Of Mice and Men: Characters Flashcards
How could you link George to context
1) American Dream
2) Loneliness of migrant workers
3) Gender
4) Attitudes towards the marginalised in society
5) Predatory nature of society
How could you describe George
1) Principled - persistent with Lennie.
2) Alert.
3) Pragmatic (practical).
4) Capable.
5) Makes contingency plan.
6) Decisive.
7) Reliable.
8) Trustworthy.
9) Loyal.
What moments in the novel are important in exploring George’s character
1) Him believing the dream of owning a little place. P67
2) Judging Curley’s wife before he knows anything about her character. P31
3) Revealing how he nearly killed Lennie. P45
4) Killing Lennie. P120
5) His initial description. P2
Key quotations for George
“The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger.” P105
“Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her.” P67
“Well, I ain’t done nothing like that no more.” P46 (about using Lennie)
What does Lennie represent
1) He represents how those with mental difficulties are treated.
2) He highlights how cruel others can be towards the marginalised.
3) He represents how hard life was for the ordinary migrant workers.
4) He represents the American Dream and its futility.
How could you describe Lennie
1) Maladaptive behaviour.
2) Unguarded.
3) Cannot remember past misdemeanours.
4) Vulnerable.
5) Child-like.
6) Gentle.
7) Innocent.
How could you link Lennie to context
1) Vulnerability of minority groups.
2) Futility of dream.
3) Life of migrant workers.
4) Isolation.
5) Attitudes towards disability.
What moments in the novel are important in exploring Lennie’s character
1) Crushing Curley’s hand. P71
2) Mice. P101
3) Death of puppy. P95
4) Death of Curley’s wife. P103
5) Befriends Crooks. P77
6) Scared George won’t return. P81
7) Belief in Dream. P65-69
8) His death. P120
9) Reaction to Curley’s wife. P34-35
10) No concept of racism. P77
11) What happened in Weed. P47
Key quotations for Lennie
“Lennie was smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.” P70
“Let this guy alone. Don’t you do no messing around with him […] George won’t have you messing with Lennie.” P90 (Candy to Curley’s wife)
“I didn’t want to hurt you but George’ll be mad if you yell.” (Lennie to Curley’s wife’s dead body)
What does Curley’s wife represent
1) She represents the negative effects of the patriarchal society - especially women’s lack of status.
2) She represents women trapped in loveless, unhappy marriages.
3) She represents the marginalised, vulnerable and lonely.
4) She represents the failure of dreams.
How could you describe Curley’s wife
1) Young.
2) Pretty.
3) Attractive.
4) Flirtatious.
5) Attention seeking.
6) Lonely.
7) Naive.
8) Isolated.
9) Miserable.
What does George represent
1) He represents ordinary migrant workers.
2) He represents those who care for the marginalised in society.
3) He reveals the loneliness of migrant workers and the need for friendships.
4) He represents the practical man as well as the ‘dreamer’ (The American Dream).
How could you link Curley’s wife to context
1) The men are unable to settle with a wife due to lack of funds, so have to seek sexual gratification from prostitutes (and spend money in the process).
2) Attitudes towards women in society.
3) The American Dream.
4) Life of migrant workers.
What moments in the novel are important in exploring Curley’s wife’s character
1) P32 Introduced.
2) P87 Dream.
3) P91 Description after death.
4) P78 Futility of dream and aggression to Candy, Crooks and Lennie.
Key quotations for Curley’s wife
“And then her words tumbled out in a passion of communication, as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away.” P87
“ Well, I ain’t told this to nobody before. Maybe I ought’ not. I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” P100
“ Because this guy says I was a natural.” P100
What does Curley represent
1) He represents the brutality of society through his aggression / the predatory nature of the ranch.
2) He represents those who ‘lead’ by bullying, by inherited status or preying on the weak.
3) He represents the patriarchal society at its worst by his attitude towards his wife.
4) He represents the meanness and lack of understanding towards the marginalised in society.
How could you describe Curley
1) Pugnacious.
2) Aggressive.
3) Patriarchal.
4) Mean.
5) Brutal.
6) Cruel.
7) Hot-headed.
How could you link Curley to context
1) Contemporary attitudes towards women.
2) Hierarchy.
3) Patriarchal society.
4) Meanness and lack of understanding towards the marginalised.
5) Futility of American Dream.
Key quotations for Curley
1) Curley:” Well, I didn’t mean nothing, Slim. I just ast you”.
Slim:” Well, you been askin’ me too often…”
Curley:” I’m jus’ tryin’ to tell you it didn’t mean nothing.. I just thought you might of saw her”.
2) P28 “Don’t tell Curley I said none of this”.
3) P29 “glove fulla Vaseline”.
4) P29 “I seen her give Slim the eye. Curley never seen it”.
5) P31 “ If he tangles with you,Lennie, we’re gonna get the can. Don’t make no mistake about that. He’s the boss’ son”.
6) P38 “ I’m scared I’m gonna tangle with that bastard myself. I hate his guts. Jesus, Christ!”.
7) P77 “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he?”.
8) P97 He wants to shoot Lennie in the guts.
What does Candy represent
1) He represents the plight of old people at the time. (pages 45,78,80)
2) He is a gossip who can be mean to ‘fit in’, so represents people in society behaving in a certain way to survive. (pages 26-30)
3) He represents failed dreams and the endless search for dreams to become reality. (pages 59-60)
4) He is one of the ‘weak ones’ because as well as his age and disability he is ‘trapped’ on the ranch. (pages 60,75,94)
How could you describe Candy
1) Old.
2) Weak.
3) A gossip.
4) Independent.
5) Vulnerable.
6) Selfish (when he blames CW for his dream failing).
How could you link Candy to context
1) Ideas about age and disability in society.
2) Futility of American Dream.
What moments in the novel are important in exploring Candy’s character
1) Angry about dream being off. P108
2) Wanting to join the dream. P67
3) Introduced. P20
4) Yelling at CW after her death. P89
5) Letting Carlson shoot his dog. P54
Key quotations for Candy
” I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.” P61
“We got our own lan’ , and it’s ours, an’ we c’n go to it.” P89
“ Candy said softly and hopelessly “awright- take him.” He did not look down at the dog at all.”
“You god damn tramp. You done it, di’n’t you? I s’pose you’re glad.” P108
