Of Mice and Men 🐭

Characters 👤

George 🔫

Quotes

• "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world."

• "I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her."

• "Get 'im, Lennie. Don’t let him do it."

• “I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now.”

• “I could get along so easy if i didnt have you on my tail”

"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world."

This reflects George's awareness of social isolation. Steinbeck uses the collective noun “guys” to show how widespread this alienation is. It also sets up the unique nature of George and Lennie’s friendship—an anomaly in 1930s America

"I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her."

Steinbeck uses repetition to show George’s quiet despair. It’s a moment of realism piercing the dream—the use of “her” objectifies the dream, making it seem further out of reach, showing how the American Dream is unattainable for working-class men

"Get 'im, Lennie. Don’t let him do it."

George commands Lennie like a protector but also an enabler. This shows the power imbalance and paternalistic relationship. Use of imperatives shows urgency and George’s control.

“I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now.”

Said just before shooting Lennie, this line shows George’s love and compassion. Steinbeck strips away anger to reveal mercy, and through the repeated negatives he builds emotional weight, suggesting that this final act is one of reluctant kindness

“i could get along so easy if i didnt have you on my tail”

tone is bitter towards lennie, juxtaposition of his care during frustration, while he longs for freedom he feels trapped by loyalty to lennie. he is a man torn between his dreams and the reality of his circumstances

Lennie 🐻

Quotes

• "I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you."

• "Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water."

• "I didn’t mean no harm, George. Honest I didn’t."

• “Why do you got to get killed? You ain't so little as mice.”

"I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you."

“i” and “you” shows their mutual dependency although george shoulders most responsibility. repetition of “look after” suggests a childlike understanding of relationships, which fits Lennie’s cognitive challenges and the symmetrical structure reinforces the equality in their reciprocal relationship

"Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water."

Steinbeck’s zoomorphism (“paw”) suggests Lennie’s strength and lack of refinement. This dehumanisation reflects how society views those with mental disabilities and foreshadows the danger he represents

"I didn’t mean no harm, George. Honest I didn’t."

His dialect and repetition show fear and innocence. Steinbeck uses Lennie to challenge readers’ ideas of morality—he does bad things but without malice, complicating our judgement

“Why do you got to get killed? You ain't so little as mice.”

Spoken to the dead puppy, this line reveals Lennie’s lack of understanding of cause and consequence. Steinbeck uses this confusion to heighten tragedy while reminding us of Lennie’s innocence and the destructive power of his strength

Curley’s wife 💋

Quotes

• "I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely."

• "Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes."

• "You know what I could do to you if you open your trap?"

• "Her body flopped like a fish."

• “I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be.”

"I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely."

Reveals the emotional cost of being a woman in a male-dominated setting. The double negative reinforces her desperation, and links to loneliness. short and simple line reflecting her sparse and limited life on the ranch, poignant picture of women’s struggles

"Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes."

Her American Dream is one of glamour and attention, shaped by gender norms. nostalgia for what might’ve been reflects unfulfilled dreams and emphasises how gullible/ desperate she was. modal verb, unattainable for marginalised

"You know what I could do to you if you open your trap?"

Shows how she wields what power she has—her race and gender—over Crooks. Steinbeck reveals her vulnerability and capacity for cruelty in the same moment. also calls them “bindle stiffs” power can be weaponised even by the powerless

"Her body flopped like a fish."

Steinbeck uses simile to strip away humanity—she becomes objectified, passive. line implies that her identity, already marginalised in life, is further erased in death and the dream dies with her, last moments of fear and pain

“I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be.”

george emphasises his mistrust by saying he “never” seen a woman as likely to get a man into trouble. warns Lennie away from her, suggesting she is dangerous and untrustworthy. derogatory “tart” they objectify and reduce her to solely her appearance (no humanity)

Crooks ♿

Quotes

• "A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody."

• "I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse."

• “If I say something, why it’s just a n* sayin’ it.”

• “Crooks had reduced himself to nothing.”

"A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody."

The repetition of “nobody” emphasises loneliness as a psychological torment. Steinbeck uses Crooks to explore the racialised isolation of black men in 1930s America

"I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse."

Simple declarative shows Crooks' resigned acceptance of racism. Steinbeck is criticising institutional segregation through understatement

“If I say something, why it’s just a n* sayin’ it.”

The derogatory term shows Crooks’ internalised racism and lack of voice which is used frequently. This line is powerful in showing how race shapes his identity, nobody cares for what he has to say

“Crooks had reduced himself to nothing.”

Steinbeck uses this line to show the psychological impact of systemic racism and isolation. The passive construction highlights his lack of power and the way oppression leads to self-erasure

Candy 👴

Quotes

• "I ought to of shot that dog myself."

• "They’ll can me purty soon."

• "S’pose I went in with you guys."

• “You seen what they done to my dog tonight?”

"I ought to of shot that dog myself."

Symbolic moment. Candy’s regret parallels George’s later mercy killing of Lennie. Steinbeck presents the theme of responsibility and personal loyalty through this line

"They’ll can me purty soon."

Candy’s fear of being discarded shows the brutal nature of capitalist systems. The informal diction (“can me”) evokes working-class voice and realism. he as seen what happened to his dog after it no longer served a purpose, and would rather die than be without a job “i wisht sombody’d shoot me”

"S’pose I went in with you guys."

Candy becomes momentarily hopeful. The informal, tentative language (“s’pose”) shows how uncertain but desperate he is to escape loneliness and irrelevance, willing to spend all his savings

“You seen what they done to my dog tonight?”

The rhetorical question is loaded with grief and fear. Candy sees the shooting of the dog as symbolic of his own expendability, showing how old age and weakness are viewed in this harsh, utilitarian world

Slim 👑

Quotes

• "He moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen."

• "His word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love."

• "You hadda, George. I swear you hadda."

• “Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”

"He moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen."

Steinbeck uses elevated, almost regal language to describe Slim, setting him apart from the other men. The noun “majesty” and the parallel with “royalty” establishes Slim as a natural leader, respected without needing to assert dominance. This contrasts sharply with Curley’s artificial authority

"His word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love."

This line shows Slim’s wisdom and moral authority. Steinbeck presents him as a source of guidance and reason, almost godlike in his role on the ranch. The juxtaposition of “politics or love” reflects his wide-reaching influence

"You hadda, George. I swear you hadda."

After Lennie’s death, Slim provides George with emotional validation. The repetition and informal tone show empathy and the importance of moral support. Steinbeck positions Slim as the emotional conscience of the novel

“Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”

This philosophical line from Slim shows his awareness of social alienation. The hyperbole (“ever’body in the whole damn world”) reflects a bleak worldview, reinforcing the novel’s theme of widespread mistrust and isolation

Curley 🥊

Quotes

• "He's alla time picking scraps with big guys."

• "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys."

• "What the hell you laughin’ at?"

• “I'm gonna get him. I'm going for my shotgun.”

"He's alla time picking scraps with big guys."

This quote highlights Curley’s insecurity. He picks fights to assert dominance—revealing a toxic masculinity shaped by his lack of power despite his status

"Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys."

The generalisation implies that Curley represents a wider type—those made bitter by insecurity. Steinbeck uses him as a symbol of conflict and aggression among men

"What the hell you laughin’ at?"

Aggression is shown through rhetorical question and expletive. He feels threatened by mockery and lashes out, reinforcing his volatile nature

“I'm gonna get him. I'm going for my shotgun.”

His immediate leap to violence when his wife dies reflects a man governed by rage and reputation. Steinbeck presents a character who values vengeance and masculinity over grief or reflection

Key themes 🔑

Power 💪

“You keep your place then, N*.”

Curley’s wife’s racial threat toward Crooks shows how her whiteness gives her power over him despite her own marginalisation. Steinbeck critiques the intersection of race and gender, revealing how power can be weaponised even by the powerless

"They’ll can me purty soon."

Candy’s fear of being discarded reflects economic powerlessness. “Can me” uses slang to convey the casual, brutal way in which older or disabled workers are treated as disposable under capitalism

“If I say something, why it’s just a n* sayin’ it.”

Crooks reflects on his lack of voice. Steinbeck uses this line to show the internalisation of racism — Crooks doesn’t just suffer discrimination, he begins to believe in his own lack of worth. The adjective “just” is especially belittling

“S’pose George don’t come back no more.”

Crooks briefly wields psychological power over Lennie, showing how those who are often powerless may seek fleeting control when possible. Steinbeck explores the tragic cycle of power and cruelty bred by social isolation

Loneliness 🏝

“A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody.”

Crooks articulates the mental toll of isolation. The blunt phrase “goes nuts” conveys the raw psychological damage caused by being alone, particularly for outcasts in 1930s society. Steinbeck uses this to show that companionship is not just wanted, but needed

“I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”

Curley’s wife expresses her social and emotional isolation, caused by gender roles and mistrust. The double negative reinforces her invisibility, and “awful” highlights her desperation. Steinbeck critiques the treatment of women as both objectified and silenced

“Guys like us…are the loneliest guys in the world.”

George recognises the isolation of itinerant workers. The superlative “loneliest” and plural pronoun “guys” show how widespread this loneliness is during the Great Depression. Their friendship is rare and precious in contrast

“They left all the weak ones here.”

Said by Curley’s wife to Candy, Crooks, and Lennie — this line encapsulates Steinbeck’s structural isolation of the vulnerable. “Weak ones” dehumanises them, revealing how society groups and abandons those who don’t fit dominant norms of strength and masculinity

Friendship 🍻

“With us it ain’t like that. We got a future.”

George contrasts their relationship with the usual loneliness of ranch life. The plural pronoun “we” and declarative tone show pride in their connection. Steinbeck positions friendship as radical in a world built on isolation and competition

“I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you.”

Lennie expresses a simple but profound mutual care. The symmetrical structure of the sentence reinforces the equality in their relationship, despite the imbalance of intellect and control

“You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.”

Slim’s compassionate reassurance after Lennie’s death shows emotional understanding and the role of moral support among men. Steinbeck uses Slim as the voice of conscience, affirming that even tragic actions can be rooted in loyalty and love

“Ain’t many guys travel around together.”

Slim observes how rare their bond is. The informal tone reflects common speech but the observation holds weight — Steinbeck is commenting on the erosion of human connection under the pressures of economic survival

American dream 🗽

"Tell me about the rabbits, George."

This refrain becomes a symbol of hope and comfort for Lennie. The simple, repeated request reflects Lennie’s childlike innocence but also shows the fragility of dreams in the harsh reality of 1930s America. Steinbeck uses this line as a motif throughout the novella to explore the gap between fantasy and reality

“An’ live off the fatta the lan’.”

The dream of self-sufficiency stands in contrast to the instability of itinerant life. The colloquial tone reflects working-class aspirations, while the metaphor “fatta the lan’” links their dream to a biblical paradise, positioning it as both natural and unreachable

“Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.”

Crooks’s cynical voice undercuts the romanticism of the dream. The repetition of “nobody” and the double negatives emphasise the universal inaccessibility of the American Dream, especially for marginalised groups like black men

“I think I knowed we’d never do her.”

George’s realisation after Lennie’s death confirms the dream’s impossibility. The use of the pronoun “her” objectifies the dream, making it seem mythical and out of reach. Steinbeck here presents the American Dream as a cruel illusion