Of Mice and Men

How do the impairments the some of the characters have influence or reflect their roles in the novel?

Identify and describe these characters

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I think many of the characters in this novella have impairments to reflect their humanity. Lennie is mentally challenged, Candy feels old and useless, Curley's wife is merely a possession and Crooks has a physical impairment as well as his colour as an obstacle. All these "imperfections" bring out their struggles, their dreams and their humanity. Steinbeck knew that we are all broken people. Most of us hide our frailties but these characters where them on their sleeves for all to see. They represent suffering in all its beauty and tragedy.

I think many of the characters in this novella have impairments to reflect their humanity. The characters that had physical or mental impairments were George, Lennie, Curley's wife, and Candy. All these "imperfections" bring out their struggles, their dreams and their humanity Candy is an older ranch hand who has lost one hand in an accident, leaving him physically impaired. He is also emotionally vulnerable due to his age and fear of being rendered useless and discarded. Candy's physical impairment reflects his sense of vulnerability and his desperation to find a sense of belonging and security. His role in the novel revolves around his desire to be part of George and Lennie's dream of owning a piece of land, as he sees it as his last chance for dignity and stability.