Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men

Character Revision Character Revision

GEORGEGEORGE

• Friend to Lennie, kind hearted – Friend to Lennie, kind hearted – ‘I got you to look after me and you got ‘I got you to look after me and you got me…’me…’

• Feels a sense of duty to Lennie; looking after him gives him a purposeFeels a sense of duty to Lennie; looking after him gives him a purpose• Can be impatient with him – Can be impatient with him – ‘I could live so easy if it wasn’t for you…’‘I could live so easy if it wasn’t for you…’• He is a thinker – all around him he sees lonelinessHe is a thinker – all around him he sees loneliness• Good judge of character – knew Curley’s wife would be troubleGood judge of character – knew Curley’s wife would be trouble• Confides in Slim about his troubled pastConfides in Slim about his troubled past• Hardworking but dreams of owning own ranchHardworking but dreams of owning own ranch• Often tells Lennie about their ‘dream’Often tells Lennie about their ‘dream’• Prepares for Lennie getting them into trouble - ‘hide in the brush’Prepares for Lennie getting them into trouble - ‘hide in the brush’• Quick-witted and intelligent – knew Slim could be trusted / Curley’s wife Quick-witted and intelligent – knew Slim could be trusted / Curley’s wife

would be troublewould be trouble• His sense of morality tells him Lennie must die for killing Curley’s wifeHis sense of morality tells him Lennie must die for killing Curley’s wife• He is a realist and understands the worldHe is a realist and understands the world• At the end of the novel when he loses Lennie, he also lost his dreamAt the end of the novel when he loses Lennie, he also lost his dream

LENNIELENNIE

• He is slow-witted but ‘He is slow-witted but ‘a nice fellaa nice fella’’• He is a child trapped in a man’s body – He is a child trapped in a man’s body – ‘ huge man, ‘ huge man,

shapeless of face’shapeless of face’• He has never learned to control his strength / powerHe has never learned to control his strength / power• After his strength his innocence is his most striking featureAfter his strength his innocence is his most striking feature• Often described as animal like - he is described as like a Often described as animal like - he is described as like a

terrier, a bear etc terrier, a bear etc • Can be cunning – plays on George’s feelings of guiltCan be cunning – plays on George’s feelings of guilt• Instinctive – knows the ranch isn’t a nice placeInstinctive – knows the ranch isn’t a nice place• Relies heavily on George but is fiercely protective of himRelies heavily on George but is fiercely protective of him• ‘‘Maybe he ain’t bright but I never seen such a worker’Maybe he ain’t bright but I never seen such a worker’• His fault they left Weed and he loses George His fault they left Weed and he loses George ‘every job I ‘every job I

ever get’ever get’

SLIMSLIM

• Understands the bond between George and LennieUnderstands the bond between George and Lennie• Shows natural dignity and leadershipShows natural dignity and leadership• Has a natural authority – the men look up to him Has a natural authority – the men look up to him ‘his ‘his

words was accepted on any subject, be it politics or words was accepted on any subject, be it politics or love’love’

• He is a good listener and He is a good listener and ‘his ear heard more than ‘his ear heard more than was said to him’was said to him’

• He stands up to Curley when accused of having an He stands up to Curley when accused of having an affair with his wifeaffair with his wife

• ‘‘There was a gravity in his manner and all talk There was a gravity in his manner and all talk stopped when he spoke’stopped when he spoke’

• Steinbeck could use a character like him to show Steinbeck could use a character like him to show that in all aspects of society there is goodness.that in all aspects of society there is goodness.

CANDYCANDY

• Lost his arm in a ranch accident and is now reduced to ‘swamper’Lost his arm in a ranch accident and is now reduced to ‘swamper’• Pathetic figure who passes his time taking orders from other Pathetic figure who passes his time taking orders from other

peoplepeople• Stands up to people twice – Curley (when the others do) and Stands up to people twice – Curley (when the others do) and

Curley’s wife (in Crooks’ room) but this confidence is short-livedCurley’s wife (in Crooks’ room) but this confidence is short-lived• Only a little is needed to revitalise him – a ranch of his own, a Only a little is needed to revitalise him – a ranch of his own, a

dream to follow dream to follow ‘ when they can me I wisht they’d shoot me’‘ when they can me I wisht they’d shoot me’• Clings to George and Lennie’s dream as it’s his only hope of Clings to George and Lennie’s dream as it’s his only hope of

escapeescape• Death of his dog shows he is a human beingDeath of his dog shows he is a human being• Steinbeck shows sympathy for him – weak, old, down-troddenSteinbeck shows sympathy for him – weak, old, down-trodden• Characterised through his dogCharacterised through his dog• Unwillingly lets Carlson shoot his dog then realise his should have Unwillingly lets Carlson shoot his dog then realise his should have

done it himself done it himself ‘ I oughtn’t to have let no stranger shoot my dog’‘ I oughtn’t to have let no stranger shoot my dog’• Calls Curley’s dead wife a ‘goddamn tramp’ because she has Calls Curley’s dead wife a ‘goddamn tramp’ because she has

killed their dream killed their dream ‘everybody knowed you’d mess things up’‘everybody knowed you’d mess things up’

CROOKSCROOKS

• An example of Steinbeck’s compassionAn example of Steinbeck’s compassion• An illustration of the way in which loneliness can corrupt An illustration of the way in which loneliness can corrupt

and destroy a man and destroy a man ‘I guy gets too lonely and he gets sick’‘I guy gets too lonely and he gets sick’• Double burden in their society – a cripple and a negroDouble burden in their society – a cripple and a negro• Curley’s wife crushes him when he stands up to her – he Curley’s wife crushes him when he stands up to her – he

can’t win against a white person can’t win against a white person ‘you just know your place ‘you just know your place nigger’nigger’

• His function is to prepare the reader for the destruction of His function is to prepare the reader for the destruction of George and Lennie’s dream – he knows it won’t come true George and Lennie’s dream – he knows it won’t come true ‘seems like every guy got land in his head’‘seems like every guy got land in his head’

• His character looks for dignity and self respect in a world His character looks for dignity and self respect in a world which gives him none which gives him none ‘they say I stink, all you stink to me’‘they say I stink, all you stink to me’

• Intelligent – has books in his room – nobody gets to really Intelligent – has books in his room – nobody gets to really know him because of his colour / disabilityknow him because of his colour / disability

CURLEYCURLEY

• Spoilt, restless and arrogant boss’s sonSpoilt, restless and arrogant boss’s son• Sees everyone as a potential opponent for a fight Sees everyone as a potential opponent for a fight ‘no big son-of-‘no big son-of-

a-bitch is gonna laugh at me’a-bitch is gonna laugh at me’• Keeps a Keeps a ‘glove fulla vaseline’‘glove fulla vaseline’ for his wife but still visits the for his wife but still visits the

brothel with the menbrothel with the men• Obsessive over controlling his wife – spends most of his time Obsessive over controlling his wife – spends most of his time

looking for herlooking for her• Can be cunning and bordering on sadistic Can be cunning and bordering on sadistic ‘shoot for his guts’‘shoot for his guts’• Picks a fight with Lennie because he thinks he’ll be a pushoverPicks a fight with Lennie because he thinks he’ll be a pushover• Forced into lying about his damaged hand to save his reputationForced into lying about his damaged hand to save his reputation• ‘‘He hates bug guys… kind of like he’s mad at them ‘cos he ain’t He hates bug guys… kind of like he’s mad at them ‘cos he ain’t

a big guy’a big guy’• ‘‘His glance was calculating and pugnacious’His glance was calculating and pugnacious’• His hands automatically curl into fists when he’s talking to His hands automatically curl into fists when he’s talking to

peoplepeople

CURLEY’S WIFECURLEY’S WIFE• Overdressed, flirtatious and attractive Overdressed, flirtatious and attractive ‘she had full rouged lips and wide-‘she had full rouged lips and wide-

spaced eyes heavily made up’spaced eyes heavily made up’• Attention-seeking – prefers negative attention to none at allAttention-seeking – prefers negative attention to none at all• Vain – asks Lennie to stroke her hair thus unwittingly causes her own Vain – asks Lennie to stroke her hair thus unwittingly causes her own

deathdeath• Catalyst for the violent scenes in the textCatalyst for the violent scenes in the text• ‘‘her voice had a nasal brittle quality’her voice had a nasal brittle quality’• Nobody to talk to, no social life, only woman on the ranch = lonelyNobody to talk to, no social life, only woman on the ranch = lonely• Trapped in a loveless marriage – husband visits prostitutesTrapped in a loveless marriage – husband visits prostitutes• Married Curley to spite her mum – Married Curley to spite her mum – ‘He ain’t a nice person.’‘He ain’t a nice person.’• Treated like an object - ‘Curley’s wife’- we never know her nameTreated like an object - ‘Curley’s wife’- we never know her name• Turns nasty when put in her place by Crooks and Candy ‘Turns nasty when put in her place by Crooks and Candy ‘stuck with a stuck with a

nigger, a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep an’ likin’ it cos there ain’t nigger, a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep an’ likin’ it cos there ain’t nobody else’nobody else’

• Dreams of being a movie star ‘Dreams of being a movie star ‘I tell ya, I coulda made somethin of myselfI tell ya, I coulda made somethin of myself’’• Had she met the right man, she might have been differentHad she met the right man, she might have been different• When she dies Steinbeck shows she wasn’t a totally evil person – ‘ When she dies Steinbeck shows she wasn’t a totally evil person – ‘ She She

was very pretty and simple and her face was sweet and young’was very pretty and simple and her face was sweet and young’• Her tragedy lies in the fact we only find out about her just before she diesHer tragedy lies in the fact we only find out about her just before she dies• Aware of her sexuality – Aware of her sexuality – ‘she breathed strongly as though she had been ‘she breathed strongly as though she had been

running’running’

REMEMBER…REMEMBER…

When writing about a character you need When writing about a character you need to consider the to consider the themes themes of the textof the text

Does Steinbeck explore any of the Does Steinbeck explore any of the themes through the characters ?themes through the characters ?

Remember Remember key quoteskey quotes to support your to support your ideasideas