John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men Quiz

Answer: Because he is a huge man

Lennie's surname being 'Small' is ironic because he is a huge figure of a man, and also because he has a (figuratively) small brain. Carlson considers this during the third chapter.

In addition, it seems Steinbeck has given these characters names and surnames for a reason, eg. Curley has curly hair; Crooks has a crooked back; Curley's wife has no name.

Answer: Loneliness

The setting being named 'Soledad', meaning loneliness, isn't a coincidence. Again, Steinbeck has cleverly picked the names of things, not only with characters, but with the names of places too.

One of the novel's major themes is loneliness, and most characters suffer from it. Examples would be:
Crooks - segregated from the other men
Curley's wife - no one to talk to and in a loveless marriage
Lennie - cannot hold a proper conversation because he is so childlike
Candy - categorised as old and useless

Answer: Red

The use of colours by Steinbeck is called symbolism, and is a writer's technique. Red is associated with danger, warning and sex. Red is the only colour to describe Curley's wife, suggesting she is a dangerous character, and the girl's dress in Weed is of the same colour, this suggesting she stay away from Lennie.

Answer: Carlson

Carlson insensitively shoots the dog in chapter three because it smells and is old. This is insensitive towards Candy, who clearly doesn't want it shot, although he reluctantly agrees. Carlson's more than happy, and even polishes his gun in front of him! This shows the reader that he is insensitive, incapable of understanding any emotion.

Answer: Animals

Lennie is described using animal imagery, another writer's technique by Steinbeck. He is described as animals to show he is big and strong. He is mainly described like a bear, which is known as ursine imagery. One example is seen when when he crushes Curley's hand, and most noticeably his hands are regularly described as paws. This imagery is also a part of nature which is another part of the novel.

Answer: Curley and his wife

Curley and his wife's marriage is not a loving one: the only time he manages to find her is when she's dead, and during the fifth chapter. Curley's wife describes her husband as someone she doesn't like, and it seems that she regrets her marriage. The only time she seems happy is when she is dead; this is apparent in the changing description.

Answer: To be in the movies

Curley's wife, like most of the characters, dreams of escaping ordinary life. Her dream is to be in the movies, although many dreamed of this during this time as film became increasingly popular.

Other characters dreams include George and Lennie's (to own a dream farm, Lennie's focused on tending the rabbits) and Candy and Crook's (they want to join in with the escape; Candy offers money, Crooks suggests a few jobs here and there).

Answer: Candy

Candy is a gossip and spreads rumours, such as that about Curley's vaseline hand for his wife. He spreads gossip to keep people interested as he is so lonely and cannot keep a conversation for long. He lost his hand on the ranch, this showing the violence that lingers there.

Answer: George

Lennie's shot by his best friend George at the end of the novel. George gives him a peaceful send off, wishing him off to his dream of tending the rabbits on their dream farm. It was the kindest way for him to go; otherwise he could have been painfully shot or taken to jail, or even put in a mental asylum.

Answer: Robert Burns

Robert Burns' work influenced the title and the novel as a whole very much. The line in his poem "Even the best laid schemes o' mice and men, Gang aft angley" means even really prepared plans go wrong.

This applies very well to the novel 'Of Mice and Men', since George and Lennie's plans of finding work and making up a stake for their dream ranch are planned well. George tries to get Lennie out of trouble on every attempt, but this fails and trouble ensues.