
1. Characters
1.1. Lennie
1.1.1. big in build, shapeless in face and has mental disability. He often gets himself into trouble since he likes petting soft things but his abnormal strength often kills the animal.
1.2. George
1.2.1. foil of Lennie, small, dark, smart, cares for Lennie and is devoted.
1.3. Candy
1.3.1. old ranch handyman, lost his hand in an accident, worries about his future on the ranch & therefore wants to join George and Lennie's plan/dream.
1.4. Curley's wife
1.4.1. the only female character; flirtacious.
2. Literary Techniques
2.1. Foreshadowing
2.1.1. When the dog was killed to end his suffering.
2.1.1.1. Lennie getting killed by George to end his misery.
2.1.2. Lennie killed the mouse at the beginning of the novel on accident as he was petting it for his fondness of soft things.
2.1.2.1. Lennie killed Curley's wife on accident when he was petting her hair.
2.2. Diction
2.2.1. old "farmer type", Southern style language, improper grammar, the dialogue shows they are uneducated.
2.3. Foil
2.3.1. George & Lennie
3. Theme
3.1. Companionship/Friendship
3.1.1. Even though Lennie had a mental disability and made George's life far more difficult, having to constantly relocate, watch him, and take care of him, George stayed by Lennie's side.
3.1.2. In the end, George shot and killed Lennie not out of violence, but to insure a quick, painless death and to avoid the pain, confusion, and violence that would have surely came when the ranch workers found Lennie, including Curley, whose wife Lennie killed.