Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are George and Lennie like?
What are George and Lennie like?
George is small and wiry; Lennie is huge and has a mental disability.
What does Lennie do with the mouse he is carrying in his pocket?
What does Lennie do with the mouse he is carrying in his pocket?
He accidentally crushes it to death petting it.
Why did they have to leave the last farm in Weeds?
Why did they have to leave the last farm in Weeds?
Lennie wouldn't let go of a girl's pretty dress.
What does George say his life would be like without Lennie?
What does George say his life would be like without Lennie?
When will Lennie get to tend rabbits?
When will Lennie get to tend rabbits?
When George tries not to let Lennie talk to the boss, why is the boss suspicious?
When George tries not to let Lennie talk to the boss, why is the boss suspicious?
Are George and Lennie related?
Are George and Lennie related?
Who is Curley?
Who is Curley?
Who is Crooks?
Who is Crooks?
Who is Candy?
Who is Candy?
Who is Slim?
Who is Slim?
What's Curley's wife like?
What's Curley's wife like?
Who is the most respected of the work crew?
Who is the most respected of the work crew?
Why did George stop playing tricks on Lennie years ago?
Why did George stop playing tricks on Lennie years ago?
What happens to Candy's old dog?
What happens to Candy's old dog?
Why does Candy want to give George and Lennie his life savings?
Why does Candy want to give George and Lennie his life savings?
What happens to Curley's hand after he beats up Lennie?
What happens to Curley's hand after he beats up Lennie?
How does Lennie think he'll be punished?
How does Lennie think he'll be punished?
Where in town does George go?
Where in town does George go?
Why does Crooks resent the other workers?
Why does Crooks resent the other workers?
What possibility does Crooks upset Lennie with?
What possibility does Crooks upset Lennie with?
What does Curley's wife tell Crooks, Candy, and Lennie?
What does Curley's wife tell Crooks, Candy, and Lennie?
What happened to the puppy Lennie is talking to in the barn?
What happened to the puppy Lennie is talking to in the barn?
What was Curley's wife's dream life?
What was Curley's wife's dream life?
What happens when Curley's wife tells Lennie to touch her hair more gently?
What happens when Curley's wife tells Lennie to touch her hair more gently?
What do the men decide to do when they discover the dead body?
What do the men decide to do when they discover the dead body?
Where does George find Lennie?
Where does George find Lennie?
Who does Lennie imagine yelling at him?
Who does Lennie imagine yelling at him?
What does George say to Lennie?
What does George say to Lennie?
What does George do while he describes the farm to Lennie?
What does George do while he describes the farm to Lennie?
What do Curley and Carlson have a hard time understanding?
What do Curley and Carlson have a hard time understanding?
Where does Crooks, the stable-hand, get his name from?
Where does Crooks, the stable-hand, get his name from?
Which ranch hand has an ancient dog that gets shot?
Which ranch hand has an ancient dog that gets shot?
Which character is a boxer and quick to pick fights with the other men?
Which character is a boxer and quick to pick fights with the other men?
Who is Aunt Clara?
Who is Aunt Clara?
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Study Notes
Character Descriptions
- George: Small, wiry, practical; cares for Lennie.
- Lennie: Huge, mentally disabled; lacks control over his strength.
- Curley: Vicious, weak ex-boxer; the boss's son, quick to anger.
- Slim: The respected mule driver, known as the "prince" of the ranch.
- Candy: Old, one-handed swamper with a loyal, aging dog.
- Crooks: Black stable-hand; resents isolation and discrimination.
- Curley's wife: Flirtatious, lonely; seeks attention, unhappy in her marriage.
Key Plot Events
- Lennie accidentally kills a mouse while petting it.
- George and Lennie had to leave Weed because Lennie wouldn’t release a girl's dress.
- George sees a life without Lennie as carefree but acknowledges he wouldn't truly be happy.
- Lennie's dream of tending rabbits represents hope for a stable future.
Relationships
- George is not related to Lennie but knew his Aunt Clara, who cared for him.
- Candy offers his life savings to George and Lennie to buy a farm, hoping to join them.
Conflicts and Consequences
- George tries to prevent Lennie from speaking to the boss to avoid suspicion.
- Curley's aggression leads to a brutal confrontation with Lennie, resulting in Curley's crushed hand.
- Curley's wife's desire for companionship ultimately leads to her tragic demise at Lennie's hands.
Themes and Symbolism
- The dream of owning a farm symbolizes a longing for independence and security.
- Lennie's accidental killings of small animals foreshadow his tragic actions later in the story.
- Discrimination is prevalent, especially in Crooks' experiences and his interaction with the other men.
Critical Moments
- Candy's dog is killed on Slim's advice, paralleling the story's themes of mercy killing and decisions about life.
- Lennie's fear of punishment for his actions reflects his dependency on George for guidance and reassurance.
- The climactic moment comes when George makes a heartbreaking choice to protect Lennie from a mob.
Concluding Events
- When the dead body of Curley’s wife is discovered, the men immediately turn to hunt for Lennie.
- George finds Lennie by the riverbed, where their journey began.
- The story concludes with George shooting Lennie while recounting their dream, a moment of compassion amid tragedy.
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