Key Text Quotations Flashcards
Q: What is the significance of the quote: “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.”?
A: This opening line establishes the novel’s setting and its connection to nature. The contrast between the calm, green river and the later tragic events symbolizes false hope and inevitable loss.
Q: How does the quote: “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.” relate to the novel’s themes?
A: This quote highlights the loneliness of itinerant workers. However, George and Lennie’s friendship makes them different, setting up the novel’s central relationship and its eventual breakdown.
Q: What does Lennie’s phrase “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you” show?
A: This line emphasizes the unique companionship between George and Lennie, contrasting with the isolation experienced by other characters in the novel.
Q: Why is the quote “We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us” important?
A: It reinforces the theme of dreams and companionship. Lennie and George believe their bond will protect them from loneliness, making the ending even more tragic.
Q: What is the significance of George’s warning: “If you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here and hide in the brush.”?
A: This foreshadows Lennie’s inevitable trouble and the tragic ending, as George later finds him in this exact spot before shooting him.
Q: How does Steinbeck use the description: “Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes.”?
A: The comparison of Lennie’s hand to a “paw” reinforces his animalistic qualities, suggesting he is powerful yet unaware of his own strength.
Q: What does Slim’s quote “A guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella” reveal?
A: This shows Slim’s wisdom and compassion. Unlike Curley, he respects Lennie despite his disability, emphasizing the theme of kindness versus cruelty.
Q: How does the phrase “Curley’s like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys” characterize Curley?
A: This highlights Curley’s insecurity and aggressive nature. His hostility toward Lennie stems from his own feelings of inadequacy.
Q: What is the importance of Carlson’s suggestion: “This ol’ dog just suffers hisself all the time. If you was to take him out and shoot him right in the back of the head… he wouldn’t feel nothing.”?
A: This foreshadows George’s decision to kill Lennie mercifully, mirroring Candy’s regret over not shooting his own dog himself.
Q: Why is Candy’s line “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog.” significant?
A: It reinforces the theme of mercy killing and personal responsibility, influencing George’s decision to kill Lennie himself rather than let Curley do it cruelly.
Q: What does Curley’s wife’s quote “I coulda made somethin’ of myself” reveal?
A: It highlights her broken dreams and the limitations placed on women in the 1930s, reinforcing the theme of shattered aspirations.
Q: What is the significance of Curley’s wife’s words “Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?”?
A: This underscores her loneliness and isolation, challenging the men’s perception of her as merely a flirt.
Q: What does Crooks’ statement “A guy needs somebody—to be near him” emphasize?
A: It reflects the novel’s theme of loneliness and how racial discrimination isolates Crooks even further.
Q: How does the phrase “A colored man got to have some rights even if he don’t like ‘em much” develop Crooks’ character?
A: It highlights his bitterness toward racism and his awareness of his low social status, reinforcing the theme of power and discrimination.
Q: How does Lennie’s repeated phrase “An’ live off the fatta the lan’” relate to the American Dream?
A: It represents Lennie’s innocent belief in their dream, which ultimately proves unattainable, reinforcing Steinbeck’s critique of the American Dream.
Q: What does George’s final line “No, Lennie. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.” reveal?
A: This moment of tenderness before Lennie’s death shows George’s deep love and regret, making the ending even more heartbreaking.
Q: What does Slim’s line “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda” suggest?
A: Slim validates George’s decision, reinforcing the theme of mercy and moral struggle in making difficult choices.
Q: What is the significance of the novel’s final line: “Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?”?
A: Carlson’s insensitivity highlights society’s lack of empathy, emphasizing how George’s loss is deeply personal and not understood by others.
