Plot
George and Lennie arrive at the ranch.
We meet the other characters.
George realises the threats here are Curley and Curley’s wife, for different reasons.
The bunk house:
- Whitewashed
- Small square windows
- Eight bunks
- Apple boxes for shelves
- Small articles: soap, razors, talc, Western magazines, medicines, combs, ties
- Square table, boxes to sit on, laying cards
George
- Fastidious –picky! – about hygiene, likes neatness,
- Protective of Lennie against boss and Curley
- Takes out his anger on Lennie ‘Damn near lost us the job.‘
Boss
- Little, stocky, jeans, waistcoat, black jacket, belt and big square buckle, soiled Stetson, high heeled boots and spurs ‘to prove he was not a labouring man.’
Curley
- Young, thin brown face, tightly curled hair, glove filled with vaseline, high heeled boots like the boss
- ‘He stiffened and went into a slight crouch. His glance at once calculating and pugnacious (aggressive)’
- Ex-boxer, hates big guys, scrappy ‘Curley ain’t givin’ nobody a chance.’
Candy – the swamper
- One handed, old, lonely ‘a guy on a ranch don’t never listen nor he don’t ast no questions.’
- Drag-footed sheep dog, grey muzzles and blind old eyes, lame; had the dog since he was a pup, good sheep dog then.
Curley’s wife
- A ‘tart‘; girl; full rouged lips, wide spaced eyes, heavily made up, red nails, hair in tight curls; red slippers with feathers on
- Stands against the door frame, hands behind thrusting her body forward (provocatively)
- Afraid of Curley? ‘she was suddenly apprehensive.’
- ‘purty‘ Lennie calls her.
Lennie
- Admired Curley’s wife ‘gosh she was purty.’
- Picks up on atmospheres; ‘Let’s go George… it’s mean here.‘
Slim
- Moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty, prince of the ranch, a gravity in his manner, people stopped talking to listen to him, authoritative, ageless face, slow thoughtful speech, delicate hands
- He looked kindly at the two new comers ‘hope you get on my team.’
- ‘Tone friendly, invited confidence.’
- Pragmatic (practical) drowned 4 of the pups because his dog ‘couldn’t feed that many.’
Carlson
- Powerful, big stomached
- Mean ‘why’n’t you get Candy to shoot his old dog‘