1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Characters, Foreshadowing, Symbols, and Themes

2. Character List for Of Mice & Men
Lennie Small
large
childlike
Gentle,
kind
strong
Hopes & dreams
Tend rabbits
Liv off’ the fat a the land
Lennie loves to pet things
Dependent on George
Doesn’t understand his own strength

3. His behavior is motivated by the desire to protect
George Milton
Cares for
Lennie
Small
Quick-witted
Hopes & dreams
Liv off’ the fat a the land
Own a farm
His behavior is motivated by the desire to protect
Lennie; Dream is to deliver them both to the farm
of their dreams

4. Candy: an aging ranch who lost his hand
Worries about his future on the ranch
Offers his life savings to join in the dream of owning land
Owns a dog that others consider useless
Curley: The boss’s son
Wears high-heeled boots
Confrontational, aggressive
Picks fights with larger men
Possessive of his flirtatious wife

5. Curley’s wife: the only female character
Never given a name.
Men refer to her as “tramp,” “tart,” “looloo”
Has dreams of a better life
As a wife Steinbeck depicts her as a victim, not a villain

6. Slim: highly skilled mule driver
“prince” of the ranch: the only character who’s at peace with himself
Quiet, insightful man
He alone understands the bond between Lennie and George

7. Crooks: The black stable-hand
Gets his name from his crooked back
Proud, bitter and isolated
Becomes fond of Lennie
He asks Lennie if he could go with them and work the garden

8. Other Minor Characters: The Boss:
Never named and appears only once
Carlson:
A ranch hand who complains bitterly about Candy’s old dog
Aunt Clara:
Lennie’s aunt who cared for him until her death
Whit:
A ranch hand

9. What do you think the title of the story means?
The title suggests that the “best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry [wrong],” a reference to Robert Burns's poem "To a Mouse."

10. Foreshadowning: Hints given by the author of what is to come.
The mouse
Candy’s dog
Lennie’s puppy

11. Symbols: objects, characters, places, names or activities that represent abstract ideas.
The game of solitaire
The names “George Milton” and “Lennie Small”
The name “Soledad”
Curley’s wife
The river
The rabbits
The dream

12. Biblical Parallels: Characters and events in a story that reference the Bible.
Lennie
The number 3
The dream of buying
the farm

13. Theme: A central idea or message in a work of literature
The Impossibility of the American Dream
Most characters confess to dreaming a different life
Typical American dreams include freedom to follow one’s own desires & protection from an inhospitable world.

14. Loneliness & Companionship
Developing story reveals Candy, Crooks & Curley’s wife confess to a deep loneliness.
Admitting to complete strangers their fear of being cast off shows their desperation.
Each searches for a friend.

15. Friendship and Loyalty
The dream is about friendship.
George accepts responsibility for Lennie.
Man’s instinct is to protect loved ones.

16. Idealism vs. Reality
The farm is idealized.