Candy represents what happens to everyone who gets old in American society: They are let go, canned, and thrown out of their jobs were they expected to look after themselves. Candy shows this by presenting his greatest fear as that once he is no longer able to help with the cleaning he will be ‘disposed of.’ Just like his old dog, he has lived beyond his usefulness. Carson makes clear when he insists that Candy let him put the dog out of its misery. Candy’s dog serves as a harsh reminder of the fate that awaits anyone who outlives his usefulness. Though the pet was once a great sheepdog, it was put out to pasture once it stopped being productive.
Candy Character Analysis Candy is an old ranch worker ("swamper") who has lost one of his hands in a farm accident. Candy and his relationship with his ancient, reeking dog are important in the book as markers for exactly who you don’t want to be. Candy has spent the best years of his life working on someone else’s ranch, only to lose his hand and have little money. Given these circumstances, Candy’s dog parallels Candy’s plight. Though the pet was once a great sheepherder, it was put out to pasture once it stopped being productive.
Carlson and Whit are more minor characters in the novella. Carlson is unsentimental and aggressive, and he convinces Candy to let him shoot his dog. Whit is native and enthusiastic about lie – he likes simple pleasures and is easily amused. Carlson is insensitive; this is because he does not consider anyone’s feelings. He thinks that Candy’s dog should be shot because it is old and smelly, he persistently argues to shoot the dog, an example is when he says “Well, I can’t stand him in here” and “and he stinks to bear hell.
However, there are some old people who are still fit and capable of working. It is a sad thought as Candy is waiting to be put out of his misery, as he is old he believes there is nothing to look forward to, before the dream farm. Due to his damaged he is unable to do a lot of the jobs that the other ranch hands do making him instantly an outsider. Also because he thinks that he is old he puts himself in a state of mind which handicaps him far more than his missing hand ever will. His life echoes that of his dog, he was once "the best damn sheep-dog I ever seen" but now is next to useless, Candy's life has gone somewhat the same way.
-Instead of acting with fear, were encouraged to think sympathetically of how he will look in old age, when the tattoos become “sad”. Vocabulary to do with art or painting "ink”, "daubed” and “dyed” - pun with 'died' (ink has sunk into his “brain”.) tattoos are permanent, people are not, eventually everything will be gone. structure of the sentences mirror the way the dog walks behind the clown punk. Attitudes/themes/ideas either frightening or comic narrator warns, "don't laugh”.
‘Of Mice and Men’ has many different relationships mentioned, and many different types. There is the marriage of Curly and his wife, as well as the relationship between the men on the ranch. The time the novel is set in has an impact on the relationship as well since Friendship is a strong issue in the novel, and a lack of it. Even Slim finds it "funny how you an' 'im string along together" talking about George and Lennie. The boss thinks George must be "takin' his pay" (Lennie's) because he "never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy".
Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya,’ he cried, ‘I tell ya a guy get’s too lonely an’ he gets sick” (69). Crooks’ illustrates that his lack of companionship manifests itself physically and emotionally. The only alleviation of these symptoms for Crooks occurs when he offers to work on Candy, George, and Lennie’s farm (Steinbeck 76). Similarly, Curley’s wife seeks out other people as a way to cope with her loneliness.
The imagery in lines nine and ten of “Golden Retrievals” helps depict the insouciant attitude of the dog. The theme in “Roosting Hawk” is man’s vanity; the hawk believes everything is his and relatively, so does man. The incorrectness of the hawk’s ideas demonstrate how mans idea of his own invincibility is also incorrect. The theme depicted from “Golden Retrievals” is to not dwell in the past or future; rather, become more like the golden retriever who thinks in the moment and lives solely in the present. This is put into words when the dog says, “Either you’re sunk in the past, half our walk, thinking of what you never can bring back, or else you’re off in some fog concerning tomorrow, is that what you call it”
"You wouldn't think it to look at him now, but he was the best damn sheep dog I have ever seen." As a reader, the individual can see how highly the character commends his dog. Also through the text the reader can see how Candy relies on his dog. They both need each other. Candy needed his dog to get jobs on a cattle farm as he could herd animals and his dog needed an owner in his older age.
The first point in which the killing of Candy’s dog and Lennie’s death relate to each other is that simply, the dog was Candy’s closest friend and Lennie was Georges. In both cases, they rely on each other and don’t care about what others think. For instance, even though Candy’s dog was old, useless and disliked by the other workers “God awmighty that dog stinks.” Candy didn’t care about what they said, “…he was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen.” The same way George would stick up for Lennie, “…he’s a God damn good worker.” Carlson was also one of the biggest influences in the deaths; he only wanted the strongest and fittest to work there so therefore as the dog and Lennie were weak, he thought of them as useless. He kept persuading Candy to have his companion killed due to his lack of strength, so when he finally was allowed to kill the dog, it was for selfish reasons not thinking at all of poor Candy’s reactions. In comparison, Slim was more thoughtful and wanted the dog dead for its own good because of its poor health: “He ain't no good to you, Candy.