How do the disabilities of the major characters prove to enhance the quality of the story, Of Mice and Men? Their disabilities influence the plot because without Lennie, Crooks, or Candy the story would be uninteresting to the readers because their challenges cause the dramatic events in the story. All of the characters in the book work on the farm. Lennie has a mental handicap, Crooks is a black man with a crooked spine, and Candy is an old man with only one hand. Lennie has a mental disability that creates depth in the story. His handicap forces him to rely on George completely because he can't remember things very well. He lacks greatly in intelligence but makes up for it in his uncontrollable strength. Another aspect of Lennie is