Of Mice and Men - Section 5

Question 1

What time of day does this section take place?

Answer 1

Sunday afternoon.

Question 2

Who is in the barn at the start of this section, and why?

Answer 2

Lennie, because he has killed his new puppy.

Question 3

“Why do you got to get killed?” Who says this, and to whom?

Answer 3

Lennie, to his ex-puppy.

Question 4

Curley’s Wife enters the barn - what does Lennie do with the body of the puppy?

Answer 4

“In a panic, he shovelled hay over the puppy with his fingers.”

Question 5

What is Curley’s Wife wearing in this section?

Answer 5

“She wore her bright cotton dress and the mules with the red ostrich feathers.”

Question 6

Why is Lennie initially reluctant to talk to Curley’s Wife?

Answer 6

Because George had previously told him not to.

Question 7

“I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.” Who says this?

Answer 7

Curley’s Wife.

Question 8

“How’d you like not to talk to anybody?” Who asks Lennie this question?

Answer 8

Curley’s Wife.

Question 9

According to Curley’s Wife, what is the whole country full of?

Answer 9

Mutts.

Question 10

Why wouldn’t Curley’s Wife’s mother let her leave with a travelling show in town?

Answer 10

She was only 15.

Question 11

Curley’s Wife met a man in the Riverside Dance Palace who said he was going to _____ and that she was a _____. Complete the blanks!

Answer 11

“He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.”

Question 12

Why does Curley’s Wife believe she never received a letter from the men who offered her acting jobs?

Answer 12

Her ‘old lady’ (mother) stole and hid them.

Question 13

What does Curley’s Wife believe she could’ve been in?

Answer 13

“Coulda been in the movies.”

Question 14

Who does Curley’s Wife express dislike for in this section?

Answer 14

Curley - “I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.”

Question 15

Curley’s Wife asks Lennie why he’s so nuts about rabbits. What is Lennie’s (slightly creepy) reply?

Answer 15

“I like to pet nice things with my fingers, soft things.”

Question 16

“Lennie’s big fingers fell to _______” What does Lennie start doing?

Answer 16

“Stroking her [Curley’s Wife] hair”

Question 17

“Please don’t,” he begged. “Oh please don’t do that! George’ll be mad.” What does Lennie ask Curley’s Wife to stop doing?

Answer 17

Screaming.

Question 18

What simile does Steinbeck use to describe Curley’s Wife’s body as it’s being shaken by Lennie?

Answer 18

“Flopped like a fish”

Question 19

“Then she was still, for ______” Complete the quotation!

Answer 19

Lennie had broken her neck.

Question 20

“I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing.” Who says this in this section?

Answer 20

Lennie, after realising he’s killed Curley’s Wife.

Question 21

Where does Lennie go after he’s killed Curley’s Wife? Why?

Answer 21

He goes to the clearing from the start of the novel, because of George’s instructions to do so if there was any trouble.

Question 22

When describing her dead body, what does John Steinbeck tell us was gone from her face?

Answer 22

“the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face.”

Question 23

What adjectives does John Steinbeck use to describe Curley’s Wife’s dead body?

Answer 23

Pretty, Simple, Sweet, Young.

Question 24

Who discovers Curley’s Wife’s body?

Answer 24

Candy.

Question 25

“Now Candy spoke his greatest fear.” What is Candy’s greatest fear, spoken after he discovers the body of Curley’s Wife?

Answer 25

“You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we George? You an’ me can go there an’ live nice can’t we? Can’t we?”

Question 26

“He knew.” What has Candy realised in this simple sentence?

Answer 26

That the dream will never happen.

Question 27

What names does Candy call Curley’s Wife when he’s alone with her body?

Answer 27

“Lousy tart”, “God damn tramp”.

Question 28

Who does Curley believe killed his wife?

Answer 28

Lennie. And he’s right.

Question 29

What do the ranch hands want to do to Lennie after discovering Curley’s Wife’s body?

Answer 29

Kill him. Curley: “I’ll shoot him in the guts.”

Question 30

What does Carlson realise has been taken before the men leave to hunt for Lennie?

Answer 30

His Luger.

Question 31

What lie does George tell the men about Lennie’s location?

Answer 31

That Lennie would have travelled south rather than return o the clearing.

Question 32

“I’m gonna shoot the guts out of that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand.” Who says this?

Answer 32

Curley.

Question 33

___________ lay down in the hay and covered his eyes with his arm. Who does this at the end of the section?

Answer 33

Old Candy.