Study Questions
1. What has happened to Lennie’s puppy and why?

2. What two pieces of information does Curley’s wife share with Lennie?

3. Why does Curley’s wife offer to let Lennie caress her hair?

4. How and why does Lennie kill Curley’s wife?

5. Why does George say that they can’t let Lennie escape to live on his own?

6. What is Candy’s greatest fear?

7. When George asks Slim about just trying to catch Lennie instead of killing him, what advice does Slim give George?

8. What makes the men think that Lennie is armed?

9. Where does Curley plan to aim if he shoots Lennie?

10. Who stays with Curley’s wife as the others go off in pursuit of Lennie?

Answers
1. Lennie has killed his puppy by bouncing it too hard.

2. Curley’s wife tells him about her dream to be an actress, and she tells him her secret that she does not like Curley.

3. Curley’s wife says that she shares Lennie’s fondness of soft things and since she regards him as “a big baby,” she sees no harm in letting him feel the softness of her hair.

4. Lennie kills Curley’s wife by breaking her neck because he is shaking her, trying to make her be quiet so he won’t get into trouble.

5. George says that Lennie will starve out on his own.

6. Candy’s greatest fear is that they will not get the farm.

7. Slim tells George that if they just catch Lennie, he would be strapped down and caged, which would be worse than death.

8. The men think that Lennie is armed because Carlson comes into the barn and announces that his gun is missing.

9. Curley is planning to shoot Lennie in the stomach.

10. Candy stays with Curley’s wife.