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GEORGE (CHARACTERISTICS (AFFECTIONATE/SYMPATHY ('Poor bastard' pg…
GEORGE
CHARACTERISTICS
AFFECTIONATE/SYMPATHY
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'Ok, ok - I'll tell ya again'
‘George said, ‘I seen a guy in Weed that had an Airedale…’’ - George tries to change the direction of the conversation when Carlson makes Candy uncomfortable (talking about killing his dog)
‘George said, ‘anybody like to play a little euchre?’’ - (while Carlson is killing the dog) he attempts to ease the tension in the room
‘his anger left him suddenly. He looked across the fair at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he look ashamedly’ - very usual routine of George being childlike being insulted by George… (29)
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PROTECTIVE/PRIDE
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‘Look, Lennie!’ ‘I’m scared’ (51) - senses the danger linked to Curley
When Slim compliments Lennie’s amazing work abilities, George ‘spoke proudly’ - fatherly figure, emphasises loyalty and connection
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SHORT TEMPERED
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Paints picture of how his life would be like without Lennie, just like any other ranch worker, ‘If I was alone I could live so easy’ (28+29)
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RELATIONSHIPS
LENNIE
AUTHORITY
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‘Lennie gave a cry of terror’ (91) ‘Make ‘um let me alone, George’
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AFFECTION
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'We travel together.' -p.47, rare during the great depression, therefore it causes people to be suspicious (The boss)
‘George put his hand on Lennie’s shoulder’ (27) - physical contact shows the strength of their relationship; George shifts from sympathy and frustration repeatedly
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‘I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you’ (32) ‘laughed delightedly’ - joy associated with this
FRUSTRATION
'Jesus Christ, you're a crazy bastard!' - p.21
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‘spen’ all my time tellin’ you things and then you forget’em, and I tell you again’ (21)
SHARE THE DREAM
‘rhythmically as though he had said them many times before’ (31) - this dream is so familiar it is mantra-like
‘guys like us are the loneliest guys in the world’ ‘but not us!’ (32) - see themselves as different because of their companionship
‘an’ live off the fatta the lan’’ (32) - they will have a place to live comfortably, a vision that is opposite to hardship
however george feels this is impossible - ‘I ain’t got time for no more’ (33) he stops talking even though there is no time pressure
‘his voice was getting warmer’ (84) - shows their huge emotional investment in this dream - the tragedy of it slipping away is more profoud
‘we’d belong there’ ‘we’d have our own place where we belonged’ (85) - ‘belonging’ is the centre to their dream
‘george sat entranced with his own picture’ (86) - the dream is as important to george as it is to Lennie
UNDERSTANDING
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‘George looked sharply at him’ (22) - shows the familiarity between them; George knows that Lennie is not very good at hiding
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SLIM
TRUST
‘ ‘You wouldn’ tell?’... No, ‘course you wouldn’.’ ’ (67) - (when asked about what happened in Weed) absolutely trusts Slim, does not need assurance
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CURLEY
AUTHORITY
‘what are you trying to put over?’ ‘say - what you sellin’?’ ‘I got my eye on you’ (43+44) - suspicious of george + lennie’s companionship; he thinks that George is using Lennie
CURLEY'S WIFE
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‘Andy’s in san quentin right now on account of a tart’ (83) - very derogatory language used towards women represents the disrespectful attitude of men to women (this encourages the reader to feel sympathy towards Curley’s wife); standard trouble is that women are trouble
THE DREAM
PREORDAINED FAILURE
‘Maybe way back in my head I did’ (130) - deep down he knew that the dream was not going to come true,
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YEARNING FOR IT
‘I ain’t puttin’ out on two and a half.’ - unlike other ranch workers, does not want to spend hard-earned money on girls/entertainment, need to save up
‘I think I knowed we’d never do her’ (131) - admits knowledge of impossibility of dream, the destruction of the dream compounds the tragedy (along with death of wife)
IRONY FORESHADOWING
‘she’s gonna make a mess. they’re gonna be a bad mess about her’ (78) - ominous comment about Curley’s wife but he + Lennie are actually the ones affected
‘if there’s any fightin’, Lennie, you keep out of it’ (82) - they confirm their desire to stay out of trouble - ironic
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i dont want to get mixed up in nothing, pg 81
CURLEY'S WIFE
DREAMS
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'Maybe I will yet.' - she clings onto her dream and still has hope to fulfill it
'I met one of the actors. He says I could go with the show. But my ol'lady wouldn't let me.' - p.124 dream seems to be restricted by someone- firstly her mom, then Curley.
'An' I coulda sat in them big hotels, an'had pitchers took of me. When they had them previews I coulda went to them, an'spoke in the radio, an'it wouldn'ta cost me a cent because I was in the pitcher,' - p.125 - detailed description of her dream and how she imagined life would've been if she didn't marry Curley
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Her dreams make her different - makes her utterly human and much more interesting than the stereotypical vixen in fancy red shoes
CHARACTERISTICS
ISOLATION AND LONELINESS
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she is not given a name - removes her individuality, she is a symbol of women during that time
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FLIRTATIOUS, DESIRE TO BE ADMIRED (yearns for companionship)
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‘nobody can’t blame a person for looking’ (53) - talking about herself looking for Curley but also Lennie looking at her
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Gets Lennie ‘fascinated’ (53) - audience thinks of incident at Weed, foreshadows her tragic death due to Lennie’s attraction
VULNERABLE
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'Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain't no place for a girl, specially like her.' - p.78
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'Whatta ya think I am, a kid?' - p.111
'You can talk to people, but I can't talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad.' - p.123
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RED IMAGERY
Lexical field of red imagery ‘Roughed lips’ ‘fingernails were red’ ‘red mules’ ‘red ostrich feathers’ (53) - - could symboliSe danger and passion (sexual attraction), also links back to incident at Weed
FORESHADOWING
Lexical field of red imagery ‘Roughed lips’ ‘fingernails were red’ ‘red mules’ ‘red ostrich feathers’ (53) - could symbolise danger and passion (sexual attraction), also links back to incident at Weed, connects her with Lennie who will eventually "kill her"
what happened in Weed - ‘he reaches out to feel this red dress’ (67) - red symbolises danger & is linked to Curley’s wife; foreshadows her death
at the first appearance of Curley’s wife, ‘Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body’ (53) - reminds readers of what happened in Weed; Curley’s wife is a danger
She gets Lennie ‘fascinated’ (53) - audience thinks of incident at Weed, foreshadows her tragic death due to Lennie’s attraction
‘he moved cautiously close to her’ (126) - physical proximity of characters + Curley’s wife’s failure to understand Lennie’s strength creates suspense + accentuates the tragedy
RELATIONSHIP
WITH OTHER RANCH WORKERS
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Isolated
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‘They were all closed against her’ (112) - hostility and isolation towards her - thinks she will cause them trouble when jobs are already precarious
Associated with trouble because of Curley, why other ranch workers avoid her: knows it will make Curley jealous, this can relate back to her LONELINESS
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Crooks, Candy and Lennie are beginning to trust one another, but not her as she is attached to Curley who they are wary of because of his brutality and jealous insecurity
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LENNIE
‘Her face grew angry. ‘What’s the matter with me?’ ‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?’’ (123-4) - responds to Lennie’s closed treatment, highlights injustice of her position, is angry and frustrated by mistreatment
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Slim
CHARACTERISTICS
JUST
"We might," he said. "If we could keep Curley in, we might, But Curley's gonna want to shoot 'im. Curley's still mad about his hand. An' s'pose they lock him up an' strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain't no good, George." (5.97)
"Well, I guess we got to get him…" (5.93)
"Never you mind," said Slim. "A guy got to sometimes.
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UNDERSTANDING
"Ain't many guys travel around together," he mused. "I don't know why.
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"He ain't mean," said Slim. "I can tell a mean guy from a mile off."
"Jesus," he said. "He's jes' like a kid, ain't he."
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WISE
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'His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought.' - p.56 - profound understanding of people
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'Take a real smart guy and he ain't hardly ever a nice fella.' - p.66 - gives advice purely based on observation
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GOOD WORKER
He's a jerkline skinner, Hell of a nice fella
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NATURAL LEADER
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'Whyn't you get Candy to shoot his old dog.....' slim
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'Slim would give you one of them pups to raise up, wouldn't he slim,' 71
'Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And slim gave him none.' - p.74 - everyone looks for him for approval because he has the ability to persuade and the power to reverse things. However, slim takes the dog's age and physique into account as well as the men on the ranch.
SENSITIVE
'Candy, you can have any one of them pups you want.' - p.75
his sensitivity contrasts with Carlson's insensitivity - 'I'll shoot him for you. Then it won't be you that does it. ' - p.71 - Carlson is single-minded and will get what he wants
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'i would of had to drown most of em anyways, no need to thank me' 64
RESPECT/EQUALITY
'Oh! Sure, Crooks. I'll come right out an' put it on'.' - p.77, Slim is respectful despite Crooks offering to help
'I'll come along with you now.' - p.77, treats everyone in the same way
'Huh? Oh! Hello, Crooks. What's a matter?' - p.77, Slim calls Crooks by a his nickname- still respects him despite his race
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SURVIVAL
'Nine of 'em. I drowned four of 'em right off. She couldn't feed that many.' - p.58 - harshness of life- competitive, ranch life
'Ain't many guys travel around together,' he mused. I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.' - p.57 - during the great depression, nobody trusted each other or understood each other, therefore there were constant suspiscions of things going on
FORESHADOWING
He damn near killed his partner buckin barley, 64
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LENNIE
FORESHADOWING
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Lennie refers to death of pup as ‘no bad thing like I got to go hide in the brush’ - foreshadows bad thing that will require him hiding in the bush - death of Curley’s wife
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Curley’s wife takes ‘Lennie’s hand and put it on her head’ (127) - physical proximity of characters and her failure to understand the danger of his strength (thinks he is just a ‘big baby’) creates suspense
‘Jus’ wanted to feel that girl’s dress - jus’ wanted to pet it like it was a mouse’ - innocent reason, not malicious intent, but does not realise the potential misunderstanding and danger he puts himself, this foreshadows death of Curley’s wife (29)
(25) ‘A water snake slipped along on the pool’ this setting is a sinister symbol because it is the same place where Lennie will be killed, ‘snake’ is linked to garden of eden - cast out of paradise
CHARACTERISTICS
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CHILDLIKE / VULNERABLE
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‘cried out’ (55) - like a distressed child, vulnerable
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'I been good, George’ (82)
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‘It ain’t the same if I tell it’ - similar to bedtime story when the child knows everything but needs someone to tell it
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LARGE, POWERFUL BUT UNAWARE
‘like a horse’ ‘the way a bear drags his paws’ ‘strong as a bull’ (19+20, 42) (animalistic)
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‘but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk, we’re set’ (24) - has a very good working capacity, even George acknowledges this
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‘Strong as a bull’ ‘sure as a hell of a good worker’ - important physical factor, but the fact that he has a mind of a child makes him dangerous (43)
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RELATIONSHIPS
GEORGE
Loyal, devoted
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‘Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly…’ (21)
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‘I been good, George’ (82) - accentuates the tragedy
‘I can still tend the rabbits, George?’ (94)
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Understands George well
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‘George always knows’ (121) - Lennie has an insight of George’s understanding of Lennie’s behaviour + thoughts
Mutual support
‘I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you’ (32) ‘laughed delightedly’ - joy associated with this
contrast: ‘I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy’ (43) - suggests their companionship is very unusual
CURLEY
Curley despises Lennie
‘his arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists’ (46) - his physical response after seeing Lennie
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CURLEY'S WIFE
share many similarities
Lennie: ‘we gonna have a little place- an’ rabbits’ Curley’s wife: ‘I coulda made somethin’ of myself’ (124) - they both had a dream
Lennie: ‘well, I ain’t supposed to talk to you or nothing’ Curley’s wife: ‘I get awful lonely’ (122) - both isolated & controlled by other characters
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THE DREAM
‘an’ live off the fatta the lan’’ (32) - they will have a place to live comfortably, a vision that is opposite to hardship
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CROOKS
RACISM
DISEMPOWERING
'Crooks stared hopeless at her.' - p.113- white superiority over the blacks, can be easily lynched
'There was no personality, no ego - nothing to arouse either like or dislike.' - p.114- because of his race he is unable of showing his real personality due to the fear of being lynched
‘White kids come to play at our place’ racial integration he experienced as a child turned into racial segregation ‘there ain’t a colored man on this ranch’ (102)
Racism so prominent in the community that Crooks refers to himself as ‘just a nigger’, nothing more - ultimate expression of racial oppression, belittles himself
Curley's wife threatens Crooks that she can get him 'strung up on a tree so easy it ain't every funny' (113) - threat of lynching shows intensity of racism in novel, injustice is very clear
CHARACTERISTICS
LONELINESS
'And scattered about the floor were a number of personal possessions; for being alone.' - p.98 - Crooks lives alone in the stable because of his race
'It's just bein' with another guy. That's all.' - p.103 - Crooks tries to justify his loneliness despite his desperation for companionship
'A guy needs somebody to-be near him.' He whined, 'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.' - everyone on the ranch craves for companionship
Yearns for companionship - why George and Lennie’s shared vision is so appealing to Candy and Crooks
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BITTER
'Crooks' face lighted with pleasure in his torture.' - p.103 - Crooks tries to assert power on Lennie since he is constantly disempowered due to his race.
'Every damn one of em's got a little piece of land in his head. An'never a God damn one of em' ever gets it. Just like heaven.' - p.106 - Crooks tries to avoid the psychological pain by not having hope for dreams.
'I wouldn't want to go no place like that.' - p.116 - to prevent the psychological pain in hoping in something that might not exist.
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Bitter initial response to Lennie’s visit ‘scowl’ ‘said sharply ‘You got no right to come in my room’ (99-100) - he is immediately trying to get rid of Lennie, is very focused on his RIGHTS because as someone who has very little he is extremely protective of the things he does have
Deep down, he is not hostile and it is not in his nature to reject friendship. But he is banished emotionally by racial discrimination
Progress is shown by the change in his action/attitude: from ‘scowled’ to ‘Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him’ to ‘tone was a little more friendly’ to ‘invited’ (101)
‘... if you… guys would want a hand to work for nothing’ (109) - dressed up as an offer, but is actually a request to be included in the dream
But after Curley’s wife’s threatens, he returns to his stance at the beginning and disregards the dream, saying that he ‘didn’ mean it’ - protective measure from psychological pain of hoping. Her words brings him back to reality, knows that the dream is achievable and impossible
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INTELLIGENCE
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Bookishness distinguishes him from other men ‘he reads a lot’ (41) ‘he had books… a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905 (legal book)’ (98) ‘a pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles’ (99) suggests him of being a reader
Relationships
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Slim
ADMIRATION
‘Nobody been here but Slim’ (108) - leader not follower, is not influenced by others, not a racist and looks out for others
Slim ‘looks out for his team’ - he is conscientious in checking on animals but also for inclusion, this is important to Crooks as he yearns for companionship (106)
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Context
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Black Rights were incredibly limited at this point in US History , Segregation was commonplace, especially in Southern States and there was still intense racial discrimination against African Americans
Crooks mentions that he is not from the southern states that are particularly racist. However he still faces daily harassment and isolation from the other farm hands.
This kind of discrimination was especially prominent due to the ongoing economic crisis. Not many employers were willing to take on negroes as employees, so job security was even more of an issue for someone like Crooks.
Groups Such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) were still at large and had not yet been branded as hate groups. Many white supremacists lynched black civilians, something that Crooks is threatened with in the novel.
Candy
RELATIONSHIPS
Candy's Dog
Companionship
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"Had him since he was a pup" (71) - shows extent of attachment, Candy's dog acts as a friend in a harsh, highly competitive working environment
Dog's physical characteristics (old, immobile) links to Candy's, both reflect vulnerability, loneliness
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Repetition of 'silence' amplifies the shot (75,76) - makes it more shocking, something interrupting the peaceful silence
Curley's Wife
Stands up to Curley's Wife: "You let this guy alone. Don't you do no messin aroun' with him. I'm gonna tell George what you says. George won't have you messin' with Lennie." - Showing Candy's gradual confidence
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Slim
Candy looks up to Slim, respects his natural authority *Refer to Slim's part
'Candy looked helpless at him, for Slim's opinions were law' (72) - emphasises how much he valued Slim's opinion
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CHARACTERISTICS
ISOLATION
'A guy on a ranch don't never listen nor he don't ask no questions' (45) - protective measure, code by which you survive on a ranch
'he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent; (76) - physical proximity represents his intentional separation with the other ranch hands, who have decided on the death of his dog
VULNERABLE
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weak as a character, has little authority over the other ranch hands
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OLD, DISABLED
'old man came slowly into the room' - adverb on speed accentuates his age and disability, reader feels sorry (45)
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SENSITIVE LOYALTY
'The old man squirmed uncomfortably' contrasts with Carlson desperate attempt to get rid of the dog by saying 'I'll shoot him for you.' (71)
FORESHADOWING
'A guy on a ranch don't never listen nor he don't ask no questions' (45) - foreshadows disaster of everyone finding out
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CURLEY
CHARACTERISTICS
PUGNACIOUS / AGGRESSIVE
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'His eyes flashed over George, took in his height, measured his reach, looked at his trim middle.' p.59
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'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.' - p.51
Picks on Lennie - "He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists" p.46 line 21
AUTHORITATIVE
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'well, nex' time you answer when you're spoken to' (47)
'Curley don't take no chances. He always wins.' - p.51 - injustice towards people of lower authority
INSECURE
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Candy: ‘kind of like he’s mad at ‘em because he ain’t a big guy’ (48) - jealousy, insecurity
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RELATIONSHIPS
Curley's Wife
'You see a girl around here?' he demanded angrily - p.59, - belittles his wife, reveals his insecurity
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'Well, that glove's fulla vaseline.' - p.49
'Well, I tell ya what - Curley says he's keeping that hand soft for his wife.' - p.49
Slim
'I think you got your han' caught in a machine. If you don't tell nobody what happened, we ain't going to. But you jus' tell an'try to get this guy canned and we'll tell ever'body, an'then will you get the laugh.' - p.92-93 - Slim recognises Curley's arrogance and tries to protect him from further humiliation in order to also protect Lennie
'If you can't look after your own God damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay offa me.' - p.89-90 , humiliation towards Curley.
''m just tryin' to tell you I didn't mean nothing.' 'I jus' thought you might of saw her.' - p.90 - his suspicion is replaced by an apologetic tone.
'You tried to throw a scare into Slim, an' you couldn't make it stick. Slim throwed a scare inta you.' - p.90
foils of each other (Slim = natural leader, Curley = aggressive, unfair leader)
Slim: ‘slim don’t need to wear no high heeled boots on a grain team’ (50) - Slim is a natural leader unlike Curley
Lennie
'He avoided looking at Lennie,' - p.93 - Curley is further humiliated by losing the fight with Lennie
'Curley was white and shrunken by now, and his struggling had become weak. He stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie's paw.' - p.92
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'His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie; and Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.' - p.90
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