Of Mice and Men Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
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Of Mice and Men has 9 chapters · 119 pages
The second book in John Steinbeck’s labor trilogy, Of Mice and Men is a touching tale of two migrant laborers in search of work and eventual liberation from their social circumstances.
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Inside the journal: 9 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Chapter by chapter Each question is about its own chapter.
George and Lennie stop by the river before going to the ranch. What do you learn about their friendship from the way they talk to each other?See all 9 questions ↓
About the book
The second book in John Steinbeck’s labor trilogy, Of Mice and Men is a touching tale of two migrant laborers in search of work and eventual liberation from their social circumstances. Fiercely devoted to one another, George and Lennie plan to save up to finance their dream of someday owning a small piece of land. The pair seems unstoppable until tragedy strikes and their hopes come crashing down, forcing George to make a difficult decision regarding the welfare of his best friend.
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Of Mice and Men questions by chapter
We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. One question per chapter, across all 9 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
George and Lennie stop by the river before going to the ranch. What do you learn about their friendship from the way they talk to each other?
Example answer: I learn that George and Lennie have a friendship that is not always easy, but they care about each other. George gets frustrated with Lennie, but he still helps him and tells him what to do to stay safe. Lennie trusts George and wants to hear about their dream farm. Their friendship feels like a family because they stay together.
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Chapter 2
George and Lennie meet people at the ranch, including the boss, Candy, Curley, and Slim. What clues show that the ranch may be a hard place to live and work?
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Chapter 3
Slim listens carefully to George and treats him with respect. What does Slim do or say that shows he is a trusted person on the ranch?
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Chapter 4
Crooks talks about being lonely and left out. What does this chapter teach about how loneliness can affect a person?
Example answer: This chapter teaches me that loneliness can make a person feel angry, sad, and hopeless. Crooks is alone a lot, so he does not trust people right away. When Lennie visits him, Crooks starts to talk more and shows that he wants company. I think the author wants us to see that everyone needs kindness and friendship.
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Chapter 5
Lennie makes a serious mistake in the barn and feels scared. Why do you think he runs back to the river place George told him about?
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Chapter 6
At the end of the story, George has to make a very hard choice. What feelings do you think George has, and what details make you think that?
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Chapter 7
The dream of owning a small farm is important to George, Lennie, and Candy. Why do you think this dream gives them hope?
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Chapter 8
Choose one important word from the story, such as ranch, migrant, dream, lonely, or mercy. What does the word mean, and why is it important in the book?
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Chapter 9
What is your opinion of the ending of the book? Did it feel fair, sad, surprising, or something else? Explain your thinking with details from the story.
Example answer: I think the ending is very sad and also surprising. George cares about Lennie, so it hurts to see him make such a hard choice. I understand that George wanted to protect Lennie from worse trouble, but it still does not feel happy or fair. The ending made me think about how difficult life was for the characters.
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How to use this Of Mice and Men reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 9 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Of Mice and Men. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Each question is about its own chapter. We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.