Character Analysis: Of Mice And Men

It is evident that Candy and his dog show similar traits; by both of them being old, not able to work how they used to, and not really needed on the ranch. Candy isn’t able to put in the amount of work that he wishes he could, and his dog can’t be the excellent sheepdog he used to be because he is much older now. Candy’s dog represents Candy through all the traits they share. This adds development to Candy’s character because when he chooses that it is best for his dog to go, life on the ranch remains the same after and this causes Candy to worry more about himself because he feels the same thing would happen if he were to

Of Mice and Men tells a story based in California during the 1930s; of two men who have very different characteristics, but share the same goal. The men, George and Lennie, are migrant workers. At their new job, they meet many individuals: Candy, who is very old and cleans the bunkhouse; Curley, who is the boss’s son; Curley's wife, Crooks, the stable hand; and Slim, who is known as the “prince of the ranch.” Though they recently started, their new job quickly goes downhill. John Steinbeck’s book is carefully written and often uses hints to foretell what will happen next.

He ain’t no good to you Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?’” (Steinbeck 44) Carlson doesn’t understand why Candy keeps the dog because he doesn’t have any worth, and he isn’t useful.

After reading the novel and watching the movie “Of Mice and Men”, I have learned about the lifestyle of migrant workers in California during the 1930s, which I did not know about before studying the novel. California back in the 1930s is very different from what I pictured it to be as the conditions of life weren’t that good. This is also the first novel that I have read in my years as a student that contains so much foreshadowing. Never before had I read a book where the author produced so much foreshadowing in such a short book. Steinbeck uses Lennie as a source of motivation and hope in achieving the dream farm that George, Candy, Crooks and Lennie himself desire.

However, Candy is somewhat forced to have his dog killed to put it out of it’s misery. It can be noted that Candy did not want to loose him after reminising on all the history the two had shared together, “Well-hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him.”

In the novella Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck portrays Candy as fearful through his responses, subsequently having Candy worry about his future and the outcome of every event. By characterizing Candy in this way, Steinbeck can provide the looming failure and disappointment in the book. One way Steinbeck makes use of Candy’s fearful nature is to project his desperation to escape fate. When he hear’s George and Lennie discuss the farm, Candy adds, “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county” (60).

When Candy loses his dog, he is deeply affected, which is detected by the audience when he says, "You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They say he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else. 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" (Steinbeck 60).

Candy’s dog symbolizes age and the loss of purpose. When the dog was no longer contributing to the the ranch or Candy, it was killed by Carlson. Similarly, Candy is reduced to cleaning the bunkhouse because of his disability and old age. Candy was very attached to his dog, like how many are attached to the notion of youth. However, the dog faces an inevitable end, like the fate Candy and others fear they will

Candy is an old man who is confined by his age and cannot do any real work. He cannot leave the farm because he does not have enough money to survive on his own. Steinbeck described Candy by writing, “Old Candy, the swamper, came in and went to his bunk, and behind him struggled his old dog,” (Page 43). The only thing that kept Candy company was his dog. His dog was too old to be any use, just like Candy himself, so he was shot by Carlson.

When people are not helpful or useful to a cause due to a disability like age, they are forced to move on and leave that place. But what if that place is society? In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, an old character named Candy is faced with the same problem. This event takes place during the Great Depression when people worked as migrant workers. Candy was also a migrant worker but due to old age, he now works as a cleaner.

Candy lost his right hand in a ranch accident, which is why the owners “give me a job swampin’” as he says (Steinbeck 59). He believes he will that he will be “can[ned] purty soon,” so he wants to go with George and Lennie (Steinbeck 60). When Carlson wants to shoot Candy’s dog, Candy does not want him to. He says “No, I couldn’... I had ‘im too long” and “I had him from a pup” (Steinbeck 45).

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a story about discrimination due to someone being different in any way. The reader learns how people were treated and discriminated in 1930s during the great depression. This is important because this issue continues even to this day. This problem has been around for a very long time. Steinbeck uses Archetypes,Symbolism, and Setting to convey the theme of discrimination.

Another form of discrimination Steinbeck portrays is ageism. Ageism is defined as “...stereotyping and discriminating against individuals or groups on the basis of their age.” (“Ageism”). The main victim of ageism in Of Mice and Men is Candy, the Skinner, who is an elderly man who hurt is hand in an accident and is not fit for most jobs on the ranch. Ageism can affect the youth and the elderly, and anyone in between, but during the Great Depression, it mostly affected the elderly.

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.

As candy wanted his companion to be with him at the end, as did george for lennie. Candy represents the old person who isn´t needed anymore, which is an inevitable outcome. As someday , you will grow incompetent of fulfilling demands, or needs, and will be let go. I determined this through his actions, quotes, symbolism, and foreshadowing. Candy is one of the most important characters to understand, as he is representative of