In the novella, ‘Of Mice and Men’, the characters of Slim and Curley are created to have a strong influence on the other workers’ lives. While both the characters make an impact with the way they are presented, Steinbeck portrays them both very differently. He does this by giving the reader different impressions when each of the characters are introduced, the idiosyncrasies the author has given them, the way they treat others, how the rest of the characters react to the characteristics of Curley and Slim and why they influence particular characters.
Curley is introduced as a very angry character; he ‘glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie’. He then tenses up and Steinbeck describes him in a fighter’s stance, Steinbeck foreshadows the events to come, by showing us Curley’s hatred for George and particularly Lennie. The reader does not take a liking towards Curley because of his negative attitude. Whereas Slim is introduced as ‘the prince of the ranch’, his actions are defined as elegant. Steinbeck uses descriptive language to show Slim’s supreme authority.
This positive feeling created when Slim is introduced makes the reader take a delight to his character. Slim is much more serene and tranquil while Curley seems to be frustrated and bothered by the arrival of George and Lennie. Steinbeck also gives Slim a likable personality by giving him respectable idiosyncrasies. Slim walks slowly as if with grace, Steinbeck portrays him with dignity, he listens to the other characters including George’s explanation of what happened in Weed, he seems to understand Lennie’s actions and sympathises with Lennie’s character by the end of the novella, ‘his tone was friendly.
It invited confidence without demanding it’. All these qualities Steinbeck has given him show the reader he is an understanding character and his opinion and decisions are rational. This influences other characters to listen to him and ask for advice if or when they are going through any problems. It also makes the reader see Slim as a heroic character because his rationality helped George to make a decision towards the end of the novella, and although the decision to kill Lennie is grave, the reader feels it is the proper thing to do as it is what Slim thinks is right.
While Slim is influential in a positive way, Curly seems to use his influence to benefit himself rather than use it to help others like slim does. Curly has a bed temper, he used to be a boxer, and he wants to fight with people, which makes him intimidating to the other workers. John Steinbeck makes the other workers support him when he loses a fight, to show fear. When Candy talks to George he warns George and tells him, ‘don’t tell Curley I said none of this. He’d slough me’ this shows the reader Curley scares the other characters and makes them feel insecure about the things they say.
This contrasts with Slims personality because Slim seems to care for others but Curley feels it is ok to scare his companions. When George and Lennie arrive at the ranch, Candy befriends them quite rapidly; this is because ‘Of Mice and Men’ was written during the great depression. The great depression happened in 1929; two years later the dirt bowl caused farmers to move, as there was no chance to grow crops in the conditions that the fields were left in. This forced men to travel in solitude to save money, this made men lonely.
Candy befriends George and Lennie’s characters quickly because he is lonely and he may not have people to talk to. Apart from introducing them to the ranch, Candy seems to give George lots of information about Curley, as if to be warning him of the intimidation Curley brings to the ranch. Not only does he inform George on Curley’s violent personality but he also ridicules Curley’s ‘glove fulla vaseline’ this shows the reader Curley creates an impact of humour on the ranch between the other workers.
The characters and the reader find his attempt to achieve sexual empowerment with his wife amusing and humorous. This shows the reader, Curley is mocked by the other workers and his terrorising approach towards them doesn’t work at a certain extent. Slim isn’t spoken of as much as Curley is, but in a conversation about Curley’s wife Slim is introduced by Candy. ‘Slims a jerkline skinner. Hell of a nice fella’ this shows the reader the workers enjoy speaking negatively of their peers and because they can’t find faults in Slim they don’t have the need to speak about him.
Steinbeck doesn’t use other characters to show Slim in a good light but he uses them to degrade Curley’s status. Curley is the boss’ son, he seems to use this to influence people into supporting him when he decides to fight. He is also a boxer which influences fear within the ranch; Steinbeck makes him strain for authority, but he doesn’t gain any respect throughout the book because the workers already have an authoritative figure, who is Slim. Slim is ‘god-like’ and on the other hand Curley is ‘scrappy’ and narcissistic, he is also laughed at by other characters.
Overall, Curley and Slim are portrayed as very different characters. Both of the characters are significant, but the reader feels as though Slim’s role in the novella is to be heroic whereas Curley is egotistic and does things for himself. This is vital in Steinbeck’s plot as it shows the reader how certain people influence the main character, in this case George’s, decisions. By the end of the novella the reader finds George not agreeing with Curley and wanting to race against him when trying to find Lennie, whereas Slim comforts him like the heroin character he is.
