Character Profiles

A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Lennie depends entirely upon George; his friend for travelling, guidance and protection. The two men share the vision of the farm they will own together. Gentle and kind Lennie does not recognise his own strength, when his love for petting soft things leads to disaster.

A small, quick-witted man who travels with and cares for Lennie. Frequently he speaks about how his life would be much better without the responsibility but he is devoted to caring for him. George is the source of the often-told story of life on their future farm, it's Lennie's faith that enables George to believe in the future.

An aging ranch handyman. Candy is the gossip of the group, he warns George and Lennie about the rest of the men. Candy lost his hand in an accident, and fears that his age will make him useless. He seizes on George's description of the farm, offering his life saving's to join them. Candy is a lonely characer having only his dog, and it then being killed off. 

Is the only female character in the novel, and still very young. She has never been given a name which shows her lack of importance to the ranch life and Curley. She has been used as a trophy and never had a true identity of her own. She dresses in a 'tarty' fashion, purely to seek attention from the other men on the ranch as she isn't appreciated by her husband. Despite her flirty behaviour, she is seen as a victim in this story and she is lonely like the other men. She had broken dreams of a promised life. 

He is the black stable-hand, who gets his name from his crooked back. He is a proud yet bitter black man who believes in equality. On the ranch he has been excluded from being around the white guys, even for a game of cards. Due to laws of segregation people of different races were kept apart, and the black people were given the worst conditions. Crooks being a permanent worker, he has made the most of his stable by making it homely. 

This is the boss's son, Curley wears high heeled boots to distinguish him from the field hands. Rumored to be a champion prizefighter, he is a confrontational, aggressive young man who seeks to compensate for his small stature by picking fights with larger men. Recently married, Curley is plagued by jealous suspicions and is extremely possessive over his flirtatious young wife.