Lennie

Question 1

What does Lennie represent

Answer 1

• lack of respect towards marginalised
• futility of dream
• predatory nature of society
• cruelty towards marginalised

Question 2

Lennie link to context

Answer 2

• cruelty towards marginalised
• social hierarchy
• failure of dream

Question 3

Lennie being not stereotypically smart

Answer 3

‘If you don’t want me I can go off in this hills’
‘No look! I was just foolin Lennie’
- knows how to convince George
- would leave if George told him to, cares about him so much

Question 4

Lennie being perceptive even with retardation

Answer 4

‘I don’t like this place, George. This ain’t no good place’

Question 5

Lennie acknowledging importance of friendship

Answer 5

‘I thought you was mad at me George’
- just killed curleys wife, only cares about George

‘I can still tend the rabbits, George?’
- doesn’t care of consequences of crushing curleys hand

Question 6

Lennie being naive and not being able to fathom racial prejudice

Answer 6

‘Why ain’t you wanted?’
‘Cause I’m black’
- doesn’t think crooks is any different
- even though mentally challenged, is nicest, as if society kills niceness

‘Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends’

Question 7

Lennie being animalistic and not understanding things

Answer 7

‘Lennie dabbled his paw into the water and wiggled his finger. Look George look what I done’
- doesn’t understand cause and effect

Question 8

Lennie admiring George

Answer 8

‘Lennie who had been watching, imitated George exactly’

• looks to George as father figure
• wants to fit in, doesn’t know how