Candy Of Mice And Men Character Analysis & Examples

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men marks distinct a character in Candy who discreetly lives through the agony of a harsh world in old age. He is an aged ranch worker and only one-handed; his closest companion is a weak, old dog. This is extremely simplistic, and yet it says so much about Candy’s life, so lonely, so fragile, so gradually losing utility in the eyes of others. His condition is a testament to how difficult it is for the old to feel wanted or valuable, even in a place where strength and speed count for everything.

Candy doesn’t talk much at first, but as the story goes on, we see how deeply he wants to matter. But when George and Lennie tell his dream of owning land, the dream steals a face from the sallow years. He opens his wallet quickly, offers all of his savings to be part of their plans, but this is enough for him to see that he cannot escape the lonely existence he leads at the ranch. This is where “Candy Of Mice And Men Character Analysis & Examples” become important.

Candy isn’t just a backdrop character—he’s something real that many people, including himself, have to deal with, for example, feeling outcast, feeling useless having desires to connect. The time when his old dog is taken and killed also has a higher meaning. It is a reflection of Candy own fear of being discarded when he’s not anymore useful. Steinbeck teaches through Candy’s character to read about the pain of isolation, and the need to always have a little bit of hope, even if it seems too far out of reach.

His traveling is sad but true and shows us the emotional price of dreams that will never come true. In the end, “Candy Of Mice And Men Character Analysis & Examples” show that even the quietest characters can leave a lasting impact on a story and on the hearts of readers.