is he like?
5. Enter Curley's wife Describe her character (action, appearance, dialogue, what others say about her)
6. What begins to worry George?
What begins to worry Lennie?
7. Who is the "prince of the ranch"?
8. What does Carlson complain of?
Chapter 3
1. Why is George thanking Slim in the beginning of the chapter?
2. What does Lennie's taking the puppy to bed with him reveal about him?
3. How does Slim get George to begin telling about their life together?
4. What is their history?
as children/adolescents
the jumping in the river incident
the incident in Weed
5. What feeling is the reader beginning to experience?
6. What is the discussion between Candy and Carlson about?
What does the dog represent to Candy?
Why does Candy let Carlson shoot the dog?
7. What is their Saturday night fun like?
8. Candy hears about the rabbits and wants to become part of the plan. Why? Is he a good addition? What does he contribute?
8. Why does Candy suddenly bring up the dog's death?
9. Why does Curley pick on Lennie?
10. Describe the fight.
11. Do you have any idea of what might be going to happen?
Chapter 4
1. What kind of room does Crooks have and what does it tell us about him?
2. What is Crooks doing as Lennie appears in the doorway?
3. Describe their conversation.
4. Why does Crooks tease Lennie about George never coming back?
5. Lennie starts talking about the dream. What is Crooks' response?
6. They hear someone approach. Who is it and why was he searching for Lennie?
7. Why does Crooks say no one ever reaches his dream?
8. What does Crooks offer to do to be a part of the dream?
9. Curley's wife appears.
What does she mean when she says, "They left all the weak ones here"?
Why is she hurt?
10. What new side do we see of Curley's wife?
How does she become part of the loneliness theme?
Do we get any idea of her dreams?
11. When she insults them calling them "a nigger an' a dum-dum and a lousy ol' sheep," how do each react?
What happens when Crooks finally musters his pride and tells her to leave?
12. What does Crooks mean in his speech beginning on p90 "a colored man"
13. How does the chapter end?
Chapter 5
1. What is the feeling created by the first three paragraphs of the chapter?
2. What is Lennie's fear?
3. Curley's wife comes to the barn. Why does she seek out Lennie?
4. What is Curley's wife's dream?
5. What do we learn about Curley's relationship with his wife?
6. Lennie's comment about liking to pet soft things foreshadows what is to come. What effect does that have on you?
7. The climax of the story occurs in this chapter. What is it? Were you surprised?
8. Who discovers Curley's wife, what is his reaction?
9. What does George mean when he says "I should of knew I guess"?
10. How does Candy react?
11. What does George want to do with Lennie? Is that feasible?
12. How does the chapter end? What does Candy's comment mean?
Chapter 6
1. What do you feel for Lennie as we see him at the water's edge?
2. Why do you think Lennie has the visions of Aunt Clara and the large rabbit?
3. Why does George agree to scold Lennie?
How does he feel about it?
4. How do you feel about Lennie's happiness?
5. Why does George kill his friend? Is he killing anything else?
6. Is George a hero? Why or why not?