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Character Analysis: Of Mice And Men

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Collin Gerger
Mrs. Lutrell
English 11
5 February 2018
Out with the Old in with the New
As a majority of people know and probably do, when something they have isn’t capable of working at its ideal performance, because of various reasons: outdated, broken parts, missing parts, etc, it gets discarded for a better version. Steinbeck depicts a character in this situation named Candy in his novella “Of Mice and Men.” Candy is an old handyman is labeled as a handicapped man due to an accident that resulted in the loss of his hand. While it may be seen as wrong to do this to a living organism, a human being no less, it was the way that Candy’s character was crafted that fit this situation. Candy’s character is crafted by Steinbeck in the text to demonstrate …show more content…

Those who are old find even the simplest of tasks to be arduous, and realizing that they are not capable of completing these tasks, leads them to consider themselves inferior to others. An example of this comes from the quote, “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses they’ll put me on the county” (Steinbeck 60). This was Candy’s way of thinking in his old age, making the tasks he needed to perform seem impossible. Candy was given the simplest task of “swampin” the bunkhouses, the easiest job that can be given to a man of his shape; however, he fears that one day the boss will deem him useless and proclaim that he has outlived his service and kick him off the ranch. Candy’s way of thinking is discouraging in this situation, having no family to support him if this were to happen, so he clings to his old, blind dog for reassurance and later to George and Lennie for a similar …show more content…

So he seeks the support of George after his dog was shot by Carlson for being old and useless. He even goes to assist George and Lennie’s dream of getting their own place, in the hopes that he can come along with them in case he is still alive. “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing” (59). Candy takes the chance of tagging along with George and Lennie after George spoke to Lennie about their intentions to buy their own house and sustain themselves. Even though George doesn’t know much about Candy, he reluctantly agrees to let him tag along after Candy proposes to aid in their dream by providing them with money that he earned, regardless of the fact that Candy wouldn’t be much help in terms of farm

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In chapter three, after Candy’s dog is killed, Candy lies down in the corner of a room, since he is sad. In the same room, George and Lennie start talking about their dream, having their own ranch and being together, without noticing Candy in the background. Soon, Candy starts talking and becomes a part of the plan. The idea gives Candy some joy. However, later in the book, Lennie kills a woman, which ends the dream, because George cannot be with Lennie anymore.

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Lennie and George find themselves becoming more hopeful after Candy successfully manages to turn a dream that was originally meant for two men into a dream for three. He tries to help George and Lennie attain their dream, and convince them that, “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some” (59). He also shows the two friends of the possibility towards failed outcomes- symbolized through Candy’s inability to kill his own dog.

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Including the tone of panic in George’s voice depicts that George is afraid of Lennie leaving causing him to be alone much like many of the workers on the ranch. Furthermore, in the middle of the book the character Candy is introduced to George and Lennie’s dream plan that emcompasses the theory of being together. Candy clearly wants to be included into the plan, “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing.” (Page 59) If Candy is willing to offer his life savings so that he might have a chance at living the dream with George and Lennie, it represents Candy’s necessity of leaving the isolation for a close knit relationship.

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”(Steinbeck 81). Candy is powerless to even stop a woman, who is also a paran marginalized group and is seen as even weaker than men, This goes to show that even though Candy’s wiser and a man he's still seen as weak with little to no power. “Candy looked for help from face to face.” (Steinbeck 45). When looking back at the first quote we can see the level of power Candy has and what that means to him, Candy is constantly shot down by Carlson when it comes down to the whereabouts of his dog, Candy doesn’t have enough power to tell Carlson anyone, instead, he looks for help from

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One Major Character in Of Mice and Men: Candy can be seen as a major character in Of Mice Of Men by John Steinbeck. Candy is described the protagonist George as, “a tall stoop shouldered man, dressed in blue jeans..carrying a big push- broom in his left hand”(2.18-19) Candy can be seen as an essential character thought this story for a plethora of reasons. One reason as to why Candy can be seen as an essential character is because different from the other characters in many ways. , unlike all of the other characters in this story Candy is “stoop shouldered” hint at the fact that he’s old. It also states, that he has one hand “He pointed with his right arm, and out of the sleeve came a round stick like wrist.”

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They believe that Candy should put down his dog to end it’s suffering from its many ailments. Carlson and Slim decide for him that his dog’s life is no longer worth living. This establishes the theme of another person deciding if someone else should die. Later in the novel, George decides to kill Lennie before he gets lynched by Curley; George is in the same position as Candy previously was in Chapter 3. Candy regrets not shooting his dog himself and shows solidarity for George due to experiencing the same

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Steinbeck states in the novel, “You seen what they done to my dog tonight?”(60). An example of Candy telling George and Lennie his problems. Candy still feels upset over his dog death by Carlson. But by using that excuse he got George to agree with him, to let him live in the ranch once they earn enough money. With Candy’s help with George and Lennie’s dream, it is easier and now faster for the three of them to get their ranch.

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Vice versa, Candy alike George values his old dog not because of its usefulness but as a constant companion, someone who is devoted and loyal to him. Moreover Candy aides George when they found Curley’s wife dead in the farm, giving George the chance to go into the bunkhouse and escape any conviction that might be made against

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Candy after having a dispute with Carlson over whether or not to shoot the dog, candy states that, “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta let no stranger shoot my dog” (Steinbeck 61). Although Candy previously disputed over shooting the dog, and had shown that he did not want the dog to die, Candy shows that he knew the dog should have been euthanized the whole time, and that he wish he had been the one to do it. Steinbeck shows Candy regretting not euthanizing the dog himself to make a point that even those closest to the subject of euthanasia know it is the right thing to do. Although Lennie is George’s best friend, George knows that Lennie has no way out of his situation, and that with the way his violence issues are progressing he will only get worse.

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In the book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck a lot of innocent characters that suffer at the hand of another. One character from the story that suffer is Candy. The way Candy suffers is not being able to do a lot of things and when his dog got shot. For example,when Carson took his dog out behind the barn and shot him in the head. Another example is when Candy lost his hand and can not do a lot of stuff.

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