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Of Mice and Men

Slim

Main topic

Slim is an understanding and wise man, as shown when he listens to George's story about Lennie and doesn't judge him for it.

"He's a nice fella," said Slim.  "Guy don't need no sense to be a nice fella.  Seems to me it jus' works the other way around.  Take a real smart guy and he ain't hardly ever a nice fella."  Chapter 3, Page 40

Slim is the most respected and possibly skilled man on the ranch and all the workers listen to him.

"He was a jerkline skinner, the prince of the ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders.."  "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."  Chapter 2, Page 33

Lennie

Lennie's defining trait is that he acts like a kid despite his large appearance."

"It wasn't much to you, maybe, but it was a hell of a lot to him.  Jesus Christ, I don't know how we're gonna get him to sleep in here.  He'll want to sleep right out in the barn with 'em.  We'll have trouble keepin' him from getting right in the box with them pups."  Chapter 3, Page 38

Lennie is always causing trouble, although he doesn't mean to.  This is usually because he does things without thinking or doesn't understand what to do.

"Course he ain't mean.  But he gets in trouble alla time because he's so God damn dumb.  Like what happened in Weed-"  Chapter 3, Page 41

The brawn of the duo.  What Lennie lacks in smarts he makes up for in strength.

"Oh!  I ain't saying he's bright.  He ain't.  But I say he's a God damn good worker.  He can put up a four hundred pound bale."  Chapter 2, Page 22

Curley's Wife

It seems that Curley's wife isn't satisfied being married to him.  This explains why she's always going around and flirting with all the other workers on the ranch.

"Sure I gotta husban'.  You all seen him.  Swell guy, ain't he?  Spends all his time sayin' what he's gonna do to guys he don't like, and he don't like nobody. Think I'm gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley's gonna lead with his left twict, and then bring in the ol' right cross?"  Chapter 4, Page 78

Curley's wife seems to be very lonely living on the ranch.  No one seems to want to talk to her because they figure if they do, Curley would get mad and beat the crap out of them.

"Well I ain't giving you no trouble.  Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while?  Think I like to stick in that house alla time?"Chapter 4, Page 77

Candy

Candy has a fear of having no place to go and nothing to do after he gets laid off.  Which is why he decides to help George and Lennie achieve their dream by helping pay for the land they want to buy.  Candy wants to help them out and live there with them even when he gets too old to be able to do anything.

"When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoot me.  But they won't do nothing like that.  I won't have no place to go, an I can't get no more jobs."  Chapter 3, Page 60

Candy is an old man who works as a swamper at the ranch.  He lost one of his hands back when he was a regular worker on the ranch.

George

George used to do all kinds of mean things to Lennie like beat him up or trick him into jumping off of cliffs.  Now they travel together looking for work and the American dream, always watching eachothers backs.

"One day a bunch of guys was standin' around up on the Sacramento River.  I was feelin' pretty smart.  I turns to Lennie and says, 'Jump in.' An' he jumps.  Couldn't swim a stroke.  He damn near drowned before we could get him.  An' he was so damn nice to me for pullin' him out.  Clean forgot I told him to jump in.  Well, I ain't done nothing like that no more."  Chapter 3, Page 40

Always thinks about what could've been or what could be, rather than what is or what isn't.  George came up with the idea to get their own piece of land, and wants to live a life without working for anyone but himself.

"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.  They got no family.  They don't belong no place.  They come to a ranch an' work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch.  They ain't got nothing to look ahead to.."  "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."  Chapter 1, Page 13

The brains of the duo.  Lennie can't think for himself, so George does the thinking for him.

"You remember about us goin' into Murray and Ready's, and they give us work cards and bus tickets?"  "Oh, sure, George.  I remember that now."  His hands went quickly into his side coat pockets.  He said gently, "George . . . I ain't got mine.  I musta lost it."  "You never had none, you crazy bastard.  I got both of 'em here.  Think I'd let you carry your own work card?"  Chapter 1, Page 5