Lennie Lennie is a huge man with a shapeless face, and wide sloping sholders. He is a large, lumbering child like worker, who struggles with his own strength. Lennie is a mentally challenged guy. So, he depends on George as a friend, traveler companion, guidence, and protection. Lennie is a gentle kind person, and he loves to pet soft things, but sometimes it could lead to disaster. George and Lennie have a dream that one day they will own their own land, and that Lennie could tend the rabbits. At the end, Lennie dies.  George George is a small and quick guy. He has restless eyes, and sharp strong features. George is devoted to Lennie, and protects him. He takes care of Lennie, because Lennie's Aunt Clara died. So, George decided to take care of Lennie. He tells Lennie what to do and what not to do. George and Lennie save money, becuase they have a dream that one day they will own their own land, and that Lennie could tend the rabbits. At, the end of the novel George kills Lennie.  Curley Curley has tightly curled hair, and he wears a work glove on his left hand. He weaers high heels like his dad (boss' son). Curley is a mean and aggressive young man. He doesn't like larger men, because he's tiny. So, he seeks to pick small fight with larger men (Lennie). In the middle of the novel, Curley beats up Lennie, but Lennie accidentaly broke Curley's hand.  Curley's Wife Curley's wife doesn't really have a name in the story. She is the only female character in the story. Curley's wife has a really low self-esteem. She is very lonely in the story, because Curley barely spends time with her. So, to keep her happy she flirts with other men on the ranch, but the men on the ranch call her a, 'tart'.  | Candy Candy is the ranch's handyman. He is old and doesn't have a left hand. Candy has tall and stoop sholders and has whiskers. He offers money to join in with George and Lennie's future. Candy's dog, who Carlson shoots, foreshadows Lennie's death.  Crooks Crooks is an African-American man. He has a crippled back (that's how he got the name, Crooks). He is isolated from the other men in the story, because of his skin color. He can't play any cards or stay in the bunkhouse, because he's African-American. Later on in the story, Crooks becomes friend's with Lennie. And he asks Lennie if he can become a part of their dream.
 Slim Slim is a tall guy, who has long black hair. He seems to be the only guy in the novel who understands the bond between George and Lennie. Slim is always at peace with himself, and he is quiet. At the end of the novel, Slim comforts George after George kills Lennie.  Carlson Carlson is a big stomached guy. He complains about Candy's old smelly dog. He convinced Candy to kill (euthanize) the dog, because the dog is blind and he is useless to itself and Candy.  |
Theme
Of Mice and Men, has many themes, but one of the themes seems important; that would be loneliness. In the novel, Crooks and Curley's Wife were lonely. Crooks was lonely at first, but when he met Lennie; Crooks and Lennie became friends. Curley's Wife was lonely; she was never friends with anybody on the ranch. Curley never spent time with his wife. So, to make her happy; she would flirt with guys. She never really became friends with anyone. Loneliness is when you have nobody in your life that cares about you, but when you make a friend you're not lonely anymore. 'I'm lonely', is something somebody shouldn't say, because that person has at least one person who cares for them.
