Of Mice and Men Characters

Lennie
1. A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker.
2. Due to his mental disability, Lennie completely depends upon George.
3. Lennie shares a vision of a farm with George that they will own together, a vision that believes in wholeheartedly. His job would be to tend the rabbits.
4. Lennie does not understand his own strength.
5. Lennie's love for petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses and hair, leads to disaster.
6. Lennie copies George in everything he does and trusts him completely.
7. 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.
George
1. A small man with brains and a quick wit.
2. He has cared for Lennie, ever since he promised Lennie's Aunt Clara. He looks after Lennie by doing things such as carrying his work card and steers him out of trouble.
3. He needs Lennie because his strength helps to get them both jobs, but also so hes not lonely.
4. He shares a dream with lennie to own ap iece of land and is prepared to work hard to make the money needed to buy it.
5. 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.
Slim
1. Slim is the jerkline skinner (lead mule-team driver) at the ranch.
2. Everyone on the ranch respects his views and looks up to him.
3. He has a quiet dignity: he doesn't need to assert himself to haveauthority.
4. He understands the relationship between George and Lennie.
5. Slim helps George at the end and reassures him that he did the right thing.
Curley
1. Curley is the boss's son, so he does not have to work like the other men on the ranch.
2. Curley is small so hates big guys. This is why he hates Lennie.
3. He is a prize- fighter and looks for any opportunity to fight.
4. He is newly- married and is very possessive of his wife- but he still visits brothels.
5. There is a rumour that he wears a glove filled with Vaseline to keep his hand soft for his wife.
Curleys Wife
1. She is newly married to curley.
2. Her really name is not known- she is merely Curley's property with no individual identity.
3. She is young, pretty, wears attractive clothes and curls her hair.
4. She seems flirtatious and is always hanging around the bunk house.
5. She is lonely- there are no other women to talk to and Curley never spends time with her.
6. 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.
7. She is naive.
Crooks
1. Crooks is the black stable buck.
2. He is the only permanent employee at the ranch, since he injured his back in an accident. His back gives him constant pain.
3. He is the only black man around and is made to feel isolated by his colour- he can't go into the bunk house or socialise with the men on the ranch.
4. He is always called the 'nigger' by the men, which shows how racism is taken for granted.The men didn't mean to insult him, but they never think to use his name.
5. He is a proud aloof man.
6. Crooks 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.
7. 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
1. Candy is the oldest man on the ranch.
2. He lost his right hand in an accident at work.
3. He is the 'swamper'- the man who cleans the bunk house. He knows he will be thrown and put 'on the county' when he is too old to work.
4. He has a very old dog. It is his only friend and companion.
5. Carlson insists on shooting the dog because it is too old and ill to be of any use. Candy is devastated.
6. 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.
Carlson
1. A ranch-hand.
2. Complains about Candy's old dog.
3. The convinces Candy to put the dog out of misery and when Candy finally agrees he shoots it.

Next up

Of Mice and Men Characters

Description

Resource summary

Similar

	Created by Abbie Wilkinson about 9 years ago