Plot Summary Flashcards
Q: What is the setting at the beginning of Of Mice and Men?
A: The novella begins in a rural area near a lake in California. George and Lennie, two itinerant workers, arrive as they head to a nearby ranch in Soledad.
Q: How does Steinbeck introduce George and Lennie’s relationship?
A: George is responsible for Lennie, who has learning difficulties. Lennie’s past mistakes have caused them trouble, making George cautious and protective.
Q: What dream do George and Lennie share?
A: They dream of earning enough money to buy their own piece of land, where Lennie can tend rabbits. This dream provides them with comfort and hope.
Q: What happens when George and Lennie arrive at the ranch?
A: The boss is suspicious of why George speaks for Lennie. Candy, an old swamper, gossips about the ranch’s workers, including Curley and his wife. Curley, the boss’s son, is immediately aggressive toward Lennie.
Q: How is Curley’s wife introduced?
A: She is flirtatious and is seen as a threat by the men because she is Curley’s wife. George warns Lennie to stay away from her.
Q: How does the fight between Lennie and Curley occur?
A: Curley, insecure and eager to assert dominance, attacks Lennie. Lennie, hesitant at first, crushes Curley’s hand when George instructs him to fight back.
Q: What does Candy offer George and Lennie?
A: Candy, desperate for security, offers his savings to help buy their dream farm in exchange for a place with them.
Q: How does Crooks react to the dream?
A: Crooks, initially skeptical, briefly entertains the idea of joining them. However, Curley’s wife reminds him of his powerlessness, crushing his hope.
Q: What is the significance of Candy’s dog being shot?
A: Carlson pressures Candy into letting him shoot his old, weak dog. This foreshadows Lennie’s fate and symbolizes society’s disregard for the weak.
Q: How does Lennie accidentally kill Curley’s wife?
A: While in the barn, Curley’s wife lets Lennie stroke her hair. When she panics, Lennie grips too hard and accidentally breaks her neck, mirroring previous instances where he harmed small animals.
Q: What is George’s reaction to Curley’s wife’s death?
A: Realizing their dream is now unattainable, George prepares to protect Lennie from Curley’s vengeful mob.
Q: How does the novella end?
A: Lennie hides at the meeting spot George told him about earlier. George finds him and, while recounting their dream one last time, mercifully shoots him in the back of the head before Curley can exact a crueler punishment.
Q: What is the significance of the final scene?
A: The novel’s cyclical structure, returning to the lakeside setting, symbolizes the inevitability of fate and the crushing reality of dreams in a harsh world.
