Name:______Pd.______

Of Mice and Men: Chapter 2 Reading and Study Guide

I. SLANG, ALLUSIONS, HISTORICAL REFERENCES: Be able to define the following words and understand them when they appear in the novel.

swamper handyman; someone who performs odd jobs—such as cleaning. Refers to the character Candy

tick mattress covering

stable bucka stable is a building where horses are kept. A

buck, in this case, is a derogatoryword for a black man. A stable buck, then, would be a black man who works in a stable.

skinner a mule driver

  1. RECALL QUESTIONS: answer the following questions. Use complete sentences.

1. According to the old man, why was the boss mad at George and Lennie?

2. What does George find in the box by his bed and what does he assume?

3. Describe the “stable buck.” What physical attributes does he have? What does the boss use him for?

4. Describe the fight between the “stable buck” and Smitty.

5. What is Lennie’s last name?

6. What does the boss suspect George of doing to Lennie? What makes him think this?

7. Why does George give for taking care of Lennie?

8. What is George’s last name?

9. Who is Curley?

10. What does the swamper tell George about Curley’s left hand?

11. Describe Curley’s wife.

12. Why does she come into the bunkhouse?

13. Describe Slim. What is his job on the ranch? What are some of his character traits?

14. What did Slim do to four of his pups? Why?

15. What does Lennie want George to ask Slim?

  1. PARAGRAPH: write a paragraph answer to the following question. You must use at least three quotations from the book to support your answer.

Examine and analyze the atmosphere of the ranch and bunkhouse. Be sure to include characteristics of different characters that were formally or informally introduced to us in this chapter.

  1. QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS:

  1. 18-19How does your description of the ranchcontrast with the setting of the first chapter? Why does Steinbeck offer these contrasting settings?
  2. 18 Why does George get upset when he and Lennie are inspecting their beds? Why does Steinbeck include this detail?
  3. 20 How do we know that the Boss is somewhat generous?
  4. 20Why did Smitty lose his fight with Crooks? Why did he have to fight “fair”? Why does Steinbeck include this detail?
  5. 21Why is the Boss irritated with George and Lennie?
  6. 20How does the Boss distinguish himself from the workers? What does this have to do with the hierarchy on the ranch?
  7. 22Why doesn’t the Boss trust George? Why is this significant?
  8. 23-24Why does George tell Lennie they’d be better off if his LIE was true?
  9. 25-27Who is the antagonist? Why does he jump on Lennie right away?
  10. 25-27Why is Curley a bully?
  11. 27How can we tell George doesn’t like gossip? What does this reveal about his character?
  12. 27-28Who is Curley’s wife? Why is he so protective?
  13. 27-28How is Curley’s wife described—what does she look like? How does she act? What archetype does she seem to represent?
  14. 29What does George tell Lennie about Curley? What does this foreshadow?
  15. 31How does Curley’s wife react to Lennie? (what word is used?) What does this reveal about her attitude toward Lennie?
  16. 31-32Why is Curley’s wife in the bunkhouse? What is she really up to? (versus what she claims)
  17. 32-33What is George’s reaction to Curley’s wife? Why does Lennie want to leave?
  18. 33-34Who is Slim? What is his un-official role on the ranch?
  19. 36What does Carlson suggest to Slim? Why does Lennie get excited?