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George Milton—The migrant ranch hand who takes care of Lennie. He is one of two main protagonists in the story. He is slender, small and quick, with a dark face, restless eyes, and sharp features. Taking care of Lennie shows George’s need for companionship, but also his high moral character and compassion because Lennie is such a burden and George is completely loyal to him. George dreams of owning a small farm of his own, but his dream is lost.Lennie Small—George’s mildly retarded travelling companion and the other main protagonist in the story. He is a huge man, with large, pale eyes, a shapeless face, and sloping shoulders. Lennie is frequently portrayed in animal terms and loves to pet soft things. His name is an example of irony because he is large and possesses incredible physical strength, yet he has the mind of a child. Lennie also dreams of owning a farm with his friend George, but Lennie causes the ruin of their dream.Slim—The master “skinner” or mule driver of the ranch. He is tall man with long black hair who does not feel the need to wear high-heeled boots. Respected by all, Slim is a master at his trade and has moral authority over the other men. Quiet, grave, and perceptive, he invites confidence by accepting people as they are. Slim respects Lennie’s hard work and consoles George when Lennie dies.Candy—The old crippled ranch hand who has lost a hand. Afraid of being fired when he gets too old to work, he offers his life savings to become a part of George and Lennie’s dream. His companion is an equally old crippled dog that stinks; after Candy allows Carlson to kill the dog, he regrets not having done it himself.Crooks—The black stable hand who is proud and aloof. His spine has been left crooked from a horse’s kick, and he rubs liniment on his painful back. Bitter and lonely, Crooks lives in isolation in the harness room. His only recreations are an occasional game of horseshoes with other men, but most of the time he spends by himself reading. He listens with longing to Lennie tell of his dream ranch and he yearns to be part of it.Carlson—The big-bellied ranch worker who kills Candy’s old dog. Practical and down to earth, he focuses on actions and doesn’t notice people’s feelings. He provides the gun used by George to kill Lennie.Curley—The boss’s son. A little man, he is always looking for a fight, especially with men who are bigger than he. Curley has brown face and eyes, tightly curled hair, and a hot temper, and prides himself on having been a welterweight boxer. Recently married, he spends much of his time looking for his pretty wife.Curley’s wife—The pretty, flirtatious, and unnamed wife of Curley. She has red lips and fingernails and wears heavy makeup. Her hair hangs in tight sausage curls, and her red shoes are decorated at the instep with red ostrich feathers. She is said by the men to give them “the eye,” and they brand her as a “tramp.” She knows Curley is mean and does not like him. In her loneliness and unhappiness, she tries to make friends with Lennie. She is never given a name in the story.The boss—Another unnamed character. He is a short, stocky man wearing high-heeled boots with spurs to show that he is not a laborer. Like his son, the boss has a hot temper and frequently takes his anger out on Crooks. At Christmas, he brought in a gallon of whiskey for the boys in the bunk house. He is suspicious of George’s interest in Lennie.Whit—A young laboring man on the ranch. He is friendly and likes to talk, but he is already stooped from the hard work on the ranch. He reads a letter to the editor of a Western magazine written by a former worker at the ranch.
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