The Weak & Strong

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Weakness

Another key theme in Of Mice and Men is weakness and strength. Many characters try and hide their weaknesses.

Candy's physical weakness

Candy is old and has a missing hand as a result of an accident on the ranch.
Because of his physical weakness, he lives in fear that he will one day be considered useless, and will be thrown out onto the streets: “They'll can me purty soon. Jus' as soon as I can't swamp out no bunkhouses they'll put me on the county.” (Candy, Section 3).

Crooks' physical weakness

Crooks, similarly, has suffered a major injury as a result of an accident with a horse, and this has left him with a “busted back” (Crooks, Section 4).
Crooks seems to be self-conscious of the fact that he is considered physically inferior, and he tries to make up for this by being emotionally strong.

Treatment of Lennie

Lennie is physically strong, and a very good worker. He is able to “put up more grain alone than most pairs can.” (George, Section 2).
However, many critics suspect Lennie of having learning disabilities. It is easy for the other men to take advantage of him, and he is timid and afraid of confrontation: “Sure, he’s jes’ like a kid. There ain’t no more harm in him than a kid neither.” (George, Section 3).

Weakness because of gender

Curley’s wife, as the only woman on the ranch, has limited freedom. She is trapped with her husband, Curley, who “ain’t a nice fella” (Curley’s wife, Section 5), and admits that she feels “lonely” (Curley’s wife, Section 5) as a result of the way she is treated.

Isolation because of race

Crooks experiences racial discrimination. He is segregated from the other ranch workers, forcing him into lonely isolation: “They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black.” (Crooks, Section 4).

Strength

In an environment where the weak are either abused or disposed of, Steinbeck is suggesting that looking strong is a crucial part of survival.

Crooks

Crooks tries to look strong by exerting his power over Lennie. Crooks is more intelligent than Lennie and is therefore able to trick him into believing that George could leave him: “S'pose George don't come back no more. S'pose he took a powder and just ain't coming back. What'll you do then?” (Crooks, Section 4).

Curley's wife

In turn, Curley’s wife has power over Crooks because she is white. She uses this power to threaten and dehumanise him: “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.” (Curley's wife, Section 4).

Curley

Curley is clearly self-conscious about his small size, and he compensates for this by “alla time picking scraps with big guys.” (Candy, Section 2).

1Context & Overview

1.1Context & Overview

1.1.1The Great Depression

1.1.2Racism

1.1.3The American Dream

1.1.4Of Mice & Men

1.2John Steinbeck

1.2.1John Steinbeck's Life

1.2.2End of Topic Test - Context & Overview

2Plot

2.1Section 1 - Analysis

2.1.1Section 1 - Plot

2.1.2Section 1 - Overview

2.2Section 2 - Analysis

2.2.1Section 2 - Plot

2.2.2Section 2 - Overview

2.3Section 3 - Analysis

2.3.1Section 3 - Plot

2.3.2Section 3 - Overview

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Sections 1-3

2.4Section 4 - Analysis

2.4.1Section 4 - Plot

2.4.2Section 4 - Overview

2.5Section 5 - Analysis

2.5.1Section 5 - Plot

2.5.2Section 5 - Overview

2.6Section 6 - Analysis

2.6.1Section 6 - Plot

2.6.2Section 6 - Overview

2.6.3End of Topic Test - Sections 4-6

3Key Characters

3.1Main Characters

3.1.1George

3.1.2Lennie - Strength

3.1.3Lennie - Innocence & Dependence

3.1.4Slim

3.1.5Curley

3.1.6Curley's Wife - Flirtatious

3.1.7Curley's Wife - Lonely & Heartbroken

3.1.8Crooks

3.1.9Candy

3.1.10End of Topic Test - George & Lennie

3.1.11End of Topic Test - Slim, Curley & Curley's Wife

3.2Minor Characters

3.2.1Minor Characters

3.2.2End of Topic Test - Crooks, Candy & Others

4Themes

4.1Key Themes

4.1.1Hopes, Dreams & Reality

4.1.2Racial Prejudice

4.1.3Loneliness & Companionship

4.1.4The Weak & Strong

4.1.5Women

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Themes

5Authorial Method

5.1Writing Techniques

5.1.1Dialogue

5.1.2Imagery

5.1.3Light

5.1.4Sound

5.1.5Symbolism

5.1.6Structure

5.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

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