Lennie

Lennie & obsession with "soft things" - (mice, woman in weed, his puppy)

- Foreshadows future events - Curley's Wife is killed when Lennie breaks her neck after stroking her hair

- Petting the mouse makes him feel safe and secure, as though he is a child and is looking for comfort
from something that cannot cause him harm

Lennie & Strength/Violence

- Lennie's aggression is innocent, unlike the others on the ranch he doesn't always intend for events to
result the way they do

- He doesn't want to cause pain, e.g when he crushed Curley's hand he says he "didn't wanna hurt him" -
but George encourages him saying "Get im' Lennie", because of their relationship, Lennie is more likely
to follow his orders and obey

- When he accidently killed Curley's wife, he was more worried that he done another "bad thing" (killing
the puppy, then Curley's Wife) and that George would be disappointed in him. His lack of sympathy
towards Curley's Wife's death adds to the sadness of the event, and highlights how Lennie is more
concerned for the well-being of animals then humans - it's as if he isn't able to identify a difference
between the two.

Lennie & The American Dream/Dreams

- America is supposed to be about 'the land of the free' - built on promise and opportunity

- George says "I got to thinking maybe we would", demonstrating how Lennie's enthusiasm toward the
dream gave him hope, even though in reality he knew the dream wouldn't actually be possible to fulfil

- The American Dream itself is impossible, and the death of Lennie is symbolic of that

- Lennie's death is symbolic that all good things coming to an end

- George uses the dream to give them both hope for the future, once word spread the other ranch
workers wanted in too - demonstrates the importance of dreams on a whole in the novella, and for
those who lived in the 1930s Great Depression era in a similar situation to the characters

- Lennie just wanted to "tend the rabbits" - nothing more - it was George who thought the whole dream
up so Lennie is not entirely to blame

- The dream was told to Lennie like a story, linking to his child like innocence

Lennie & Other Stuff

- Rel'ship with Curley's wife lands him in trouble, he tries to listen to what George said about ignoring
her - but his curiosity got the better of him, and the consequences of her death show how one of his
innocent mistakes once again lands him in unxpected trouble

- Lennie's character is always associated with death - he uses it for comfort? Is life important to Lennie?
Or is it that friendship, comfort, and things that he can pet take more of an active role

- When people are of no use to society, they are either experience discrimination (Lennie's mental
disability) or get mixed up in events that lead them to become killed (like Lennie) because of in some
cases, their 'helplessness'

- Lennie Small - he's described as "shapeless" and a "bear"

- Write about his anamilistic features/actions

Culrey's Wife

Curley's Wife & Dreams - "I ain't used to livin like this. I coulda made something of myself"

- Lost potential – she could have been a Hollywood star

- Every character had a dream, because none of them were achieved it resulted in a loss of hope

- Chance of stardom was taken from her mother who felt she was too young

- Takes every chance she can to talk about her lost dream

- Her shattered dream of being an actress caused her to rush into her marriage with Curley

- Forced to realise the reality that running away from your problems usually isn't the best course of
action

Curley's Wife & Identity

- No name

- "Curley's Wife" demonstrates that she is Curley's property

- She's not an actual person, more so an 'object'

- Microcosm of women and their roles in 1930's America - links to stereotypes?

- Only women on the ranch

Curley's Wife & Appearance

- Steinbecks introduction of her builds misconceptions - "full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily
made up" - he deliberately made us think that she was a "tart"

- Curley's Wife teaches us not to judge a book by it's cover

- Ranch hands refer to her as a "floozy", "tramp", "*****"

- Curley's Wife uses her sexuality to get the attention of others, "she had full, rouged lips and wide-
spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like
sausages. She wore a cotton housedress and red mules, on the steps of which were little bouquets of
red ostrich feathers"

- Feels as if dressing the way she does is the only way that she can get people to notice her

- She's on a farm - it's unnecessary for her to be so dressed up

- Inappropriate dress sense reflects inappropriate, flirtatious ways

Curley's Wife & Loneliness

- Curley's wife has become virtually another person because of loneliness

- The men on the ranch avoid her because of flirtatious personality to keep out of trouble - they don't
want to be under threat by Curley

- All the characters are effected by loneliness, but no-one on the ranch is able to understand why she is
so badly effected by it

- Her insecurity is shown through her choice of clothing and make-up

- Curley does not give his wife to love and affection that she desires - it makes her seek it from other
people

- Acting in flirtatious ways is the only way Curley's Wife thinks she can deal with her loneliness

Curley's Wife & Other Stuff

- Her coyness is obvious when she, "..put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame
so that her body was thrown forward"

- She's unhappily married to Curley - he cares very little for her - more interested in himself?

- She can be petty, cruel and at times almost as self obsessed as her husband

- Craves attention from anyone who will give it to her - uses Lennie's vunerabilty to create and obsession

- Seeks the greater weakness in everyone - uses Lennie's mental handicap, Candy's age and Crooks' race
against them just like they use the fact that she's a 'women' and therefore 'not capable'
- Steinbeck uses light symbolically to show that she can be imposing when he writes, "The rectangle of
sunshine in the doorway was cut off" - also brings darkness to situations

Slim

Slim & Power/Status

- Steinbeck described him as "prince of the ranch"

- When first introduced he was described as a (respectable) leader "when he had finished combing his
hair he moved into the room, and he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master
craftsmen"

- From the beginning he was portrayed as royal and noble

- Everyone on the ranch knew that Slim had power

- Even Curley followed Slim's orders

- "he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty." his mere manner makes him seem almost like a
king

- When George and Lennie first see Slim - "…There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound
that all talk stopped when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject,
be it politics or love…" he was well respected because of his authority on the ranch

Slim & Curley's Wife

- Slim's fit and healthy, meaning he attracts the attention of Curley's Wife - she addresses him by name,
and he calls her "good lookin'"

- Unlike the rest of the ranch workers, he's not afraid of Curleys Wife - he gives her the attention she so
desperately wants, demonstrating that he's not afraid of Curley too

Slim & Other Stuff

- He was a brave and noble character

- Always there at every key event in the novella - he helps make sure that what is done is merciful or
right

Curley
Curley & Relationships

- Husband to ‘Curley’s Wife’

- Bosses son

- Arguably one of the loneliest characters in the novella

- He gets no respect from anyone

- Slim and Carlson threaten him, and they order him to lie about how his hand got crushed

- He has no control over his bored, flirtatious wife – he’s picked the wrong wife

- We only see him with his wife in the final section when she’s dead – her death is as disastrous as their
sham of a marriage

- Lennie feels a sense of menace when Curley first comes into the bunkhouse

Curley & His Wife

- Curley’s Wife says “I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” – demonstrates how the person who she
theoretically is supposed to love him the most in actual fact thinks he’s a vile creature

- He’s unhappily married; his wife flirts with the other the bunkhouse men and never knows where he is,
just like she never knows where he is

- He doesn’t care when his wife is killed; he’s more interested in getting revenge on Lennie for taking
away something that belonged to him – highlighting Curley’s Wife’s objectivity and how little she really
meant to Curley

- Humiliated by his wife’s apparent dissatisfaction and unhappiness, Curley needs to boost his self
esteem and confidence

- Obviously can’t satisfy his wife and is mean to her

- Refuses to let his wife talk to anyone on the ranch (she disobeys), and is left to feel very isolated in a
place which is meant to be home for her

- When he appears with his dead wife, he doesn’t even touch her – Slim is the one who checks if she’s
really dead – shows the extent of their unloving relationship, he can’t even touch her

Curley & Violence

- Fighting is the one thing he’s good at – and like us, when we’re good at something we like to show it off
which is what he tries to do by picking fights

- Candy says he’s “handy”, which means he fights well

- Whit says he was in the final for the “Golden Gloves” – a boxing compition
- Was a professional fighter, boxer, but fights unfairly

- Unaware of the danger he is in when he picks a fight with Lennie – once George gives Lennie
permission to fight back he breaks every bone in his hand

- Wimpers like a baby and cries hopelessly with pain

- Picks fights with the wrong men – those who are bigger, and stronger than him – Lennie, and those
who have more respect and authority then him – Slim, to try and prove a point that size supposedly
doesn’t matter

Curley & Dreams

- Curley’s dream is to be the boss – but he’s not, at the moment he’s the son

- Just as trapped in his life on the ranch as the other characters – being the bosses son, he’s destined to
be running the ranch himself one day

- Craves attention and respect, wants to be admired and accepted

- Hates anyone who challenges his dreams

Curley & Other Stuff

- Tries to prove his masculinity by picking fights/marrying a physically attractive woman

- Whit says he’s got “yella-jackets in his drawers” – meaning he’s restless

- He’s an outsider – not being one of the bunkhouse men

- Takes advantage of those whom he thinks are weak, and tries to avoid those who are match for him

- Evil character in Steinbeck’s world

- Sizes up George and Lennie, and picks on Lennie because he’s big – Candy says he “hates big guys” and
is “alla time picking scraps with big guys”

- Makes a big deal about his “glove fulla’ vasaline” – he’s keeping one hand soft to be able to caress her
– yet patronizes the local whore house on a Saturday night. He’s just as ‘dirty’ as the other bunkhouse
men

- In his meanness, he tells Carlson to aim for Lennie’s gut so he’ll suffer – this makes George realise that
he should be the one to kill him mercifully

Curley & Appearence

- Described as a “thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair.”
– tight curls could represent how restricted he is
- He wears “high heeled boots” like the boss – also giving him height because he’s “little” – made clear
to everyone that he’s “not a labouring man”

Let me know if you want me to explain any of the points made above, or if there's anything I can add!

Candy

Candy & His Dog

- Candy and his dog are parallel to the relationship of George and Lennie

- Like his dog, he has lived past his usefulness

- Candy gives Carlson the responsibility of shooting his dog – yet he later reveals to George that he
should have been the one to shoot the dog himself, foreshadowing Georges decision to take
responsibility for Lennie’s death and so to speak, put him out of his misery

- Lennie depends on George the way Candy’s dog depends on Candy – liking the two by animalism

- Candy, like George is different from the other ranch workers - he has his dog as constant
companionship, as George has Lennie

Candy & Relationships

- Curley’s Wife calls him a “lousy ol’ sheep” because he’s becoming old and slow – somewhat useless

- Befriends George and Lennie

- Calls Lennie a “poor *******” when he kills Curley’s Wife, he identifies Lennie’s actions as being a
mistake and feels sorry for him

- Welcomes George and Lennie to the farm

- Admires Curley for fighting, but nothing else

- He likes the boss for the whisky he gave the men at Christmas – but he says he “gets pretty mad
sometimes”

Candy & His Job

- He has no right hand – was lost in a ranch accident - victim of a life of work

- Candy’s greatest fear is that once he’s unable to help with the cleaning he’ll be “disposed of”

- Has the least respected job of all the bunkhouse guys – he’s the “swamper”

- The owners of the ranch keep him on as long as he can “swamp” out or clean the bunkhouse
Candy & Other Stuff

- Ironic name, his life is anything but sweet (like candy)

- Candy’s character gives Steinbeck the opportunity to discuss social discrimination based on
age/handicaps

- Candy is described as “a tall stoop-shouldered old man... He was dressed in blue jeans and carried a big
push broom in his left hand”

- Representation of what happened to everyone who gets old in American society – they are let go,
thrown out and used up

- He’s always left behind – workdays he stays to clean up, when the other men go to town on a Saturday
night, and when they go to kill Lennie

- At the end he’s left behind with Curley’s dead Wife, his dead dream and memories of his dead dog

Candy & Dreams

- He’s a desperate man – he’s quick to offer George and Lennie money, and he says he’ll put them in his
will even though he’s only known them a day

- Because of Candy the dream almost comes true – his down payment causes George to believe that
perhaps the dream can happen

Candy & Hands

- Missing one, a huge drawback as most of the work is physical labour

- The only reason he has a job at all is because he lost his hand “right here on the ranch”

- If he got fired, he’d be homeless and useless – one of the reasons why he so desperately wants to be in
on George and Lennie’s dream