George and Lennie are new, so they don't know the current dynamics between different people on the ranch. George keeps his eyes and ears open as different people come in and out of the bunk house so he can discover how things run. George uses what he learns from other people to help him and Lennie stay under the radar and keep their jobs. Minor characters who play important roles in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men are Candy, Curley's Wife, Curley, Crooks, and Carlson.
George learns the most about the ranch from Candy, the old swamper with an old dog. Candy tells George that Curley is jealous of Slim because Curley's wife is always trying to talk to him. Right away, this information sets off red flags in George's mind to stay away from Curley and his wife. George even tells Lennie to stay away from both of them because associating with them will get them in trouble and they could lose their jobs. From that point on, the goal for both George and Lennie is to do everything they can to stay away from the married couple. Candy also informs them about Curley's fetish with boxing and proving himself a tough guy. This information helps George advise Lennie on making sure he doesn't get into a fight with the boss' son. If it weren't for Candy's information, George and Lennie could have landed in some trouble earlier on.
Curley's wife is an innocent antagonist because she only wants friends. Lennie seems peaceful and kind, so she targets him as someone to talk to. She's as delicate as a mouse or a puppy, which means that she is also going to die if she gets too close to Lennie. Lennie pets cute, fragile, and soft things for comfort; but because he doesn't know how to control his own strength, he also kills the things he pets. When he pets Curley's wife's hair, her fate is sealed. Curley's wife unknowingly sets both herself and Lennie up for untimely deaths, which is very important to the plot of the story. Therefore, Curley's wife is important because it's her desire to find a friend that leads her to trouble for herself and for Lennie.
Curley is insecure, short, and has a chip on his shoulder. He beats up Lennie just to prove he is a tough boxer and the boss' son who should be respected. He's important because he is an antagonist. He's not one to understand Lennie's mental disability. Curley is a lot like society during the Great Depression because he doesn't have the information or sensitivity towards people like Lennie. If he weren't so antagonistic and vengeful, George may have been able to allow Lennie to live; but knowing Curley's violent nature, George mercifully kills him to avoid it. Therefore, Curley is important because he represents an imminent threat to Lennie's life.
Crooks is important to the story because he brings up a deeper topic of discussion--racism. Not only does Crooks suffer from society's prejudice because he is black, but he is also like Lenny because he has a disability with his twisted back. Crooks can identify with Lennie, but he doesn't show Lennie the same respect that he wishes he could enjoy. He messes with Lennie's mind by questioning him about George. He asks what Lennie would do if George never came back. This poses the paradox of the situation. If Lennie were living alone, how would he be able to manage and support himself? Therefore, Crooks is important because his questions help to establish the predicament that both Lennie and George are in. Without George, Lennie would be dangerous and unable to care for himself.
Carlson is an important character because he mercifully kills Candy's old dog. This is a foreshadowing of what George does to Lennie in the end. Carlson's one shot to the dog's head seems to be what gives George the idea to kill Lennie in a similar fashion. For instance, Carlson promises Candy that he won't let the dog suffer at all when he shoots him. There is a bit of a debate about it, too, because Carlson really wants to put the dog down. George hears this conversation and must remember it when Lennie gets in serious trouble after accidentally killing Curley's wife. Therefore, Carlson is important because he foreshadows what is to come later in the book for Lennie; but also, he may have been the example that George follows when deciding what to do about Lennie later.
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