GCSE John Steinbeck | Character Revision, Of Mice and Men

English Literature Quiz - Of Mice and Men - Character (Questions)

Test your knowledge of key characters in Of Mice and Men, exploring their hopes, conflicts and relationships to prepare for GCSE English Literature exam questions.

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Fascinating Fact:

George and Lennie’s shared dream of a farm gives their friendship depth and purpose, marking them out from other lonely migrant workers.

In GCSE English Literature, character questions on Of Mice and Men expect you to go beyond basic description. You should explain how Steinbeck presents George, Lennie and others through their speech, actions and relationships, and link these choices to themes such as dreams, power, responsibility and loneliness. Practise selecting short, well-chosen quotations and using them to support clear points about what makes each character memorable.

Key Terms

Protagonist: The main character in a text. George and Lennie together act as the central focus of the novel.
Characterisation: The methods a writer uses to create a character, such as dialogue, description, actions and what others say about them.
Motivation: The reasons behind a character’s behaviour, including their dreams, fears, loyalties and ambitions.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How do I write about George and Lennie in my GCSE essay?

Start by stating what their relationship is like, then use short quotations to show how Steinbeck presents loyalty, responsibility and the dream of the farm, linking each point to a key theme.

What makes George and Lennie different from other workers in Of Mice and Men?

Unlike most ranch workers, they travel together, share a long-term dream of owning land and feel responsible for one another, which highlights how unusual real friendship is in their world.

Which characters best show loneliness in the novel?

Characters such as Candy, Crooks and Curley’s wife are all isolated in different ways, and Steinbeck uses them to expose prejudice and the harsh, lonely nature of ranch life.

Try These Related Quizzes

In the opening chapter of the book, George asks Lenny what he has taken from his pocket. What does the reader learn about Lennie's character from the following response to George's question: "'Ain't a thing in my pocket,' Lennie said cleverly"?

[ ]	Lennie is clever
[ ]	Lennie is calculating
[ ]	Lennie is dishonest
[ ]	Lennie is childlike

Curley is introduced as having a "pugnacious" glance. Which of the following details does NOT emphasise this description?

[ ]	Curley bends his elbows and makes fists when meeting Lennie and George for the first time
[ ]	Curley wears high-heeled boots and a leather glove
[ ]	Curley crouches when first meeting Lennie and George
[ ]	Curley reacts with a swift and violent movement when challenged by George

Which of the following adjectives does NOT accurately describe George as he is characterised throughout the novel?

[ ]	Despairing
[ ]	Clever
[ ]	Loyal
[ ]	Pragmatic

"His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer." What does this physical description tell the reader about Slim?

[ ]	He is an exceptionally skilled worker
[ ]	He has worked formerly as a dancer
[ ]	He is a physically delicate man
[ ]	He likes to show off

Why is it significant that Curley's wife is not given a name?

[ ]	Steinbeck never named his female characters
[ ]	It was not considered important in 1930s California for women to have names
[ ]	The absence of a name highlights her loss of identity after her marriage to Curley
[ ]	The absence of a personal name is not significant

Which of the following best describes Crooks?

[ ]	Approachable, gentle, lonely
[ ]	Proud, cowardly, self-critical
[ ]	Cruel, cowardly, lonely
[ ]	Proud, resentful, lonely

Candy is eager to join in with Lennie and George's plan to buy land. Why?

[ ]	He is cheerful, hopeful and naive
[ ]	His age and disability mean that he will soon be out of work
[ ]	He wants revenge on Curley and the boss for their mistreatment of him
[ ]	He is mistrustful of daydreams and does not believe that anything will really come of the plan

George admits to Slim that he has not always been a good friend to Lennie. What does this episode tell the reader about George's character?

[ ]	George is just using Lennie in order to have a better chance of getting work
[ ]	His friendship to Lennie results merely from his faithfulness to a promise
[ ]	His friendship for Lennie is genuine
[ ]	His resentment towards Lennie outweighs his gratitude for the presence of the other man

Curley's wife tells Lennie that she could have been in the movies. Which of the following statements is true of her character?

[ ]	She has a naive trust in other people's promises
[ ]	Her beauty is wasted on the ranch
[ ]	She is the victim of an uncaring family who spoiled her chances of appearing in films
[ ]	She is a talented actress

10.

Which of the following traits gets Lennie into trouble?

[ ]	His love of touching soft things
[ ]	His underestimation of his own strength
[ ]	His fear of disappointing George
[ ]	All of the above

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Characters

English Literature Quiz - Of Mice and Men - Character (Answers)

[ ]	Lennie is clever
[ ]	Lennie is calculating
[ ]	Lennie is dishonest
[x]	Lennie is childlike

Lennie's "clever" response is an indication of his childlike nature. He believes that by technically telling the truth he can persuade George that he doesn't have anything he shouldn't have. George, of course, sees through this childlike trick, responding, "I know there ain't. You got it in your hand."

Curley is introduced as having a "pugnacious" glance. Which of the following details does NOT emphasise this description?

[ ]	Curley bends his elbows and makes fists when meeting Lennie and George for the first time
[x]	Curley wears high-heeled boots and a leather glove
[ ]	Curley crouches when first meeting Lennie and George
[ ]	Curley reacts with a swift and violent movement when challenged by George

Curley's choice of boots hints that he wishes to appear taller than he is. This description gives the reader a clue about one reason behind Curley's pugnacious behaviour

Which of the following adjectives does NOT accurately describe George as he is characterised throughout the novel?

[x]	Despairing
[ ]	Clever
[ ]	Loyal
[ ]	Pragmatic

George is hopeful rather than despairing. His final act towards Lennie stems from his pragmatic and realistic understanding of his friend's certain death at the hands of Curley

"His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer." What does this physical description tell the reader about Slim?

[x]	He is an exceptionally skilled worker
[ ]	He has worked formerly as a dancer
[ ]	He is a physically delicate man
[ ]	He likes to show off

Slim's skill makes him one of the most valued workers on the ranch. His physical skill is matched by his subtle intelligence and natural authority

Why is it significant that Curley's wife is not given a name?

[ ]	Steinbeck never named his female characters
[ ]	It was not considered important in 1930s California for women to have names
[x]	The absence of a name highlights her loss of identity after her marriage to Curley
[ ]	The absence of a personal name is not significant

Curley's wife is limited to her domestic role and her relationship to her husband. Although she is lonely, the men on the ranch are wary of befriending her. Their wariness is reinforced through referring to her only in relation to her husband

Which of the following best describes Crooks?

[ ]	Approachable, gentle, lonely
[ ]	Proud, cowardly, self-critical
[ ]	Cruel, cowardly, lonely
[x]	Proud, resentful, lonely

Crooks is proud of his proper upbringing and respectability and is resentful of being excluded through the racist attitudes of others. This combination of traits makes him rather prickly when Lennie invades his private space, even though the company relieves his loneliness

Candy is eager to join in with Lennie and George's plan to buy land. Why?

[ ]	He is cheerful, hopeful and naive
[x]	His age and disability mean that he will soon be out of work
[ ]	He wants revenge on Curley and the boss for their mistreatment of him
[ ]	He is mistrustful of daydreams and does not believe that anything will really come of the plan

Candy's offer of his savings, mostly gained through compensation for the accidental loss of his hand, makes the dream of owning land a sudden possibility

George admits to Slim that he has not always been a good friend to Lennie. What does this episode tell the reader about George's character?

[ ]	George is just using Lennie in order to have a better chance of getting work
[ ]	His friendship to Lennie results merely from his faithfulness to a promise
[x]	His friendship for Lennie is genuine
[ ]	His resentment towards Lennie outweighs his gratitude for the presence of the other man

George is ashamed when Lennie thanks him for saving him from drowning, even though he was only in danger of drowning due to following George's instructions. When George confesses this episode to Slim, it becomes apparent that he relies on Lennie's friendship as much as Lennie relies upon him