Of Mice and Men - Chapter 4

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Chapter 4

Today's Lesson

You read Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men

Today you will check your knowledge

You will need to read Chapter 5 for next week

This lesson I will..

(even if you haven't finished until chapter 4 you can choose "A" to prepare for the test)

1. Participate in discussing the questions of Chapter 4
2. Read Of Mice and Men

Tell me about Chapter 4

Outsiders

Many of the characters on the ranch can be described as ‘outsiders’: 

they don’t fit into normal society because they have characteristics that make them different from supposedly ‘normal’ people. 

For each of the following characters, identify the characteristics that make them outsiders

Why is he an outsider?
Candy

Candy

He is an outsider because he is missing a hand

Quote:

“Candy leaned against the wall beside the broken collar while he scratched the wrist stump.” (page 37)

Why is she an outsider?
Curley's wife

Curley's wife

She is an outsider because she is a woman, and the men are worried that talking to her will get them into trouble with Curley.

Quote:

After a pause Crooks said, "Maybe you better go along to your own house now. We don't want no trouble."

"Well, I ain't giving you no trouble. Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?" (page 38)

Why is he an outsider?
Lennie

Lennie

He is an outsider because he is dumb

Quote:

Crooks continued. "Sometimes he talks, and you don't know what the hell he's talkin' about. Ain't that so?" He leaned forward, boring Lennie with his deep eyes. "Ain't that so?"

"Yeah... sometimes."

"Jus' talks on, an' you don't know what the hell it's all about?" "Yeah... sometimes. But... not always." (page 34)

Why is he an outsider?
Crooks

Crooks

He is an outsider because he is black and a cripple

Quote:

“His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their depth seemed to glitter with intensity. His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were lighter than his face.” (page 33)

Crooks and Lennie have a conversation
What does Crooks say to upset Lennie?

He implies that George will get hurt or die and abandon Lennie

How does Lennie react?

He claims that would never happen, but does ask for reassurance. 

He gets angry when Crooks keeps insisting that George is getting hurt. 

Why is Crooks so angry and mean towards Lennie, what makes him change his behaviour?

Crooks treats Lennie like an easy victim and changes his behaviour when Lennie gets angry and Crooks is confronted with how strong George and Lennie's friendship is. 

He then admits that he is lonely.

Curley’s wife interrupts the conversation between Lennie and Crooks
How do they respond to her?

They don’t really want to talk to her or look at her. 

 They don’t want to get into trouble for talking to her. 

What does this reveal about her life on the ranch?

She lives very isolated. 

For the most part she only interacts with her husband.

How is this foreshadowing her role in the problems to come?

The reason they don’t interact with her is because they don’t want any trouble. Interacting with her could be the cause of problems happening later on. 

Evaluation

You now know more about:

- The outsiders of the story

- George and Lennie's relationship

- Crooks

- Curley's wife

- What might happen at the end of the book

Homework

Read Chapter 5 of Of Mice and Men

Answer the questions about Chapter 5

Finish before next week Thursday