How Does Steinbeck Present The Character Candy In

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How does Steinbeck present the character candy in of mice and men? Steinbeck uses candy as a reflection of our natural morality in the novel of mice and men; we are first introduced to candy as quite a nice character whom is the first to talk to lennie and George on the ranch. This plays on the idea that we should all be nice and friendly towards others and that we should try to make friends which is in essence what he attempts to do. From physical description Steinbeck presents him in quite a vulnerable way clearly stating that he is not as fit for work as some of the others on the farm. In a later on scene we see candy who is confronted by Carlson who wants to kill his dog. As we were brought up we are told that killing anything is wrong and most of us would have the same reluctance as candy to killing our own dog despite the state it’s in. we retain these attitudes from our youth and believe that it’s the right way but as slim says its much crueller to keep the dog alive when it isn’t any good to itself. The point Steinbeck is trying to make is that we as an audience are most comparable to candy in our attitudes behaviours and opinions. And that our views on life are very different to what life is. Steinbeck also uses candy to reflect another characteristic in ourselves which is commonly known as pack mentality. We get the sense that Curly’s wife has not been particularly pleasant to candy nor crooks before the beginning of the play. But in Crooks’s hut they have the upper hand and we see them all verbally attack curly’s wife. This is a reflection of our human tendency to band together whenever we can to gain the upper hand and weather this is a good thing or not is down to
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