Of Mice and Men

Context
John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. Although his family was wealthy, he
was interested in the lives of the farm labourers and spent time working with them. He used
his experiences as material for his writing
On October 29 1929, millions of dollars were wiped out in an event that became known as
the Wall Street Crash. It led to the Depression in America which crippled the country from
1930 - 1936. People lost their life savings when firms and banks went bust, and 12 - 15
Dream
Loneliness
George
George is not lonely during the

novel, as he has Lennie. He will
be lonely afterwards, without his
best friend.
George and Lennie share a dream - to

own a little patch of land and live on it
in freedom. He is so set on the idea
that he even knows of some land that
he thinks they could buy.
Lennie
Lennie is the only character who

is innocent enough not to fear
loneliness, but he is angry when
Crooks suggests George won't
come back to him.
George and Lennie share a dream - to

own a little patch of land and live on it
in freedom. Lennie's main desire is to
tend the soft-haired rabbits they will
keep.
Curley's
wife
She is married to a man she

doesn't love and who doesn't
love her. There are no other
women on the ranch and she
has nothing to do. She tries to
befriend the men by hanging
round the bunkhouse.
She dreams of being a movie star. Her

hopes were raised by a man who
claimed he would take her to
Hollywood, but when she didn't
receive a letter from him, she married
Curley.
Candy
When Candy's ancient, ill dog

was shot, Candy has nothing
left. He delayed killing the dog,
even though he knew deep
down that it was the best thing,
as he dreaded losing his longtime companion.
Candy joins George and Lennie's plan

of owning a piece of land. His savings
make the dream actually possible to
achieve.
Crooks
Crooks lives in enforced solitude,

away from the other men. He is
bitter about being a bustedback nigger. He is thrilled when
Lennie and Candy come into his
room and are his companions for
a night.
Crooks dreams of being seen as equal

to everyone else. He knows his civil
rights. He remembers fondly his
childhood, when he played with white
children who came to his family's
chicken ranch, and longs for a similar
relationship with white people again.
million men and women - one third of America's population - were unemployed.
dded to the man-made financial problems were natural ones. A series of droughts in southern
mid-western states like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas led to failed harvests and dried-up land.
Farmers were forced to move off their land: they couldn't repay the bank-loans which had
helped buy the farms and had to sell what they owned to pay their debts.
Many economic migrants headed west to 'Golden' California, thinking there would be land
going spare, but the Californians turned many back, fearing they would be over-run. The
refuges had nowhere to go back to, so they set up home in huge camps in the California
valleys - living in shacks of cardboard and old metal - and sought work as casual farmhands.
Goerge
e is a small man, but has brains and a quick wit.

He has been a good friend to Lennie, ever since he promised Lennie's Aunt Clara
that he would care for him. He looks after all Lennie's affairs, such as carrying his work
card, and tries to steer him out of potential trouble.
He needs Lennie as a friend, not only because Lennie's strength helps to get them
both jobs, but so as not to be lonely. His threats to leave Lennie are not really serious.
He is genuinely proud of Lennie.
He shares a dream with Lennie to own a piece of land and is prepared to work
hard to build up the money needed to buy it.
"...with us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' in our jack 'jus
because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all
anybody gives a damn. But not us."
He is honest with people he trusts. For example, he tells Slim that he used to play
tricks on Lennie when they were young, but now feels guilty about it as Lennie nearly
drowned.
Lennie
He is a big man, in contrast to his name.

He has limited intelligence, so he relies on George to look after him. He copies
George in everything George does and trusts George completely.
"Behind him (George) walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with
large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a
little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung
loosely."
He shares a dream with George to own a piece of land. Lennie's special job would
be to tend the rabbits.
He likes to pet soft things, like puppies and dead mice. We know this got him into
trouble in Weed when he tried to feel a girl's soft red dress: she thought he was going to
attack her.
He can be forgetful - George continually has to remind him about important
things.
He is very gentle and kind, and would never harm anyone or anything
deliberately.
He is extremely strong: he can work as well as two men at bucking barley.
He is often described as a child or an animal - he drinks from the pool like a horse
and his huge hands are described as paws.
Slim
Slim is the jerkline skinner (lead mule-team driver) at the ranch. He is excellent
at his job.
He is the natural leader at the ranch. Everyone respects his views and looks up to
him.
He has a quiet dignity: he doesn't need to assert himself to have authority.
"there was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talked stopped
when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it
politics or love."
He understands the relationship between George and Lennie. He helps George at
the end and reassures George that he did the right thing.
We know little else about him, which gives him a slightly mysterious quality. Do
you think he is too good to be true?
Curley
Curley is the boss's son, so he doesn't need to work like the ordinary ranch
hands, and he has time to kill.
He's little - so he hates big guys.
He is a prize-fighter and looks for opportunities for a fight.
"He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the
elbows and his hands closed into fists. He stiffened and went into a slight crouch. His
glance was at once calculating and pugnacious."
He is newly-married and is very possessive of his wife - but he still visits brothels.
There is a rumour that he wears a glove filled with Vaseline to keep his hand soft
for his wife.
Curleys wife
She is newly married to Curley.

We never know her name - she is merely Curley's 'property' with no individual
identity.
She is young, pretty, wears attractive clothes and curls her hair.
She seems flirtatious and is always hanging around the bunk-house.
She is lonely - there are no other women to talk to and Curley is not really interested
in her.
"What kinda harm am I doin' to you? Seems like they ain't none of them cares how I
gotta live. I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made somethin' of myself."
She doesn't like Curley - she tells Lennie that she only married him when she didn't
receive a letter she'd been promised to get into Hollywood.
She is naive.
Crooks
rooks is the black stable hand or buck.

He is the only permanent employee at the ranch, since he injured his back in an
accident. His back gives him constant pain.
He is the only black man around and is made to be isolated by his colour - he
can't go into the bunk-house or socialise with the men.
He is always called the 'nigger' by the men, which shows how racism is taken for
granted. The men don't mean to insult Crooks every time they call him this, but they
never think to use his name
All this has made him proud and aloof.
He is lonely.
"S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and
play rummy 'cause you were black... A guy needs somebody - to be near him... I tell ya
a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."
The only time he mixes with the ranch hands socially is when they pitch
horseshoes - and then he beats everyone!
He has his own room near the stables and has a few possessions. He has books,
which show he is intelligent and an old copy of the California Civil Code, which suggests
he is concerned about his rights.
He has seen many men come and go, all dreaming of buying a piece of land, but
is now cynical, as no one has ever achieved it.
Candy
Candy is the oldest ranch hand. He lost his right hand in an accident at work.
He is the 'swamper' - the man who cleans the bunkhouse. He knows he will be
thrown out and put 'on the county' when he is too old to work.
Because of this, he accepts what goes on and doesn't challenge anything: he
can't afford to lose his job.
He has a very old dog, which he has had from a pup. It is his only friend and
companion.
"The old man came slowly into the room. He had his broom in his hand. And at
his heels there walked a drag-footed sheep dog, gray of muzzle, and with pale, blind old
eyes."
Carlson insists on shooting the dog because he claims it is too old and ill to be of
any use. Candy is devastated.
He is lonely and isolated, but makes friends with George and Lennie and offers his
compensation money to help them all to buy a ranch together and achieve their dream.
When he finds Curley's wife dead, he is furious, as he knows instantly that Lennie
was involved and that they have lost their chance of achieving their dream.

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Context

George is not lonely during the

George and Lennie share a dream - to

Lennie is the only character who

George and Lennie share a dream - to

She is married to a man she

She dreams of being a movie star. Her

When Candy's ancient, ill dog

Candy joins George and Lennie's plan

Crooks lives in enforced solitude,

Crooks dreams of being seen as equal

e is a small man, but has brains and a quick wit.

He is a big man, in contrast to his name.

She is newly married to Curley.

rooks is the black stable hand or buck.

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