OMM Chapter 5 Reading Questions

1) How has Curley's wife's dreams for her life changed or been lost?

Because Lennie killed her

Curley’s wife’s dream was to be a actress

2) Why does Curley's wife tell Lennie about "the letter"? What do you think the
letter symbolizes? Pg 88

The letter symbolizes the broken dreams of Curley’s wife

3)How does Lennie's killing of the puppy parallel his killing of Curley's wife
and the mice? (Page 94)

Lennie killed them on accident.

4)How does Candy react to the death of Curley's wife? (page 95)

Very helpless with anger and shocked

5) What options do George and Candy discuss after the discovery of the body?
(page 95)

How to not get Lennie and gorge kicked out and not get blamed on and to
not get killed
Chapter 6
1) What is the significance of the rabbit appearing at the end of the book?

 Bunnies bring Lennie comfort and the rabbit also tells him in his own voice
that he is NOT fit to take care of him
 It is a product of his guilty conscience –he knows George can get in
trouble for his actions

2) Why did George kill Lennie and was he justified in doing that?

 George kills Lennie because he knows the other men will torture him if
they find him. Opinion 2nd half---he did the right thing/he was a friend to
him in the end. Others felt maybe he should have tried to run away OR
have Lennie go live in the cave.

3) Explain what happens to the dream at the end of the novel for both Lennie and
George.

 LENNIE: The dream dies with him(he thinks that he will get to tend to the
rabbits AND HAVE HIS OWN FARM)

 GEORGE: Realizes the dream was never attainable like Crooks tells
Lennie in the barn (most men waste their money on alcohol and cat
houses) However, the dream dies with Lennie because he was a part of
the dream!!!!

4) In what way does Slim show understanding for George's decision? Why does
Carlson ask the last question?

 Slim states:
Slim came directly to George and sat down beside him, sat very close
to him. "Never you mind," said Slim. "A guy got to sometimes."

*****He understands why George killed Lennie. He did it out of love

(like Candy should have done for his dog); not to be mean. He did
this to protect Lennie.

Carlson states:
 Curley and Carlson looked after them. And Carlson said, "Now what the
hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?"

Carlson does NOT get Lennie and George’s friendship—he and the
rest of the men (beside Slim) thinks George killed Lennie out of self-
defense.