Pity in Of Mice And Men Essay

In the story of mice and men the author John Steinbeck portrays many different themes like racism and womanizing. One main theme he portrays is how he makes you feel sorry for almost every character in a different way. Some more than other.

George and Lennie are the two main characters that to begin with have a great friendship with a mixture of Brains and Braun but as you read further you realise the situations they are involved in as a result of their friendship are no fun and games. George who is the smaller of the two is small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin bony nose. George is the brains of the relationship and is constantly telling Lennie off and seems as if he is picking on him -like when he calls Lennie a crazy bastard- but really he is just trying his best to look out for him and keep them both out of trouble. Lennie on the other hand is a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little the way a bear drags his paws, his arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely. Lennie is the one with the Braun who like the feel of soft things -like dead animals- and is always landing them in big trouble for example the time that Lennie was trying to feel a little girls dress because it looked attractive to him but the local people got the wrong idea and thought he was molesting her which got them run out of town.

George Milton protagonist; a quick-witted man who is friends with Lennie. He looks after Lennie and dreams of a better life. Lennie Small protagonist; A mentally disabled man who travels with George. He dreams of "living off the fatta' the lan'" and being able to tend to rabbits. Despite possessing a child's mental ability he is described as having strength like a "bull". Candy A ranch worker who lost a hand in an accident and is near the end of his useful life on the ranch. He wishes to join Lennie and George in their "dream" of a homestead. Candy's dog is described as "old" and "crippled", and is killed by Carlson. Candy's dog foreshadows Lennie's fate. Curley The boss's son a young, pugnacious character, once a semi-professional boxer. He is very jealous and protective of his wife and immediately develops hatred towards Lennie. Curley's wife A young, pretty, woman, who is mistrusted by her husband, Curley. The other characters refer to her only as "Curley's wife," and she is the only significant character in the novella without a name. She had dreams of becoming an actress, but has failed to achieve this due to her marriage with Curley. She was described by Candy as flirtatious towards all of the male workers on the ranch. Slim A "jerkline skinner", the main driver of a mule team. Slim is greatly respected by many of the characters and is the only character that Curley treats with respect. Crooks The only black ranch-hand. Like Candy, he is crippled: his nickname refers to a crooked back resulting from being kicked by a horse. He sleeps segregated from the other workers, and is embittered from discrimination. Carlson A ranch-hand, he kills Candy's dog with little sympathy. It is also a foreshadowing of George's final solution to Lenny's actions. Whit A ranch-hand. The Boss Curley's father, the owner of the ranch. Aunt Clara Lennie's Aunt, only mentioned in references to the past.