1. HOW TO TAKE NOTES Write down headline
Under the headline, write supporting point
Include page number
Always write down idea your supporting point suggests
Don’t try to write down every word that is said
Instead record most important points

2. Character Description
Page 2, bottom third
“First man was small and quick…”
through rest of paragraph.
Here we see physical descriptions of both Lennie and George.

3. George assumes a parent-like role in their relationship.
Page 3—first full paragraph.
Lennie over-anxiously drinks the water.
George tells him not to drink so much because he might get sick
ANALYTIC POINT—George recognizes that Lennie can’t make responsible decisions, so he has to help him when he can’t help himself.
We see this again on page 5 and 6 with the dead mouse.

4. George loses patience with Lennie.
Page 11—First 3 lines.
ANALYTIC POINT: George articulates his frustration with having to take care of the dependent Lennie.
While doing so he speaks with cruelty—middle of page.
Last 3 lines of p11—Why does George look “ashamedly at the flames”?

5. George comforts Lennie like a child.
Page
Lennie tries to mollify George by telling him he wouldn’t eat ketchup even if they had some.
Middle of 12—When Lennie offers to leave George, George says How’d you eat. You ain’t got sense enough to find nothing to eat.”
Pg. 13 George says, “I want you to stay…somebody would shoot you for a coyote.

6. George comforts Lennie like a child.
continued…
Literary Technique: Foreshadowment—clues that tell what will happen in the future. Is the coyote comment Foreshadowment?
George fears that without his protection, Lennie would get himself killed.
ANALYTIC POINT: the two are dependent on each other.

7. George and Lennie’s American Dream
Page 14-15
Lennie wants George to tell him about the farm they think they will have one day.
ANALYTIC POINT—the imagery of this fantasy farm is too ideal and not realistic. They think that they will have everything they want, they can work or not when they want to, and no one will tell them what to do.

8. George and Lennie’s American Dream
continued…
ANALYTIC POINT:
They use this American Dream to motivate themselves to endure the hardships of their low end social existence.

9. CHAPTER 2
Begins page 16

10. George and Lennie arrive at their new job.
Page 18-19
Literary Technique: Setting
The bunk house they are assigned to is squalid and unkept. Reread these pages and describe how.
ANALYTIC POINT—Their work provides living quarters, illustrating they are on the social fringe
They don’t work in a community that allows them to be a part of it

11. G &L meet the boss--pg
The boss is suspicious of why George is speaking for Lennie.
George has to promise that Lennie is “damn good worker” (22).
ANALYTIC POINT: George has to deceive the boss b/c of the prejudice they would face if the boss knew Lennie is mentally handicapped.

12. G & L meet Curley—pg. 26.
The swamper describes Curley as “like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys” (26).
Pg 29—George tells Lennie to stay away from Curley to avoid trouble.
ANALYTIC POINT—This suggests that the SETTING is a hostile one and it FORESHADOWS the dangers to come.

13. Curley’s Wife—pg. 32
Curley’s wife is not given a name, suggesting she is considered property, thereby dehumanizing her.
Because she is not allowed to be herself, she uses her provocative nature to assert control because she knows men will not dismiss her nor will they act on their interests in her b/c they are scared of Curly.

14. Lennie is Scared-pg 32-33. Lennie says “I wanna get outta here” (32)
The SETTING frightens him.
George says “We gotta keep it till we get our stake.”
ANALYTIC POINT: They are desperate to achieve their dream that is not realistic.
By the end of the book, we learn that George should have listened to Lennie.

15. Chapter 3
Page 39-65

16. Slim and George converse-pg39-43
pg40, top—George reveals how he came to take care of Lennie—.
pg 41, top third—George voices his frustrations as well as his affections—.
We find out how they lost their job in Weed, also FORESHADOWMENT of what’s to come.

17. Old dogs and young pups
Candy, Carlson, and Slim discuss Candy’s old, crippled dog.
Carlson says, “The way I’d shoot him, he wouldn’t feel nothing.”
Foreshadowment??
Let me know when you have enough info to draw a conclusion.

18. The Wider appeal of the Am. Dream
Pg 56-59—Lennie wants George to tell him about the farm they hope to have one day.
Candy is part of the conversation, and he wants to buy into their farm
ANALYTIC POINT: Candy’s life is equally wayward and lost. The possibility of his own farm is empowering. Why?

19. Fear of the power structure
Pg 61—The three hear someone approaching, and George says, “Don’t tell nobody about it.”
ANALYTIC POINT: Why is George afraid Curley might find out about his and Lennie’s goal? What does the answer to this question suggest about nature of the American dream?
Chapter concludes with the fight b/w Lennie and Curley.

20. Chapter 4
Pages 66-83

21. Crooks and Lennie chat—Pg 66-74
Pg 67—First two full paragraphs. What details does Steinbeck provide that characterizes Crooks? And how is he characterized?
Pg 68—how does Crooks respond to being rejected by the other men?
Pg 70-72—Explain the nature of Crooks’ existence on the social fringe. How is it different from that of G & L?

22. The American Dream is a falsehood
Pg 74, first full paragraph and
Pg 75, last paragraph—Crooks dismisses Lennie’s dream as unrealistic.
What evidence do we have that suggests that G & L have virtually no chance of owning a farm?

23. Chapter 5
Pages

24. The end is near.
Pg 85—third full paragraph. Lennie is afraid George will discover the dead puppy. Foreshadowment??
Pg 91—Lennie tries to get his groove on, and then the chick dies.
Pg 94—George discovers the crime.

25. Chapter 6 Pg 100, last sentence of 2nd full paragraph.
Lennie is depicted as a child—imagery.
Pg —Why does George describe the farm they’ll never have to Lennie at this point?
Pg 106—Why does George shoot Lennie? Since they are socially invisible people, why doesn’t he help Lennie run away?