1. “Of Mice and Men” - Section Four
CONTENTS
Plot Summary Exercise
The Harness Room
A Plan of the Harness Room
Character Study - Crooks
Themes - the ‘Outsider’
Extension Activities

2. “Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Plot Summary Exercise
Complete the plot summary by filling in the blanks:
The section opens with a description of _________. Lennie comes to talk to him. Crooks asks him what he would do if _____________ didn’t come back. __________ arrives and the three men talk about the land. Crooks offers to work for _________ on their farm. Curley’s _______ arrives but _________ asks her to leave. _________ tells them to forget about his offer to help on the farm.
Crooks
George
Candy
nothing
wife
Candy
Crooks

3. “Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
The Harness Room
This section opens with a long description of the harness room, where Crooks, the stable buck, lives. (p.70-71) From this description, we get a detailed impression of the type of man Crooks is.
On the next slide you will find a blank plan of the room, and a series of images showing some of the things that Steinbeck describes in the room.
Drag and drop the images to create your own picture of the Harness Room.

4. A Plan of the Harness Room
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
A Plan of the Harness Room
Window
Books
Civil Code 1905
Dictionary
Medicine
Door
Apple-box
Bench
Crooks’ bunk
Pegs
Crooks’ blanket

5. Character Study - Crooks
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Character Study - Crooks
Fill in some details about Crooks to add to your series of character studies.
Appearance:
________________________
____________________________________
Personality:
________________________
____________________________________
Useful Quotations:
___________________
________________________________________________________

6. Themes - The ‘Outsider’
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Themes - The ‘Outsider’
Many of the characters in the novel are ‘outsiders’ in some way. They don’t fit into ‘normal’ society, because they have characteristics that make them different from ‘normal’ people.
On the next slides you will find images of these characters, with one idea about why that character is an ‘outsider’. To each picture, add several more reasons of your own.
As you work on this activity, try to decide what point Steinbeck is making about people who are outsiders in our society.

7. Themes - The ‘Outsider’
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Themes - The ‘Outsider’
Candy - The Old Swamper
He only has one hand and cannot work properly on the ranch.

8. Themes - The ‘Outsider’
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Themes - The ‘Outsider’
Curley’s Wife
She is the only woman on the ranch.

9. Themes - The ‘Outsider’
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Themes - The ‘Outsider’
Lennie
He is a huge man, who has incredible strength.

10. Themes - The ‘Outsider’
“Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Themes - The ‘Outsider’
Crooks
He is not white, and thus automatically an outsider in this society.

11. “Of Mice & Men” - Section Four
Extension Work
Questions
Why does Crooks have a room to himself? Try to think of more than one reason.
Why do you think Crooks allows Lennie to come into his room? Again, try to think of more than one possible answer.
How does the scene in the harness room relate to the theme of the outsider?
Why does Crooks change his mind about joining the men on the ranch? (p.87)