John Steinbeck didn't just write a book about the Great Depression. He wrote a tragedy about human fragility. When you look for an of mice and men character description, you usually get a dry list of traits. George is small. Lennie is big. Curley is mean. But that's not really what's happening on the page. Steinbeck was obsessed with "phalanx theory"—the idea that individuals lose their identity within a group. This makes the characters in the novella feel less like tropes and more like archetypes trapped in a cage.
The dust and the heat of the Salinas Valley aren't just scenery. They're part of who these people are. Honestly, the way these characters interact tells us more about the 1930s than any history textbook ever could.
George Milton: The Man With the Burden
George is often described as the "smart one." That’s a bit of a simplification. He’s small, quick, and has "restless eyes," which basically means he's constantly on edge. You've probably noticed that George spends half his time complaining about how much easier his life would be without Lennie. He talks about staying in a "cat house" or eating at a "gal's place" without a care in the world.
But it's mostly talk.
George is defined by his loyalty, even though that loyalty eventually leads him to the most traumatic moment of his life. He isn't just a caregiver; he’s a dreamer who needs Lennie to believe in the dream. Without Lennie's wide-eyed obsession with the rabbits, the "little house" George describes would just be a fantasy. Lennie makes it feel real. George provides the brain, but Lennie provides the heart, even if that heart is unintentionally dangerous.
You see his sharp edges immediately. He's defined by "sharp, strong features" and "slender arms." He is the literal opposite of Lennie in physical form. This contrast is vital. Steinbeck uses George to show the mental toll of the Depression. He is cynical, weary, and deeply isolated despite having a companion.
Lennie Small: The Irony of a Name
Lennie is a "huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes." The name "Small" is the most famous bit of irony in American literature. He’s a child in a giant's body. The tragedy of Lennie isn't that he's mean—he’s the only truly innocent character in the book. The tragedy is his physical power. He loves soft things (mice, puppies, velvet, hair), but he doesn't know his own strength.
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He’s often compared to animals. Steinbeck describes him walking "heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws." He drinks water like a horse. This isn't accidental. By stripping Lennie of typical human complexity, Steinbeck makes him a force of nature. He represents the "weak" that the world of the 1930s had no place for.
Most people think Lennie is just a plot device. They’re wrong. He’s the moral center. When Lennie dies, the dream dies because he was the only one who truly believed in the possibility of a world where people are "nice" to each other.
The Dynamics of Power and Loneliness
Why does this of mice and men character description matter so much? Because every character is a different flavor of lonely.
Candy is the old swamper. He’s missing a hand. His only friend is an old dog that smells. When Carlson shoots the dog, Candy's future is essentially over. He knows he's next. He clings to George and Lennie’s dream because it’s his only alternative to the "ash heap." It's gut-wrenching, really.
Then there's Crooks. He’s the black stable buck, and he’s isolated by law and custom. He lives in the harness room, not the bunkhouse. He’s "proud and aloof," but it’s a defense mechanism. When he tells Lennie that "a guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody," he’s speaking for every character in the book. Crooks is the one who tries to inject reality into the dream, telling them he's seen hundreds of men with the same "piece of land" idea in their heads, and none of them ever get it.
Curley and the Violence of Insecurity
Curley is the boss's son, and he’s a nightmare. He wears a work glove full of Vaseline on one hand and high-heeled boots to look taller. He’s a prize fighter, and he’s constantly looking for someone to pick on—usually someone bigger than him so he can prove his "manhood."
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He represents the toxic side of authority. He doesn't lead; he intimidates. His relationship with his wife is a disaster. He doesn't love her; he owns her.
Curley’s Wife is perhaps the most misunderstood character in the whole story. She doesn't even have a name. She’s just "Curley’s Wife." She’s a "tart," according to the men, but in reality, she’s just a lonely girl who wanted to be in the movies. She wears red mules with ostrich feathers to a ranch filled with dirt and manure. It’s a desperate attempt to be seen.
When you look at her through a modern lens, she isn't a villain. She’s a victim of a system that gave her zero agency. Her death is a mistake, a terrifying accident born of Lennie’s panic and her own desperate need for someone to talk to.
Slim: The "Prince" of the Ranch
Slim is the only character who seems to have his life together. He’s a "jerkline skinner" with "gravity in his manner." While George is the protagonist, Slim is the moral authority. He moves with a majesty that doesn't belong on a ranch.
- He’s the only one who truly understands the nature of George and Lennie's bond.
- He’s the only one who can comfort George at the end.
- He has "God-like eyes" and hands as "delicate as a temple dancer’s."
Steinbeck uses Slim to show what a "man" should actually be: someone who is competent, quiet, and empathetic. He’s the contrast to Curley’s fake, aggressive masculinity.
Why the Ranch Hands Matter
The other men—Carlson and Whit—represent the "average" man of the era. They aren't inherently bad, but they lack empathy. Carlson is the one who insists on shooting Candy’s dog. He can’t understand why anyone would care about an old, useless animal.
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This lack of understanding is the "climax" of the book’s emotional arc. The very last line of the book is Carlson asking, "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two?" after George has just killed his best friend. It’s chilling. It shows that the world has moved on, indifferent to the tragedy that just occurred.
The characters are essentially playing a game of musical chairs where there aren't enough seats.
Actionable Insights for Analysis
If you're studying these characters for an essay or just to understand the book better, don't just look at what they do. Look at what they want.
- Identify the "Dream" for each character. For Lennie, it’s rabbits. For Candy, it’s security. For Curley’s Wife, it’s stardom. Notice how none of them get what they want.
- Look for animal imagery. Steinbeck uses it constantly to signal who has power and who doesn't.
- Track the theme of "Hands." George has small, strong hands. Lennie has "paws." Candy is missing a hand. Curley keeps his hand in a glove. Slim’s hands are "large and lean." Hands in this book represent a character's ability to manipulate their own destiny.
- Analyze the setting. Notice how the characters change when they are in the bunkhouse versus the barn or the brush. The physical space dictates how much of their "true self" they can show.
Understanding the characters in Of Mice and Men requires looking past the simple archetypes. It’s a study in how poverty and isolation strip away humanity. George and Lennie’s friendship is "miraculous" only because everyone else in their world has forgotten how to be a friend. When you realize that, the ending hits ten times harder.
To get the most out of your reading, compare George’s final speech to Lennie with his first speech in Chapter 1. The words are almost the same, but the context has shifted from a comforting ritual to a funeral rite. That's where the real character development happens—in the space between a hopeful lie and a devastating truth.
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