Of Mice and Men – Character Chart

Directions: Record characterization information in the form of cited evidence as each character is revealed through actions, dialogue,
physical appearance, and other characters’ reactions, opinions and comments. You may include your own notes, but the majority of
the information should be cited evidence. Bullet the information and use proper writing mechanics.

Citation example: “Textual evidence here” (Steinbeck 1).

CHARACTER PHYSICAL TRAITS PERSONAL TRAITS (ACTIONS/WORDS)

● “The first man was small and quick, dark of
George Milton face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong ● “Now you listen and this time you have
features. Every part of him was defined : to remember so we don't get into any
small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and trouble” (Steinbeck 5). Personal Trait :
bony nose” (Steinbeck 2). Mentor/Teacher
● “Jesus Christ, George said resignedly…”
(Steinbeck 6). Trait : Short Tempered
when dealing with Lennie
● “If he finds out what a crazy bastard you
are, we won't get no job, but if he sees ya
work before he hears ya talk, we're
set…” (Steinbeck 6). Trait : George is
bold, he is trying to get the job.
● “I could get along so easily and so nice if
I didn't have you on my tail. I could live
so easy and maybe have a girl”
(Steinbeck 7). Annoyed by Lennie
● “Aw, Lennie! George put his hand on
Lennie's shoulder. I ain't taking it away
just’ for meanness That mouse ain't fresh
Lennie…” (Steinbeck 9)
George cares for Lennie, and has
affection towards him despite George’s
short temper.
● “Well, we ain't got any, George
exploded. Whatever we ain't got, that's
what you want. God a’mighty, if I was
alone, I could live so easily. I could get a
job and’ work, an’ no trouble. No mess
at all…An’ whatta I got? George went
on furiously. I got you! You can’t keep a
job and you'll lose every job you get…”
(Steinbeck 11) SHORT TEMPERED
AND VERY ANGRY
● “When I think of the swell time I could
have without you, I go nuts. I never get
no peace.” (Steinbeck 12)
● “...With us it ain't like that. We have a
future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us…” (Steinbeck 14)
George is hopeful
● “George lifted his tick and looked
underneath it. He leaned over and
inspected the sacking closely.
Immediately, Lennie got up and did the
same with his bed” (Steinbeck 19)
George is cautious

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● “Well let him be handy, said George. He
doesn't have to take after lennie. Lenniie
didnt do anything to him. What's he got
against Lennie?” (Steinbeck 26). George
is protective of Lennie
● “Look Lennie! This here aint no setup.
I'm scared. You're gonna have trouble
with that Curley guy. I've seen that kind
before. He was kinda feelin’ you out. He
figures he's got you scared and he's
gonna take a sock at you the first chance
he gets”. (Steinbeck 29). George knows
that Curley will pick on Lennie, and
Lennie, having the mindset of a child,
will be scared and do unpredictable
things.
● “Ya know, Lennie, I'm scared I'm gonna
tangle with the bastard myself. I hate his
guts” (Steinbeck 37).
● “It wasn't much to you, maybe, but it
was a hell of a lot to him. Jesus Christ, I
don't know how we're gonna get him to
sleep in here. He’ll want to sleep right
out in the barn with them…” (Steinbeck
38). George knows Lennie would love a
puppy.
● “If I told him to walk over a cliff he'd go.
That wasn't so damn much fun after a
while. He never got mad about it, either.
I've beat the hell outta him, and he
coulda bust every bone in my body just
with his hands, but he never lifted a
finger against me.’ George;s tone was
taking on the tone of confession”
(Steinbeck 40). George feels guilty
because he abused Lennie, and Lennie
thought it was a joke.
● “.I'm gonna go to the bunkhouse. Then
in a minute you come out and tell the
guys about her, and I'll come along and
make like I never saw her. Will you do
that? So the guys won't think I was in on
it?” (Steinbeck 95). George does not
want to be kicked off the Ranch, so even
though he had nothing to do with it, he
won't take any risks.
● “"Now listen. We gotta tell the guys.
They got to bring him in, I guess. They
ain't no way out. Maybe they won't hurt
'im." He said sharply, "I ain't gonna let
'em hurt Lennie.” (Steinbeck 95).
Despite the horrid actions of Lennie,
George doesn't want anyone to harm
him.
● “"Yeah," said George. "I'll come. But
listen, Curley. The poor bastard's nuts.
Don't shoot 'im. He didn't know what he

2
 was doing'” (Steinbeck 98). George even
pleads with Curley to not kill him.
● “George raised the gun and his hand
shook, and he dropped his hand to the
ground again” (Steinbeck 106). George
does not want to shoot Lennie, but to put
Lennie out of his misery, he does it.
● “...Behind him walked his opposite, a huge ● “You never had none, you crazy bastard.
Lennie Small man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, I got both of ‘em here. Think I’d let you
with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked carry your own work card?” (Steinbeck
heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a 5). Personal Trait : Forgetful
bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at ● “'Don't really seem to be running,
his sides, but hung loosely”(Steinbeck 2). though. You never outta drink water
● “Lennie dabbled his big bear paw in the water when it aint running, Lennie, he said
and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in hopelessly. You’d drink water out of a
little splashes…” (Steinbeck 3) gutter if you were thirsty” (Steinbeck 3).
● “Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie ● Personal Trait : Lennie is clueless
ain't no fighter, but Lennie’s strong and quick (dumb)
and Lennie doesn't know no rules” (Steinbeck ● “I forgot, Lennie said softly. I tried not to
27). forget. Honest to God I did, George”
● And he's so God damn strong, you know” (Steinbeck 4). Personal Trait : Forgetful
(Steinbeck 41). ● “Aw, leave me have it, George”
● “Lennie covered his face with his huge paws (Steinbeck 5). Trait : Childish
and bleated with terror” (Steinbeck 63). ● “Lennie giggled happily…” (Steinbeck
● “Curley's fist was swinging when Lennie 7) Childish
reached for it. The next minute Curley was ● “But Lennie made an elaborate
flopping like a fish on a line, and his closed pantomime of innocence” (Steinbeck 8)
fist was lost in Lennie's big hand. George ran ● Childish
down the room. "Leggo of him, Lennie. Let ● “...crossed his hands under his head, and
go." (Steinbeck 63). Lennie imitate him…”(Steinbeck 7)
● “Noiselessly Lennie appeared in the open Lennie looks up to George
doorway and stood there looking in, his big ● “He heard Lennie whimpering cry and
shoulders nearly filling the opening” wheeled about. Blubbering' like a baby!
(Steinbeck 67). Jesus Christ! A big guy like you.
● “Lennie flapped his big hands helplessly” Lebbue’s lip quivered and tears started in
(Steinbeck 68). his eyes” (Steinbeck 9) Childish
● “"Look out, now, you'll miss it." And then she ● “But nuts! An’ why? Because…because
cried angrily, "You stop it now, you'll mess it I got you to look after me and you got
all up." She jerked her head sideways, and me to look after you, and that's why…”
Lennie's fingers closed on her hair and hung (Steinbeck 14)
on. "Let go," she cried. "You let go!” Lennie is hopeful and strongly looks up
(Steinbeck 91). to George
● “And then she was still, for Lennie had ● “No, he aint, but he's sure as hell of a
broken her neck” (Steinbeck 91). good worker, Strong as a bull”
(Steinbeck 22).
● “He can do anything you tell him, " said
George. He's a good skinner. He can
rassel grain bags, drive a cultivator. He
can do anything. Just give him a try”
(Steinbeck 22).
● “Lennie was looking helpless to George
for instruction” (Steinbeck 25). Lennie
Looks up to George.
● “I don't want any trouble, " he said
plaintively. Dont let him sock me
George” (Steinbeck 29).

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● “”You just let me try to get the rabbits.
I'll break their Goddamn necks. Ill…I'll
smash 'em with a stick”. He subscribed,
grumbling to himself, threatening the
future cats with might dare to disturb the
future rabbits” (Steinbeck 58). Lennie is
getting it because he claims the cats
would hurt his future rabbits. He is
protective, and we know that Lennie
WILL do what he says if anyone harms
the rabbits.
● “George," he cried. Make em leave me
alone George” (Steinbeck 63). Lennie
looks up to George for instruction
despite being pounced on by Cyrley.
● “"I didn't wanta," Lennie cried. "I didn't
wanta hurt him."” (Steinbeck 64). Lennie
did not intend to hurt Curley.
● “And Lennie said softly to the puppy,
"Why do you gotta get killed? You ain't
so little as mice. I didn't bounce you
hard." He bent the pup's head up and
looked in its face, and he said to it, "Now
maybe George ain't gonna let me tend no
rabbits, if he finds out you got killed."
He scooped a little hollow and laid the
puppy in it and covered it over with hay,
out of sight; but he continued to stare at
the mound he had made. He said, "This
ain't no bad thing like I got to go hide in
the brush. Oh! no. This ain't. I'll tell
George I found it dead." He unburied the
puppy and inspected it, and he stroked it
from ears to tail. He went on sorrowfully,
"But he'll know. George always knows.
He'll say, 'You done it. Don't try to put
nothing over on me.' An' he'll say, 'Now
jus' for that you don't get to tend no
rabbits!'" Suddenly his anger arose. "God
damn you," he cried. "Why do you got to
get killed? You ain't so little as mice." He
picked up the pup and hurled it from
him. He turned his back on it. He sat
bent over his knees and he whispered,
"Now I won't get to tend the rabbits.
Now he won't let me." He rocked
himself back and forth in his sorrow”
(Steinbeck 85). Lennie is having a
breakdown. He shows his sorrow and
grief, and realizes that George was right
to leave the puppy alone. But thinking
about the consequences, Lennie gets
angry, and throws the dead puppy. But
then, he expresses his sorrow again, and
feels Guilty.
● “Lennie was in a panic. His face was
contorted. She screamed then, and

4
 Lennie's other hand closed over her
mouth and nose. "Please don't," he
begged. "Oh! Please don't do that.
George'll be mad” (Steinbeck 90).
Lennie does not know what to do, so he
tugs on Curley’s wife's hair, just like
what happened at weed.
● “"Oh! Please don't do any of that," he
begged. "George is gonna say I did a bad
thing. He ain't gonna let me tend no
rabbits." He moved his hand a little and
her hoarse cry came out. Then Lennie
grew angry. "Now don't," he said. "I
don't want you to yell. You're gonna get
me in trouble just like George says you
will. Now don't you do that” (Steinbeck
91).
● “ "I don't want to hurt you," he said, "but
George'll be mad if you yell." When she
didn't answer nor move he bent closely
over her. He lifted her arm and let it
drop. For a moment he seemed
bewildered. And then he whispered in
fright, "I did a bad thing. I did another
bad thing” (Steinbeck 91).
● “Lennie moaned with grief. "I know,
Aunt Clara, ma'am. I'll go right off in the
hills and' I'll find' a cave and' I'll live
there so I won't be no more trouble to
George” (Steinbeck 101). Lennie
expresses immense guilt.
● “He pointed with his right arm, and out of ● “The old man was reassured. He had
Candy the sleeve can a round stick-like wrist, but drawn a derogatory statement from
no hand” (Steinbeck 18). George. He is self safe now, and he
● “...And a tall, stoop-shouldered old man spoke more confidently” (Steinbeck 28).
came here. He was dressed in blue jeans ● “Tell you what —-... He leaned forward
and he carried a big push-broom in his eagerly ‘S'pose I went in with you guys.
left hand” (Steinbeck 18). That's three hundred and fifty bucks I'd
● “...the old swamper…” (Steinbeck 18). put in. It ain't much good but I would
● “Curley’s pretty handy. He doesn't quite cook and then the chickens and hoe the
fit in the ring. He's a lightweight and he's garden some. How'd' that be?”
handy” (Steinbeck 26). (Steinbeck 59). Candy also hopes for the
American dream.
● “I'd make a will and leave my share to
you guys in case I kick off cause I ain't
got nor relatives or nothing. You guys
got any money? Maybe we could do her
right now” (Steinbeck 59). If Candy
can't accomplish his dream, then he
wants to make sure George and Lennie
do.
● “I got hurt four years ago…They will
punish me soon…Maybe if I give you
guys my money, you'll let me hoe in the
garden even after I aint no good at
it…You saw what they did to my dog
tonight? They say he wasn't no good to
5
 himself or anybody else. When they can
me here I wish somebody would shoot
me” (Steinbeck 60). Parallel to shooting
the dog, because if you are old, you are
of no use to society.
● “I shouldn't let no stranger shoot my
dog” (Steinbeck 61).
● “Candy subsided. "No...." he agreed.
"Nobody's listening to us” (Steinbeck
81).
● “Now Candy spoke his greatest fear.
"You and I can get that little place, can't
we, George? You and' me can go there
and' live nice, can't we, George? Can't
we” (Steinbeck 94). Candy is mad
because now he will probably live his
old days in the Ranch, discarded by the
ranch workers.
● “Old Candy watched him go. He looked
helplessly back at Curley's wife, and
gradually his sorrow and his anger grew
into words. "You God damn tramp", he
said viciously. "You did it, di'n't you? I
s'pose you're glad. Ever'body knowed
you'd mess things up. You wasn't no
good. You ain't no good now, you lousy
tart." He sniveled, and his voice shook.
"I could have hoed in the garden and
washed dishes for them guys." He
paused, and then went on in a singsong.
And he repeated the old words: "If there
was a circus or a baseball game... we
would have gone to her... just' said 'ta
hell with work,' an' went to her. Never
say so. An' they'd have been a pig and
chickens... an' in the winter... the little fat
stove... an' the rain comin'... an' us jes'
setting' there." His eyes blinded with
tears and he turned and went weakly out
of the barn, and he rubbed his bristly
whiskers with his wrist stump”
(Steinbeck 95-96). Even though Curley’s
wife was the victim, Candy blames her
for getting into trouble and ruining his
dream.

● “A little stocky man stood in the open ● “I guess the boss will be out here in a
The Boss doorway. He wore blue jean trousers, a minute. He was sure burned when you
flannel shirt, a black, unbuttoned vest, weren't here this morning. Come right in
and a black coat. His thumbs were stuck when we were eating’ breakfast and say
in his belt, on each side a square steel ‘Where the hell’s them new men? An’ he
buckley. On his head was a soiled brown give the table buck hell, too” (Steinbeck
Stetson hat, and he wore high-heeled 19)
boots and spurs to prove he was not a ● “Well, he's a pretty nice fella. Gets pretty
boring man” (Steinbeck 20). mad sometimes, but he's pretty nice. Tell
ya what - know what he did on
Christmas? Bran a gallon of whisky right
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 here and says ‘drink hearty boys.
Christmas comes but once a year’”
(Steinbeck 20).
● “Well, God knows he doesn't need any
brains to pack barley bags. But don’t you
try to put nothing over, Milton. I got my
eye on you…” (Steinbeck 23) The boss
is suspicious of the boys.
● “...But don't try to put anything over,
cause you can't get away with nothing.
I've seen wise guys before…” (Steinbeck
23)
The boss is smart.
● “That's a hell of an old dog…I had him
Candy’s dog ever since he was a pup. God, he was a
good sheep dog when he was younger…”
(Steinbeck 24).
● “...and then got painfully to his feet to
follow…” (Steinbeck 28)
● “Well, look here, Slim. I've been thinking.
That dog of Candy's so God damn old he
can't hardly walk. Stinks like hell, too.
Every time he comes into the bunkhouse I
can smell him for two, three days”
(Steinbeck 36).
●
● “At that moment a young man came into ● “His eyes passed over the new men and
Curley the bunkhouse, a thin young man with a he stopped. He glanced coldly at George
brown face, with brown eyes and a head and then at Lennie. His arms gradually
of tightly curled hair. He wore a work bent at the emblems and his hands closed
glove in his left hand and, like the boss, into fists. He stiffened and went into a
he wore high-heeled boots” (Steinbeck slight crotch. The glance was at once
25). calculating and pugnacious. Lennie
● squirmed under the look and shifted his
feet nervously” (Steinbeck 25). Candy is
obviously extremely insecure because
Lennie is bigger than him.
● “Curleys like a lot of little guys. He hates
big guys. He’s always picking scraps
with big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at
me because he aint a big guy…”
(Steinbeck 26). Again, insecure.
● “Curley's cocker ever since he got
married. George grunted. ‘Maybe he's
showing off for his wife’” (Steinbeck
27).
● “You saw a girl around here," he
demanded angrily ... .Well what the hell
was she doing…Well, which way did she
go’ he demanded at last”. (Steinbeck 37).
● “ANy of you guys saw my wife’ he
demanded’...Hurley looked threateningly
around the room” (Steinbeck 53).
● “Curley's handy, God damn handy. Got
in the finals for the Golden Gloves. Je
gpt newspaper clippings about it”
(Steinbeck 54).
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 ● “Curley glared at him. His eyes slipped
on past and lighted on Lennie, and
Lennoe was still smiling with delight at
the memory of the ranch. Curley stepped
over to Lennie like a terrier. ‘What the
hell are you laughing at’. Lennie looked
blankly at him…Then Curley’s rage
exploded. “Come on ya big bastard. Get
up on your feet. No big son of a bitch is
gonna laugh at me. I'll show you who's
yella” (Steinbeck 62). Curley seized this
opportunity to show people who's boss,
and beats up Lennie, but gets his hand
busted.
● “She had full, rouged lips and wide ● “"Funny thing," she said. "If I catch any
Curley’s wife spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her one man, and he's alone, I get along fine
fingernails were red. Her eyes, heavily with him. But just let two of the guys get
made up. Her fingernails were red. Her together and' you won't talk. Just'
hair hung in little rolled clusters, like nothing but mad." She dropped her
sausages. She wore a cotton house dress fingers and put her hands on her hips.
and red mules, on the insteps of which "You're all scared of each other, that's
were little bouquets of red ostrich what. Ever' one of you's scared the rest is
feathers…. “Her voice had a nasal, brittle going' to get something on you”
quality”(Steubeck 31). (Steinbeck 77). This is obviously not
● “Curley's wife lay with a half-covering of good for marriage, because she admits to
yellow hay. And the meanness and the flirting with other men.
plannings and the discontent and the ache ● “"Well, I ain't giving you no trouble.
for attention were all gone from her face. Think I don't like to talk to somebody
She was very pretty and simple, and her ever' once in a while? Think I like to stay
face was sweet and young. Now her in that house all the time?” (Steinbeck
rouged cheeks and her reddened lips 77). Deep down, she is lonely. She later
made her seem alive and sleeping very admits that.
lightly. The curls, tiny little sausages, ● “The girl flared up. "Sure I gotta have a
were spread on the hay behind her head, husband'. You all seen him. Swell guy,
and her lips were parted” (Steinbeck ain't he? Spends all his time sayin' what
92-93). he's gonna do to guys he don't like, and
he don't like nobody. Think I'm gonna
stay in that two-by-four house and listen
how Curley's gonna lead with his left
twicet, and then bring in the ol' right
cross? 'One-two,' he says. 'Jus' the ol'
one-two an' he'll go down.'" She paused
and her face lost its sullenness and grew
interested. "Say- what happened to
Curley's hand'” (Steinbeck 78). Curley’s
wife is bored with Curley.
● “She turned on him in scorn. "Listen,
N—---," she said. "You know what I can
do to you if you open your trap?" Crooks
stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat
down on his bunk and drew into himself.
She closed on him. "You know what I
could do?" Crooks seemed to grow
smaller, and he pressed himself against
the wall. "Yes, ma'am." "Well, you keep
your place then, Nigger. I could get you

8
 strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even
funny” (Steinbeck 81).
● “She turned to Lennie. "I'm glad you
bust up Curley a little bit. He got it
comin' to him. Sometimes I'd like to bust
him myself." She slipped out the door
and disappeared into the dark barn. And
while she went through the barn, the
halter chains rattled, and some horses
snorted and some stamped their feet”
(Steinbeck 81).
● “She knelt in the hay beside him.
"Listen," she said. "All the guys got a
horseshoe tenement goin' on. It's only
about four o'clock. None of them are
going to leave that tenement. Why can't I
talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody.
I get awfully lonely” (Steinbeck 86). She
is misinterpreted by many other people.
● “"I get lonely," she said. "You can talk to
people, but I can't talk to anybody but
Curley. Else he gets mad. How'd you like
not to talk to anybody?” (Steinbeck 87).
● “"Aw, nuts!" she said. "What kinda harm
am I doin' to you? Seems like they ain't
none of them cares how I gotta live. I tell
you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda
made somethin' of myself." She said
darkly, "Maybe I still will." And then her
words tumbled out in a passion of
communication, as though she hurried
before her listener could be taken away.
"I lived right in Salinas," she said. "I
went there when I was a kid. Well, a
show came through, and I met one of the
actors. He says I could go with that
show. But my ol' lady wouldn't let me.
She says because I was only fifteen. But
the guy says I coulda. If I'd gone, I
wouldn't be livin' like this, you bet”
(Steinbeck 88).
● “"'Nother time I met a guy, and he was a
pitcher. Went out to the Riverside Dance
Palace with him. He says he was gonna
put me in the movies. Says I was a
natural. Soon he got back to Hollywood
and he was gonna write to me about it."
She looked closely at Lennie to see
whether she was impressing him. "I
never got that letter," she said. "I always
thought my ol' lady stole it. Well, I
wasn't gonna stay in a place where I
couldn't get anywhere or make
something of myself, an' where they
stole your letters, I ast her if she stole it,
too, an' she says no. So I married Curley.
Met him out to the Riverside Dance

9
 Palace that same night." She demanded,
"You listening'?” (Steinbeck 88). She
married Curley for his money.
● “"You're nuts," she said. "But you're a
kinda nice fella. Just like a big baby. But
a person can see kinda what you mean.
When I'm doin' my hair sometimes I just'
stroke it 'cause it's so soft” (Steinbeck
90).

● “Yeah. Nice fella too. Got a crooked back ● “...the boss gives him hell when he's
Crooks where a horse kicked him” (Steinbeck 20) mad. But the stable buck doesn't give a
● "This room was swept and fairly neat, for damn about that. He reads a lot. Got
Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept books in his room” (Steinbeck 20).
his distance and demanded that other Crooks is curious and could be secretly
people keep theirs. His body was bent smart, and knows his place.
over to the left by his crooked spine, and ● “And scattered about the floor were a
his eyes lay deep in his head, and because number of personal possessions; for,
of their depth seemed to glitter with being alone, Crooks could leave his
intensity. His lean face was lined with things about, and being a stable buck and
deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, pain a cripple, he was more permanent than
tightened lips which were lighter than his the other men, and he had accumulated
face” (Steinbeck 67). more possessions than he could carry on
his back” (Steinbeck 66).
● “Crooks said sharply, "You have no right
to come into my room. This here's my
room. Nobody got any right in here but
me” (Steinbeck 68). Defensive. Crooks
is harmed racially, so he tries to protect
whatever rights are left.
● “Well, I have a right to have a light. You
go on to get outta my room. I ain't
wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't
wanted in my room” (Steinbeck 68).
● “Crooks leaned forward over the edge of
the bunk. "I ain't a southern Negro," he
said. "I was born right here in California.
My old man had a chicken ranch, 'bout
ten acres. The white kids come to play at
our place, and sometimes I went to play
with them, and some of them were pretty
nice. My ol' man didn't like that. I never
knew till long later why he didn't like
that. But I know now." He hesitated, and
when he spoke again his voice was
softer. "There wasn't another colored
family for miles around. And now there
ain't a colored man on this ranch and'
there's just' one family in Soledad”
(Steinbeck 70). Crooks wasn't always
disliked by white people, but as he got
older he understood society’s views on
him.
● “Crooks said gently, "Maybe you can see
now. You got George. You know he's
going to come back. S'pose you didn't
have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into
10
 the bunkhouse and play rummy 'cause
you was black. How'd you like that?
S'pose you had to sit out here an' read
books. Sure you could play horseshoes
till it got dark, but then you got to read
books. Books ain't no good. A guy needs
somebody to be near him." He whined,
"A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.
Don't make no difference who the guy is,
long's he's with you. I tell ya," he cried,
"I tell ya a guy gets too lonely and he
gets sick” (Steinbeck 72). Crooks are
very Lonely.
● “Crooks had retired into the terrible
protective dignity of the Negro. But a
change came over old Candy. He stood
up suddenly and knocked his nail keg
over backward. "I had enough," he said
angrily. "You ain't wanted here. We told
you you ain't” (Steinbeck 79).
● “Crooks stood up from his bunk and
faced her. "I had enough," he said coldly.
"You got no rights comin' in a colored
man's room. You got no rights messing
around here at all. Now you just' get out,
an' get out quick. If you don't, I'm gonna
ast the boss not to ever let you come in
the barn no more” (Steinbeck 80).
● “Crooks avoided the whole subject now.
"Maybe you guys better go," he said. "I
ain't sure I want you in here no more. A
colored man has to have some rights
even if he doesn't like 'em” (Steinbeck
82). Crooks doesn't want to follow
Lennie and George because he knows
that he will never be accepted by society.
● “...The big man said” (Steinbeck 34). ● “He chuckled softly at his joke”
Carlson ● “A powerful, big stomached man came (Steinbeck 35).
into the bunkhouse. His head still dripped ● “Lookk Candy. This old dog just suffers
water from the scrubbing and dousing” hisself all the time. If you were to take
(Steinbeck 35). him out and shoot him right in the back
● “The thick bodies Carlson came in out of of the head—’ he learned over and
the darkening yard” (Steinbeck 44). pointed’ – right there, why would he'd
never know what hit him” (Steinbeck
45). Insensitive
● “The way I'd shoot him, he wouldmt feel
anything. I'd put the gun right there… He
pointed with his toe” (Steinbeck 45).
● “What do you tell her to stay the hell
home where she belongs?...You let her
hang around bunkhouses and pretty soon
you're gonna have some pain on your
hands…” (Steinbeck 62).
● “Carlson laughed.. “You Goddamn
punk…You tried to throw a scare into
Slim and you couldn't make it stick. Slim
throwed a scare into you. You're yella as
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 a frog belly. I don't care if you're the best
welter in the country. You come for me,
and I'll kick your Goddamn head off”
(Steinbeck 62).
● “Curley and Carlson looked after them.
And Carlson said, "Now what the hell ya
suppose is eatin' them two guys?”
(Steinbeck 107). Even though one of
their fellow comrades got shot, with the
mindset of a child, they don't care.
Society is insensitive towards people
who are no use.
● “A tall man stood in the soot. He held a ● “His tone was friendly. It invited
Slim crushed Stetson hat under his arm while confidence without demanding it”
he combed his long, black, dap hair (Steinbeck 34). In addition, he is
straight back. Like the others he wore trustworthy.
blue jeans and a short denim jacket. When ● “Nine of them. I drowned out of ‘em
he had finished combing his hair he right off. She wouldn't feed that many”
moved into the room, and he moved with (Steinbeck 25). Slim is willing to do
a majesty only achieved by royalty and what it takes to ensure what he loves
master craftsmen. He was a jerkline survives, even if it is dark like this.
skinner, the prince of the race, capable of ● “It wasn't nothing’, said Slim. I would
driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules have had to drown most of them anyway.
with a single line to the leaders. He was No need to thank me about that”
capable of killing a fly on the wheeler's (Steinbeck 34”. Slim understands what
butt with a bullwhip without touching the Lennie desires.
mule. There was a gravity in his manner ● “Maybe he ain't bright, but I never seen
and quiet so profound that all talk stopped such a worker. He damn near killed his
when he spoke. His authority was so great partner bucking barley. There ain't
that his word was taken on any subject, be nobody can keep up with him. God
it politics or love… His hatchet face was almighty I never seen such a strong guy”
ageless. He might have been” (Steinbeck (Steinbeck 39). Slim admires Lennie.
30). ● “Funny how you an; string him along
together. It was Slim's calm invitation to
confidence” (Steinbeck 39).
● “Well you've been asking me too often.
I'm getting Goddamn sick of it. If you
can't look after your own Goddamn wife,
what do you expect me to do about it?
You lay offa me” (Steinbeck 62). Slim is
fed up with the missing wife situation
every day.
● “Slim came directly to George and sat
down beside him, sat very close to him.
"Never mind," said Slim. "A guy got to
sometimes” (Steinbeck 107).
● “Slim said, "You hadda, George. I swear
you hadda. Come on with me." He led
George into the entrance of the trail and
up toward the highway” (Steinbeck 107).
Slim understands why George really shot
Lennie.

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