George Quotes

Question 1

Treatment of others:
George aggressively declares his need for privacy and space from Candy.

Answer 1

“You was pokin’ your big ears into our business…I don’t like nobody to get nosey.”

Question 2

Treatment of others:
He refuses to be drawn in to prolonged conversations with Curley’s Wife.

Answer 2

“You’re the new fellas that just come, ain’t ya?” “Yeah.”

“George looked away from her and then back.”

Question 3

Treatment of others:
George makes the crude assumption that she would sexually sell herself.

Answer 3

“Bet she’d clear out for twenty bucks.”

Question 4

Treatment of others:
George subjects her to a series of misogynistic insults and degrading comments.

Answer 4

“Jesus, what a tramp.”

”Don’t you even take a look at that bitch.”

”I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.”

”…she’s a rattrap if I ever seen one.”

Question 5

Treatment of others:
George isn’t intimidated by Curley and he stands up for himself.

Answer 5

‘“What the hell are you gettin’ into it for?”…“We travel together,” said George coldly.’

‘George stood still, watching the angry little man. He said insultingly, “She said—she was lookin’ for you.”’

Question 6

Relationship with Lennie:
George literally and figuratively offers guidance to Lennie.

Answer 6

“They had walked in single file… and even in the open one stayed behind the other.”

Question 7

Relationship with Lennie:
Despite their differences, their social circumstances unite them.

Answer 7

“Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats… Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders.”

Question 8

Relationship with Lennie:
Looking after Lennie is physically and mentally exhausting for him.

Answer 8

“restless eyes”.

Question 9

Relationship with Lennie:
He offers support/instruction to Lennie. He expects obedience, but anticipates that Lennie will ignore him.

Answer 9

‘“Lennie!” he said sharply. “Lennie, for God’ sakes don’t drink so much.”’

‘”You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie,” he said hopelessly.’

Question 10

Relationship with Lennie:
George acts as a role model / father figure to Lennie - Lennie wants to be like him and he constantly seeks his approval.

Answer 10

“Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly…looked over to George to see whether he had it just right.”

Question 11

Relationship with Lennie:
He is often insensitive to Lennie, cruelly commenting on his mental state and mocking his child-like demeanour.

Answer 11

“Jesus Christ, you’re a crazy bastard!”

“Blubberin’ like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you.”

Question 12

Relationship with Lennie:
He is easily irritated and angered by Lennie. He has very little patience with him.

Answer 12

‘“Well, we ain’t got any,” George exploded.’

‘“Give it here!” said George…“Give it here!”’

Question 13

Relationship with Lennie:
George is always quick to show remorse, acknowledge his mistake and make amends for his mistreatment of Lennie.

Answer 13

‘“Aw, Lennie!” George put his hand on Lennie’s shoulder.”

‘he looked ashamedly at the flames…”I been mean, ain’t I?”’

Question 14

Relationship with Lennie:
He views Lennie as a liability, so he is keen to promote his strengths. He could be exploiting Lennie to get a job.

Answer 14

“If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job, but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk, we’re set.”

Question 15

Relationship with Lennie:
He treats Lennie like a pet, training him in appropriate behaviour.

Answer 15

“Good boy. That’s swell. You say that over two, three times so you sure won’t forget it.”

Question 16

Relationship with Lennie:
He insensitively reminds Lennie that his life would be better if Lennie wasn’t a part of it. Lennie seems to be an inconvenience that prevents George from enjoying a more fulfilling life.

Answer 16

“I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so easy”

”I could live so easy. I could…I could take my fifty bucks…I could stay in a cat house…I could eat any place I want…An’ I could do all that every damn month.”

Question 17

Relationship with Lennie:
George seems more relaxed and content when Lennie isn’t there.

Answer 17

“George lay where he was and whistled softly to himself.”

Question 18

Relationship with Lennie:
In a tirade, George indicates that Lennie causes multiple problems in his life by getting into trouble, but he still always helps him.

Answer 18

”You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out.”

”You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You keep me in hot water all the time.”

Question 19

Relationship with Lennie:
He anticipates problems with Lennie, so he puts in a contingency plan to protect him from harm.

Answer 19

“if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush…Hide in the brush till I come for you.”

Question 20

Relationship with Lennie:
He is keen to compensate for Lennie’s shortcomings by highlighting his merits.

Answer 20

“he’s sure a hell of a good worker. Strong as a bull.”

“He can do anything you tell him…He can rassel grain bags, drive a cultivator. He can do anything. Just give him a try.”

Question 21

Relationship with Lennie:
The Boss is suspicious of George’s support for Lennie.

Answer 21

“I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy.”

Question 22

Relationship with Lennie:
He is concerned for Lennie and wants to protect him from Curley.

Answer 22

“You try to keep away from him, will you? Don’t never speak to him.”

Question 23

Relationship with Lennie:
He consistently defends Lennie and refuses to let anyone speak ill of him. He doesn’t want anyone to have a bad impression of him.

Answer 23

‘“Funny how you an’ him string along together.”…“What’s funny about it?” George demanded defensively.’

‘“He ain’t no cuckoo,” said George. “He’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy.”’

‘“Christ awmighty, I hate to have you mad at me,” Slim said. George broke in, “Lennie was jus’ scairt,” he explained. “He didn’t know what to do.”’

Question 24

Relationship with Lennie:
There is a history of George abusing Lennie for his own amusement, even endangering Lennie’s life by making him jump in a river. However, he accepts his wrongdoing and is ashamed of it.

Answer 24

“I used to have a hell of a lot of fun with ‘im. Used to play jokes on ‘im ‘cause he was too dumb to take care of ‘imself.”

”I’ve beat the hell outa him”

‘George’s voice was taking on the tone of confession…”I ain’t done nothing like that no more.”’

Question 25

Lennie’s death:
Even after Lennie kills Curley’s Wife, George is intent on protecting him.

Answer 25

‘He said sharply, “I ain’t gonna let ‘em hurt Lennie.”’

Question 26

Lennie’s death:
He sends the men in the wrong direction in the hopes to protect Lennie.

Answer 26

‘“He—would of went south,” he said. “We come from north so he would of went south.”’

Question 27

Lennie’s death:
He tries to save him from a painful death at the hands of the sadistic Curley.

Answer 27

“Don’t shoot ‘im. He di’n’t know what he was doin’.”

Question 28

Lennie’s death:
He allows Lennie to die happily, still believing that their dream will come true.

Answer 28

“Look acrost the river, Lennie, an’ I’ll tell you so you can almost see it.”

Question 29

Lennie’s death:
Lennie’s greatest fear is upsetting or disappointing George, so George reassures Lennie in his final moments.

Answer 29

“No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.”

Question 30

Lennie’s death:
George is reluctant to kill Lennie, and emotionally traumatised after he does it.

Answer 30

“George raised the gun and his hand shook, and he dropped his hand to the ground again…The hand shook violently”.

“George’s voice was almost a whisper. He looked steadily at his right hand that had held the gun.”

Question 31

Lennie’s death:
George shoots Lennie in the same place that Candy’s dog was shot to give him a merciful death - quick and painless.

Answer 31

“He looked at the back of Lennie’s head, at the place where the spine and skull were joined.”

“Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering.”

Question 32

Dreams:
George and Lennie’s dream is the foundation of their friendship. It is often repeated to give them hope and help them cope with life.

Answer 32

“George’s voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before.”

”We got a future…Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together…An’ live off the fatta the lan’”.

“His voice was growing warmer.”

“George sat entranced with his own picture.”

Question 33

Dreams:
George uses their dream as an incentive/form of blackmail to moderate Lennie’s behaviour.

Answer 33

“I can let you tend the rabbits all right. ‘Specially if you remember as good as that.”

“But you ain’t gonna get in no trouble, because if you do, I won’t let you tend the rabbits.”

Question 34

Dreams:
At certain moments, he doesn’t seem to take the dream seriously.

Answer 34

“Red and blue and green rabbits, Lennie. Millions of ‘em.”

Question 35

Dreams:
He doesn’t want to jeopardise their chances of making money to finance the dream.

Answer 35

”I don’t want to get mixed up in nothing. Lennie and me got to make a stake.”

“Slim, will we get canned now? We need the stake. Will Curley’s old man can us now?”

Question 36

Dreams:
The dream offers him a sense of belonging and a better life.

Answer 36

“We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there…we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house.”

Question 37

Dreams:
He is fiercely protective of the dream and initially doesn’t want Candy’s involvement.

Answer 37

‘George was on guard immediately…”Say—what’s it to you? You got nothing to do with us.”’

”We was always gonna do it by ourselves.”

Question 38

Dreams:
He only accepts Candy’s involvement (and only properly begins to believe in the dream) when Candy offers the necessary money.

Answer 38

“S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hunderd an’ fifty bucks I’d put in.”…”That’d be four fifty. I bet we could swing her for that.”

“This thing they had never really believed in was coming true.”

‘George said reverently, “Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her.” His eyes were full of wonder. “I bet we could swing her,” he repeated softly.’

Question 39

Dreams:
Crooks suggests that George is wasting the money that should be used for their dream.

Answer 39

“An’ where’s George now? In town in a whorehouse. That’s where your money’s goin’.”

Question 40

Dreams:
George abandons the dream after Lennie kills Curley’s Wife. He admits that he was never fully convinced that it would come about.

Answer 40

‘George said softly, “—I think I knowed from the very first. I think I know’d we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would.”’

Question 41

Dreams:
George becomes just another lonely ranch worker with a failed dream - he believes he will fall into the stereotype of the lonely ranch hand without a dream.

Answer 41

“I’ll work my month an’ I’ll take my fifty bucks…An’ then I’ll come back an’ work another month an’ I’ll have fifty bucks more.”

Question 42

Loneliness:
Despite the problems in their relationship, George needs Lennie to avoid a lonely life.

Answer 42

“No—look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me”

“I want you to stay with me, Lennie…No, you stay with me.”

Question 43

Loneliness:
Their mutually beneficial relationship helps them fight back their fear of loneliness.

Answer 43

“because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you”

Question 44

Loneliness:
When they arrive on the ranch, George begins to leave Lennie alone more often.

Answer 44

“Slim and George came into the darkening bunk house together.”

‘”Ever’body went into town,” he said. “Slim an’ George an’ ever’body. George says I gotta stay here an’ not get in no trouble.”’

Question 45

Loneliness:
George recognises that Lennie isn’t just preventing him from being lonely, but also preventing him from becoming a worse person.

Answer 45

‘“I ain’t got no people,” George said. “I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone…After a long time they get mean.”’