| What does George answer when the boss asks what he is trying to put over? | He says that he isn’t trying to put anything over, that he and Lennie travel together; they are cousins. He says that Lennie is slow mentally because he got kicked in the back of the head by a horse, but that he is strong, a good worker who follows orders. |
| Identify and describe Curley | Curely was the boss’s son. He was a young man with a brown face, brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair. He wore a work glove on his left hand, and he wore high heeled boots. Curley was a little man, but he had been a boxing champion. He didn’t like anybody and was always picking fights. |
| The Swamper said, “Seems like Curley ain’t givin nobody a chance.” Explain this statement | If Curley would fight a big man and win, everyone would think he was very strong and would congratulate him. If Curley would fight a big man and lose, everyone would feel sorry him and tell a the big man to pick on someone his own size. Either way, Curley would come out the favorite of the crowd. |
| What advice does George give Lennie after Curley and the swamper leave? | George tells Lennie to stay away from Curley, that he is nothing but trouble. Lennie replies that he doesn’t like this place, and he wants to leave. |
| Identify Slim and Carlson | Slim and Carlson are other ranch hands. Slim seems very reasonable and respected and tries to understand George and Lennie. Carlson is later responsible for killing Candy’s dog. |
| What does Slim have that Lennie wants? | Slim’s dog has just had a litter of puppies. Lennie wants one. |
| Lennie has a habit of killing the mice he pets. | Lennie will probably kill something or someone on this ranch |
| George and Lennie had to flee Weed when Lennie tried to feel a girl’s dress. | Lennie will probably get into trouble with a girl at this new ranch |
| George tells Lennie to come back to the river to hide in the brush is anything goes wrong | Something will probably go wrong on this new ranch and he will have to go to this place to hide out. |
| The boss is very angry when George and Lennie don’t turn up when he expected them to. | They might get fired |
| When Curley sees George and Lennie, his hands close into a fist. | He is very pugnacious; looking for a fight. |
| The old swamper says that Curley’s wife has “got the eye.” | She is looking for trouble |
| Lennie can’t take his eyes off Curley’s wife. | Lennie and Curley’s wife are going to have problems |
| Lennie wants to leave the ranch, but George tells him they must stay. | Lennie is afraid something bad is going to happen. |
| Carlson suggests shooting Candy’s useless old dog to put it out of its misery | Possibly someone else will be shot as well. |
| George is afraid that he will tangle with Curley | If they fight he and Lennie might lose their jobs or worse. |
Of mice and men ch. 2
April 27, 2020