George is a good guy with a good heart, but he has developed a hard edge, likely due to tough times. He is occasionally mean to Lennie, complaining about everything he misses out on by having to tr...
From the moment we learn why Lennie and George are on the road (Lennie’s dress-petting incident in Weed), we realize that Lennie’s combination of small thinking and big body is bad news...
Candy is an old ranch worker ("swamper") who has lost one of his hands in a farm accident. Candy and his relationship with his ancient, reeking dog are important in the book as markers for exactly...
Curley’s wife has no name and is initially seen as the possession of her husband. She is also a good-looking lady who wears quite a bit of makeup, form-fitting dresses, and ostrich feathered-...
Slim is the "prince of the ranch." He’s the consummate Western male: masterful, strong, fair-minded, practical, non-talkative, and exceptionally good at what he does. He is a god among men, a...
Crooks (named for his crooked back) is the stable hand who works with the ranch horses. He lives by himself because he is the only black man on the ranch. Crooks is bookish and likes to keep his ro...
Curley is the son of the ranch boss. He is a small, semi-privileged man with a very short temper and something of an inferiority complex. He used to be a lightweight fighter, and it seems he’...
