Slim - Character Analysis - Of Mice and Men

Quick breakdown of the character of 'Slim' from Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men.'

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  • Created by: Micah
  • Created on: 19-05-13 13:04

Personality

Role

  • Good leader - There was gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke.'
  • Has a sense of authority - 'His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject,'
  • Good judge of character - Shown when he says  "I can tell a mean guy from a mile off."
  • Good worker/ good at his job - Steinbeck writes that he is  a 'master craftsman' and the 'prince of the ranch.'
  • Looks out for the other men - tells Curly to say that his hand was hurt in a machine instead of trying to get Lennie in trouble by saying what really happened.
  • Good listener - 'His tone was very friendly. It invited confidence without demanding it.'
  • Steinbeck uses Slim to represent the more permanent of the men on the ranches and how he is in an enviable position compared to the other itinerant workers.
  • Steinbeck also uses Slim to as a 'judge figure' who tells others what is right or wrong. He uses his authority to measure the traits of other people and make decisions both about the ranch and about other people. This is particularly evident when he says "I can tell a mean guy from a mile off" and makes Curly lie about what has happened to his hand.
  • Steinbeck uses Slim at the end of the novel mainly to show that someone understands George's situation, in this was Slim is shown to be slightly omniscient as he tells him 'never you mind. A guy got to sometimes.' This shows him as someone who George places immense trust in and who also understands George's situation better than most of the other men.

Development (Growth & change)

Other information              

  • Slim throughout the novel is the person who makes the decisions, the 'judge' of the book, this does not change even at the end where he does not condemn what George has done but just say 'you had to.' He is fair and just and a good leader and continues to be so throughout the novella.
  • The other men have immense respect for Slim and it is shown both when they talk about him saying how he is a 'hell of a nice fella.'
  • Remember that he is almost the novellas 'moral centre' as he makes the decisions and also acts almost like a 'judge' for events the other men are involved in e.g. the crushing of Curley's hand.

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