Question

name:
happy winter break!
directions: i hope you are enjoying your winter break! i want you to get the most of your time off to rest and relax, so our assignment this year will be to do what college - bound students do anyway: read something fun! were reading a terrific book: of mice & men by john steinbeck. all i ask is that you read the book, complete this short handout, and have some fun this winter. youve earned a vacation and a chance to cozy up with a good book! ill see you when we return.
setting:
major characters:
minor characters:
top 6 plot points (bullet points are fine):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
main conflicts
resolution

Explanation:

Setting:

The story is set in the Salinas Valley, California, during the Great Depression (1930s), primarily at a ranch where George and Lennie work, and also features the banks of the Salinas River where they camp at the start and end.

Major Characters:

• George Milton: A small, quick-witted man who looks out for Lennie. He dreams of owning a small farm.
• Lennie Small: A large, mentally disabled man with a love for soft things. He relies on George for guidance.

Minor Characters:

• Candy: An old ranch handyman with only one hand, who owns an old dog. He joins George and Lennie's dream of owning a farm.
• Curley: The boss's son, a small, aggressive man who picks fights, especially with Lennie.
• Curley’s Wife: A lonely woman, often flirtatious, who is disliked by the ranch hands. She is the only woman on the ranch.
• Slim: A skilled mule driver and the "prince of the ranch," respected by all. He understands George and Lennie’s situation.
• Crooks: A black stable hand, isolated due to racism. He has his own room in the barn.

Top 6 Plot Points:

1. George and Lennie camp by the Salinas River before starting work at a new ranch, and George tells Lennie to go to the river if he gets in trouble.
2. At the ranch, George and Lennie meet the other workers, including Candy, Curley, and Curley’s wife. Lennie is immediately targeted by Curley.
3. Lennie accidentally crushes Curley’s hand after Curley picks a fight with him.
4. Candy’s dog is shot, and Candy joins George and Lennie in their dream of buying a farm.
5. Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife while petting her hair too roughly.
6. George shoots Lennie at the riverbank to spare him from a worse fate at the hands of the other ranchers.

Main Conflicts:

• Man vs. Society: George and Lennie, like other ranch hands, struggle to survive during the Great Depression and face discrimination (e.g., Crooks due to his race, Lennie due to his disability).
• Man vs. Man: Curley’s aggression toward Lennie and others; the tension between the workers and Curley.
• Man vs. Self: Lennie’s struggle to control his strength and mental limitations; George’s internal conflict about caring for Lennie and his own dreams.

Resolution:

Lennie’s death ends the dream of the farm. George is left alone, and the other ranchers return to their lonely lives. The cycle of hardship and isolation for the ranch workers continues, emphasizing the harsh reality of the Great Depression era.

Answer:

Setting:

The story is set in the Salinas Valley, California, during the Great Depression (1930s), primarily at a ranch where George and Lennie work, and also features the banks of the Salinas River where they camp at the start and end.

Major Characters:

• George Milton: A small, quick-witted man who looks out for Lennie. He dreams of owning a small farm.
• Lennie Small: A large, mentally disabled man with a love for soft things. He relies on George for guidance.

Minor Characters:

• Candy: An old ranch handyman with only one hand, who owns an old dog. He joins George and Lennie's dream of owning a farm.
• Curley: The boss's son, a small, aggressive man who picks fights, especially with Lennie.
• Curley’s Wife: A lonely woman, often flirtatious, who is disliked by the ranch hands. She is the only woman on the ranch.
• Slim: A skilled mule driver and the "prince of the ranch," respected by all. He understands George and Lennie’s situation.
• Crooks: A black stable hand, isolated due to racism. He has his own room in the barn.

Top 6 Plot Points:

1. George and Lennie camp by the Salinas River before starting work at a new ranch, and George tells Lennie to go to the river if he gets in trouble.
2. At the ranch, George and Lennie meet the other workers, including Candy, Curley, and Curley’s wife. Lennie is immediately targeted by Curley.
3. Lennie accidentally crushes Curley’s hand after Curley picks a fight with him.
4. Candy’s dog is shot, and Candy joins George and Lennie in their dream of buying a farm.
5. Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife while petting her hair too roughly.
6. George shoots Lennie at the riverbank to spare him from a worse fate at the hands of the other ranchers.

Main Conflicts:

• Man vs. Society: George and Lennie, like other ranch hands, struggle to survive during the Great Depression and face discrimination (e.g., Crooks due to his race, Lennie due to his disability).
• Man vs. Man: Curley’s aggression toward Lennie and others; the tension between the workers and Curley.
• Man vs. Self: Lennie’s struggle to control his strength and mental limitations; George’s internal conflict about caring for Lennie and his own dreams.

Resolution:

Lennie’s death ends the dream of the farm. George is left alone, and the other ranchers return to their lonely lives. The cycle of hardship and isolation for the ranch workers continues, emphasizing the harsh reality of the Great Depression era.