When Richard was young he would always be the person to help out. But as he became older and more feeble, his capabilities were not as they were before. This was difficult for Richard to cope with because other people would reject his help, but this did not stop him from accomplishing his dreams. The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck contains the character Candy, an old ranch worker who lost one of his hands in a farm accident. Like Richard, Candy is old and disabled and faces problems with people discriminating against him. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses dialogue to characterize Candy as a neglected, misunderstood idealist. Being old and having an impairment caused Candy to be neglected. After Candy’s dog was killed due to its old age, Candy said "You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoot me. But they won't do nothing like that. I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no more jobs.”(60). In this statement …show more content…
Candy is describing how he feels about his dog and himself. By Candy’s statement that he “wisht somebody’d shoot me”(60). and that “I won’t have no place to go” (60). He is portrayed as a loner and a reject by the other men on the ranch. Furthermore, after all the men left except Curley’s wife, the only social outcast and the only woman on the ranch, said “They left all the weak ones here,"(92) indicating Candy. Curley's wife is implying that when the other men had gone hang out, they left all the powerless at home. Candy is referred to as weak just because of how old he was. Therefore, Candy is revealed to be neglected simply because of his disability and by being old. Not only is Candy rejected, but he is also misunderstood. As Carlson, a bitter farm worker, convinces Candy to let him kill the dog. After Carlson had brought up the thought of killing the dog, Candy said “Well-h**l! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him....You wouldn't think it to look at him now, but he was the best d**n sheep dog I ever seen." (56) Candy is obviously not willing to kill his dog because he had raised him and doesn't want him to die. Carlson and the other men think otherwise. The other men misunderstand Candy because they don't know why he would want to keep a smelly old dog. Additionally, when characterizing Candy, the word ‘old’ is used often. Describing Candy, Steinbeck references him as "a tall, stoop-shouldered old man”(18). This description of Candy shows what the people on the ranch had seen him as. Because Candy is old, they really don't think he is in the right mind. Thus, Candy is misunderstood because of his age and incapabilities. An idealist is a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, and goals.
In relation to Candy, who wants the perfect life by following the dreams of Lennie and George, men who work on the farm and hopes of some day owning land. When the men talk about this dream Candy says ” S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I'd put in. I ain't much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some.”(59) Candy idealizes a perfect life living off “the fatta the lan”(56). Another idealist theme is; when Candy wants his dog to stay alive, he says. “I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup.” (56). Although, he has had him for so long, doesn't mean that in realistic terms the dog would stay alive. His dog meant a lot to him, and keeping it alive was something in the perfect world that would be possible. The dreams Candy has made creates an ideal world that he would want to
have. The book Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck uses dialogue to characterize Candy as a neglected, misunderstood idealist. The age of Candy affected how others treated him. Neglect was a big deal in the novel where he could not do as much as his fellow workers. In addition, Candy was misunderstood by the men of the ranch by having feelings towards his dog, that they just did not understand. Finally, Candy had a big dream of joining George and Lennie on their land and the thought of keeping his dog are both idealist characteristics. The way Candy acted and his mental state contributes to him being judged by others. Using the characteristics of Candy, Steinbeck, shows how people should not be treated because of age or handicap.
Candy also feels the burden of loneliness and shows it by his relationship with his sheep dog. The dog, being described as “ancient”, “stinky”, and “half-blind”, had been in Candy’s life for a very long time and Candy had grown attached to it.
Would you be able to kill your lifelong companion? George Milton had to make that choice in John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men. After a whole bunch of misadventures with his mentally handicapped giant, Lennie Small. Lennie accidently murdered a woman out of innocence. While the ranch men search for Lennie, George made the decision to give Lennie a merciful death. I believe that George should have killed Lennie because he would have been put in an institution, Curley would have been cruel to him, and George had to give him a merciful death.
Candy is old and missing a hand this is what exclueds him from the otheres because he is seen as being outworn in his ability to function as a worker on the farm. Because of this it is hard for him to interact with society like the younger non-handicap ranchhands are able to. Candy's handicap is what causes him to be an outcast in the story. Candy is lonley because of his outcast statis even more so afther the loss of his dog that he has had for a long time. Because he is old, missing a hand and cant work much any more he thinks that when he cant work any more that he will be just trowen aside and not needed by any one.
Candy’s dog is very precious to him, not only because he had been with him ever since he was a pup but also because he could see himself in the dogs place after a very short period of time. He was getting old and would be of no use soon. Just like the dog, everyone would be eager to get rid of him. He had lost his hand at the ranch. He is disabled, both, physically and mentally.
This passage comes from the fourth chapter in Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. George and the other workers are “gone into town” (69). Lennie, Crooks and Candy are the only men remaining on the ranch. This excerpt characterizes Crooks and promotes the themes of loneliness and dreams. In addition, this passage characterizes Lennie and reinforces the theme of companionship.
In today’s society, one does not consider how one person’s dream can affect others. In the story Of Mice And Men written by John Steinback, two men search for a job that will secure their ambitions, but find out that “The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men” can result in “nought but grief and pain.” One of the two men, Lennie, acts as a burden with his child-like personality, is dangerous because of his lack of intelligence combined with prodigious strength, and spreads hope to others with his innocence.
Steinbeck expresses the theme of loneliness in the character of Candy. Candy is lonely because his is missing half an arm. Candy?s disability separates him from society, an example of Curley being set aside is when everybody else goes to town he is left in the barn with Crooks, Lennie, and Curley?s wife. Candy?s only friendship was with his old, smelly dog. Candy?s dog was a symbol of himself (old, and useless). When Carlson kills Candy?s dog he kills Candy on the inside as well.
As Mark Twain once stated, “The more I know about people, the better I like my dog.” This sentiment is often echoed by general society; people seem to have lost faith in humanity. However, John Steinbeck illustrates his more optimistic opinion about “the perfectibility of man” by suggesting how man can improve. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, two tenants called George and Lennie go through many hardships all while chasing their dream of possessing their own farm. While they work at a farm, they meet an old swamper called Candy who offers to help them achieve their dream; he does so to ensure that he will have a future after he is fired for being too old. On page 60, Candy discusses the recent death of his dog and asks to join in on George and Lennie’s dream. Through this passage, Steinbeck proves that humans have an animalistic tendency of eliminating those who are weaker than them. This is depicted through the details connecting Candy to his dog as well as Candy’s diction when describing his potential future life. Steinbeck’s negative attitude towards man’s predatory nature implies that society needs to improve and prevent such oppressive behavior from occurring.
Steinbeck uses Candy’s old, smelly dog to help us understand Candy’s character. Very much like his dog, Candy has nothing to offer anyone but a small amount of comfort. Candy's dog was his only companion, but the dog was not a real companion in the human sense. The dog needed to be cared for and tended, much like George and Lennie’s belief that any comfort it offered was intangible and ultimately misleading. It’s through this use of imagery between Candy and his dog that we better understand the characters.
According to Psychological Today,“Psychologists find that human beings have a fundamental need for inclusion in group life and for close relationships.” Without people that others need for fundamental reasons, the effects can change them as a person. In Of Mice and Men, the two main characters, George and Lennie, are working at a new ranch. They meet new people and try not to get into trouble. However, not everyone is included in the group. Some are left out and may become lonely. George and Lennie on the other hand have each other in a compelling friendship. In The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel, a girl with cancer, has been impacted by the one and only Augustus Waters. They are both cancer victims and end up falling for each other. They go on a trip to Amsterdam and meet Peter Van Houten, who is getting a little lonely. Throughout the novel, they are at their strongest and weakest points in life and need each other to get through it. Of Mice and Men and The Fault in Our Stars are similar in how they demonstrate themes such as the negative effects of loneliness and the value of friendship.
Candy dealt with his loneliness by being friendly with George and Lennie and becoming a partner in obtaining the small ranch that was George and Lennie’s dream. Candy kind of an outcast because of his age difference from other ranch hands. “I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some”(Candy 319). Candy attempts to be useful in someone else life. He heard that George and Lennie have this dream to “live off the fat of the land” as soon as they get enough money. Candy wanted to join, he offered as much as he can. He wanted to join the dream but not only did he want to join, he wanted to join the friendship of George and Lennie. “Maybe I can give you guys money”(Candy 325). Candy offered his money that he gets from the government for his disability. An exchange for money Candy gets a friendship out of it. So he is paying George and Lennie to be friends with him really. I think money will never buy a real friendship. Not only was Candy lonely and miserable trying to deal with loneliness, but so was Crooks...
First, Candy is a character that contributes to the overall theme of loneliness. Candy is a crippled old man, whom his only family is his dog. When contemplating whether to shoot the old dog to put it out of its misery, Candy explains, “Maybe tomorra. Le’s wait till tomorra.” (Steinbeck 47). Candy wants to put off shooting his one and only possession because he knows that his dog is a part of him and
The book Of Mice And Men has very many themes within it, some good and uplifting, others sad and depressing, but through all of the themes to me one theme shines and shows itself more than any other, and that theme is friendship.
The central element of this novella is its symbolism. This novella has plenty of symbolical forms, such as people, creed, and some of the animals. Candy has several terms of symbolism, for example his disability is a symbol of the migrant workers who are just literally forgotten about, they are forgotten when they are no use to the owners. Candy’s dog is a symbol of a life only for advantage to others Lennie also for shadows this, he is belittled of his mind but enormously commented for his strength. Also he is compelled to lie about the fight he had with Curley, this is a symbol of typical male society in the, “Depression era”.
Lennie to take care of. The next day George convinces the farm boss to hire