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Events on the ranch sometimes take place in the bunkhouse.

Of Mice and Men - Setting

Explore how Steinbeck’s settings in Of Mice and Men shape mood, reveal power and loneliness, and prepare you for key moments in the GCSE English Literature exam.

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Fascinating Fact:

The barn is a working space filled with animals, yet it also becomes the setting for moments of intimacy, confession, and ultimately violence.

In GCSE English Literature, this quiz looks at how the settings in Of Mice and Men – from the river clearing to the bunkhouse and barn – deepen themes of power, isolation and fragile hope.

Key Terms

Setting: The time and place where the events of a story happen.
Atmosphere: The mood or feeling created by the description of a place.
Foreshadowing: Hints in the setting or action that suggest future events in the story.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Why is setting important in Of Mice and Men for GCSE?

Setting is important because Steinbeck uses each location to highlight themes such as loneliness, power and the American Dream. Examiners expect you to link quotations to specific places.

How does Steinbeck use the ranch setting to show loneliness?

Steinbeck shows loneliness through separate spaces on the ranch, such as the bunkhouse and Crooks’s room. These divided areas reflect social barriers of race, gender and status.

How can I write about setting effectively in the exam?

Choose a key place, select a short quotation, and comment on key words. Explain how the description links to a theme, character relationship or turning point in the novel.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Of Mice and Men is set in which country?

Mexico

Ireland

Australia

USA

The novel is set in California, a state in which farming was heavily dependent on migrant labour

2 .

The events in the novel take place near Soledad. What is the meaning of this name?

Soldier

Solitude

Solvent

Solicitous

"Soledad" is Spanish for "solitude" or "loneliness". Most of the characters are lonely, solitary figures, although temporarily in the company of one another. George and Lennie, who travel together, are unusual in their companionship

3 .

When is the novel set?

1890s

1910s

1930s

1950s

The novel takes place during the Great Depression which followed the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The problems of itinerant workers in California predated the Great Depression, however

4 .

Where does the novel open?

In the bunkhouse

In Soledad

By a pool in the Salinas River valley

In Weed

The pool is hidden from view, a peaceful place known to the itinerant workers who rest there on their way between one job and another

5 .

The events on the ranch take place where?

The bunkhouse

The barn

The harness room

All of the above

Although the men work outdoors and often play horseshoes outdoors, the action takes place in various interiors. These temporary homes contrast sharply with the dream home conjured by George's stories of the future

6 .

Which one of the following is NOT represented by the ranch of Lennie's and George's dreams?

Self-reliance

Freedom from work

Plenty

Comfort

Lennie and George expect to work hard on their own ranch, but always for themselves and always with the freedom to decide when and how they will work

7 .

After Lennie kills Curley's wife, the barn is described as very still, and the light very "soft". What is the effect of this description?

Life appears to pause for a moment in the face of death

It emphasises how the lives of everyone on the ranch will improve after Curley's wife's death

It emphasises the barn as a place of refuge for the men

It reminds the reader that the barn is a pleasant, homey place

An atmosphere of profound stillness reigns over the barn until disturbed by Candy's terrible discovery of the dead woman's body

8 .

The bunkhouse is the only place where the men are able to take some refuge on the ranch. What effect do Curley and his wife have on this environment?

They disrupt and disturb

They bring entertainment

They create jealousies amongst the men

All of the above

Although the men only seem to kill time in the bunkhouse through engaging in activities such as playing cards, their shared quarters represent their temporary home. The semi-restful environment of the bunkhouse is frequently disrupted by both Curley and his wife

9 .

In the final chapter of the novel, we find the following description of the green pool along the Salinas River: "A far rush of wind sounded and a gust drove through the tops of the trees like a wave. The sycamore leaves turned up their silver sides, the brown, dry leaves on the ground scudded a few feet. And row on row of tiny wind waves flowed up the pool's green surface. As quickly as it had come, the wind died, and the clearing was quiet again." What is significant about the wind in this passage?

It serves merely to attract attention to the stillness of the heron waiting to devour snakes

Its disruption of the deceptively peaceful environment foreshadows the dramatic events about to take place in this setting

It signifies the coming of spring and a rebirth for George

The wind is a realistic detail and is not significant in itself

The setting in the final chapter is the same as that of the opening chapter. The stillness and peace are disturbed by a wind more ominous than the "little wind" of the first chapter

10 .

In the same passage, what might the dying of the wind represent? Choose the best answer.

Lennie's calm trust in George

Curley's determined pursuit of Lennie

Slim's reassurance to George that he has taken the best action

The speed with which life will appear to return to normal after the death of Lennie

In this final setting, surface appearances are deceptively calm, while life and death struggles carry on almost unseen (as that for example between the still heron and the unsuspecting snakes it waits patiently to devour)

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Of Mice and Men

Author: Sheri Smith (PhD English Literature, English Teacher & Quiz Writer)