1. Characters
1.1. Lennie
1.1.1. A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental disability, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and traveling companion, for guidance and protection.
1.2. George
1.2.1. the foil of Lennie. Small ,smart, dark, cares for and is devoted to Lennie
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 "Dream/Plan"
1.4. Curly's Wife
1.4.1. the only female character; constantly flirts with the ranch hands
2. Theme
2.1. Companionship/friendship
2.1.1. 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.