the bunkhouse. Later in chapter two, he is cleaning the washroom.

Candy is very old. He's lived his whole life as a ranch worker and doesn't have much of anything to show for it. He is straightforward and honest in his dealings with George and Lennie. George is suspicious when he sees a can of bug or rat killer on the beds that Candy points to them. He thinks Candy is giving them the worst bedd, possibly lice-infested ones. Candy could have used the opportunity to torment them or be mean, but he doesn't. Candy explains that the guy who left the can was fastidiously clean. When George inspects the bed, he finds what Candy says to be true. Candy also seems to be respectful and concerned with making sure George and Lennie know that he wasn't eavesdropping on their conversation after they meet Curley.

Candy is very thin and missing a hand. He lost the hand in a farm accident, and it is a significant handicap to be a ranch worker without a hand. Candy also has a dog, a very old do, who probably should be put down, but Candy can't bring himself to do it. This shows his tender heart. Here is the description of Candy's dog:

The old man came slowly into the room. He had his broom in his hand. And at his heels there walked a dragfooted sheepdog, gray of muzzle, and with pale, blind old eyes. The dog struggled lamely to the side of the room and lay down, grunting softly to himself and licking his grizzled, moth-eaten coat. The swamper watched him until he was settled. "I wasn't listenin'. I was jus' standin' in the shade a minute scratchin' my dog. I jus' now finished swampin' out the wash house."

The "old swamper," Candy is a handyman who has lost one hand in an accident on the ranch. Much like his old sheep dog, Candy has outlived much of his usefulness. But, he is a kind man and offers friendship to George and Lennie.

Strengths

• Candy is a likable man; he knows the gossip of the ranch, and he enjoys talking to the men. For instance, when George and Lennie arrive, Candy informs them that the boss expected them last night and "[W]as sore as hell when you wasn't here to go out this morning." Later, however, he tells them that the boss is "a pretty nice fella" because he brings all the workers a gallon of whisky at Christmas time.  
• He is loyal, as is his old dog, and he is fairly trustworthy. When Candy re-enters the bunkhouse after the boss departs, he tells the pair that he was just outside, scratching his dog and not eavesdropping.
• Candy offers his friendship and fraternity as he advises George about Curley, mentioning his abilities and his weaknesses. He also informs George about Curley's wife. Candy is excited about the idea of owning a little farm; he offers his life savings, giving George hope for the first time of making the dream farm a reality. So firm is Candy in his desire for this farm, that even after Curley's wife is killed, he begs George to continue to plan with him.

Weaknesses

• Candy is handicapped and old. In the harsh times in which he lives, Candy worries that he may be fired for no longer being useful.
• If the men do get a farm, there will be little that Candy can do.
• He has no influence in deterring Curley's wife from staying in the barn when she intrudes upon the men as they talk in Crooks's room.

External Conflicts

• Candy does not really want to have his dog put down, but Carlson is too big and strong for him to oppose the man's taking the dog outside and shooting it.
• When Crooks argues that the dream farm will never materialize, Candy becomes angry: "...we're gonna do it. George says we are. We got the money right now." 
• When Curley's wife comes into the barn, Candy opposes her intrusion into their little brotherhood, 

"Maybe you just better go along an' roll your hoop. We ain't got nothing to say to you at all. We know what we got, and we don't care whether you know it or not."

However, he loses against her as she threatens Crooks by saying that he better keep his place, and when Candy tells her that he and Lennie will verify that he has not done anything, Curley's wife laughs and says, "Tell an' be damned....Nobody'd listen to you an' you know it."

Internal Conflicts

• Candy worries that he will be declared useless, much like his old dog, and sent away from the ranch.
• When he stops outside Crooks's room, Candy struggles with whether he should enter after never having done so before. When Crooks irritably invites him, Candy feels embarrassed. 
• He is very anxious about what the rest of his life will be like, especially after Curley's wife dies and the hope of the dream is threatened.

The main characters in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck are Lennie Small and George Milton, two migrant workers. Lennie's surname defies his true stature as he is a big man which is part of the problem for the simple-minded Lennie who has no concept of his own brute strength which will, tragically lead to his ultimate death. George, Lennie's best friend and his protector, is somewhat overwhelmed by his role but he tries to protect Lennie who unwittingly brings trouble upon himself repeatedly. Lennie does have an idea that he is a burden and offers to, "fin' a cave an' I'll live there so I won't be no more trouble to George," but he really wants to raise rabbits on a ranch with George and the two men do talk of their dream to "live off the fatta the lan'."

Candy, an old ranch hand on a farm where the two men find work, is able to add an almost realistic edge to George and Lennie's dreams of their own ranch as he has some money saved and, if he joins the two men, perhaps there is a possibility of a future for all of them. Candy is old and obviously suffered during his working life, with only one hand and  stooped shoulders. He despises Curley's wife and his lack of compassion can be seen when, after she dies, Candy mocks her and almost blames her for the situation. He is bitter as he watches any dream of escape and a new life flash by. 

Candy is a somewhat lonely, worn-out ranch hand who temporarily enjoys the dream of owning some property with George and Lennie. Good-natured and kind, Candy works on the ranch cleaning up the bunk-house because he has only one hand and, besides that, he is a bit too old to hump barley bags.

"Candy, a swamper on the barley ranch. He makes George’s and Lennie’s dream seem possible, for he has three hundred and fifty dollars and wants to join them" (eNotes).

Physically, Candy is introduced as a "tall, stoop-shouldered old man" who, at one point, extends his right arm "and out of the sleeve came a round stick-like wrist, but no hand."

Candy's shining moment in the story comes when he defends his friends and their dream of land ownership against the ridicule of Curley's wife in Crooks' room in the stable house. Though Candy quickly subsides and abandons his position as an assertive, confident and potent personage on the ranch, he does display here a certain nobility. 

Describing Candy (character, appearance and actions) in just four sentences, we might say:

Candy is an old, crippled ranch hand who works sweeping out the bunk house. He is a friendly person, though he lacks friends. He shows a certain amount of nobility and generosity in the story, offering up his own money to support a shared dream of land ownership and defending that dream against the cynical wife of Curley. In the end, Candy is disappointed when Lennie destroys the possibility of achieving that dream, but for a time he is happy with the promise of it. 

Candy is generally welcoming to all characters. As the man who greets George and Lennie, he is especially kind and informative. His congenial behavior suggests he longs for friends and is therefore approving of George and Lennie from the beginning. As the story continues and he learns of their dream, he is anxious to join and willing to offer a great sum of money to join their idea.

Candy classifies Curley's wife as a tart. He does not trust her and warns other men of her flirtatious behavior.

When Candy's dog smells up the bunkhouse because he is old, Carlson encourages that it is time for the dog to be put to sleep. Candy disagrees, but reluctantly allows Carlson to take care of this situation to maintain his relationships with the entire group. Although it hurts him greatly, he makes this sacrifice to maintain the guys' respect.

Candy does not like Curley, the boss' son. He thinks Curley is mean and that he's pretty "handy". What he means is that Curley is pretty good in a fight.

Candy is disadvantaged in two major ways, he is old and he is missing a hand.

These two characteristics reduce Candy to a marginal status on the ranch. He does what he can, but he can't do much. Candy cleans the bunk house and serves as host to new-comers like George and Lennie.

Due to Candy's physical handicaps, he has no power at the ranch. Morally and socially speaking he is also handicapped as the heirarchy on the ranch is largely determined by physical ability (which is a major factor in Slim's status at the top of the social ladder in Of Mice and Men - he is a great skinner; very physically gifted.)

We can see how Candy's social position is one of disadvantage when he is convinced to allow Carlson to shoot his dog. Candy does not want to kill his dog or to have it killed, but he defers in his opinion to Slim and the others.

Though all this is certainly true of Candy, he also possesses the advantage of not being in need of work. He can quit because he has some money. He is a white male and this also gives him some social advantages over the demographically disadvantaged characters of Crooks and Curley's wife.

If you use this response in your own work, it must be cited as an expert answer from eNotes. All expert answers on eNotes are indexed by Google and other search engines. Your teacher will easily be able to find this answer if you claim it as your own.

Candy mostly expresses his feelings to George. When he first meets George and Lennie, he tells them all about each of the characters on the ranch and his feelings about the various workers. He informs George that he thinks Curley's wife is a "tart" and Curley a bully.

In Chapter Three, after Carlson shoots his dog, he reveals his fears to George about what will happen to him when he can't swamp out the bunks anymore. He even offers to contribute all of his money to the farm which George dreams of buying. He tells George,

“I got hurt four year ago,” he said. “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county. Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it. An’ I’ll wash dishes an’ little chicken stuff like that. But I’ll be on our own place, an’ I’ll be let to work on our own place.” He said miserably, “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs. I’ll have thirty dollars more comin’, time you guys is ready to quit.” 

In John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," the author considers many types of men in his theme of alienation vs. the brotherhood of man.  Maimed, old, and past his usefulness, Candy, the "old swamper" who is much like his old, decrepit dog, is relegated to being the sweeper of the bunkhouse and the one who hangs around during the day. At this point in his life, Candy leads a "life of quiet desperation" as Thoreau once wrote.  For, he knows that he is barely useful and the future looks extemely bleak for him as he faces alienation from the other men and a solitary death.

As he shows George and Lennie around after their arrival, Candy shows that he is kind-hearted, speaking charitably about Crooks, the pariah who must live by himself in the stable because he is black. 

Candy is also fearful as he quickly fades from the scene when the boss enters the bunkhouse, knowing he will be in trouble if he is caught standing around talking and worried that he will be fired.  His alienation fromthe others who are out in the field is reinforced in this scene.  In fact, his only friend is his old dog.  When the men suggest that the old dog, who stinks, needs to be shot and Slim agrees, Candy "looked helplessly at him, for Slim's opinions were law." As the unfeeling Carlson explains how he will shoot the dog, Candy "looked for help from face to face," but finds "no reversal" of his fate. Later he tells George,

You seen what they done to my dog tonight?  they says he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else.  When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoo me.  But they won't do nothing like that.  I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no more jobs. 

As they converse, George learns that Candy has saved money he has received from the loss of his hand in a farm accident. Learning of Candy's money makes George include the swamper in on their dream of having a ranch since George perceives that this dream with which he has merely patronized Lennie, now has possibility, thus reinforcing Steinbeck's theme that when they work/live together men can have better lives. [fraternity]  

When George includes Candy in the ranch plans, they then all

sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about.

After this moment of fraternity, Candy, renewed in life because of his sense of belonging again, feels more kindly towards others, even Crooks, whose lonely room he has never entered before he comes looking for Lennie.  He assumes a brotherly role toward Lennie, defending him against the insinuations of Curley's wife as he tells her he will report what she says to George.  He also consoles Lennie, telling him "Don't you worry none."

Later, when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife who, in Eve-like fashion, has enticed Lennie into talking and sitting with her, Candy gets George and leads him into the stable.  As they discover the dead woman and George says they need to catch Lennie, Candy defensively urges George to let him get away because "Curley'll get 'im killed."  He then expresses "his greatest fear":

'You an' me can get that little place, can't we, Geoge?  You an' me can go there an' live nice, can't we, George?  Can't we?'

In despair, George "says softly,"

'--I think I knowed from the very first.  I think I knowed we'd never do her.  He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would.'

Clearly, Candy is an important character because he is pivotal to the plot of "Of Mice and Men" as well as important to the theme of fraternity vs. alienation in Steinbeck's novella.

Steinbeck intended to paint a word picture of a big ranch in the Salinas Valley, employing crews of itinerant workers. He couldn't introduce and describe all the men on the ranch, so he picked a few to represent all the others and to represent such farm workers in general. Out of all the men on the big ranch he really only focused on the boss, the boss's son Curley, Candy, Slim, Crooks, and Carlson, along with the newcomers George and Lennie. Introducing a selected number of farm workers to represent farm workers in general was one of Steinbeck's major narrative problems, and Candy, who was the first one to appear after the boss, is extremely useful for the purposes he serves. He is the type of character that Henry James referred to as a ficelle--someone who knows all the ropes, can provide necessary information about past and present, and holds the plot together. He sees everything, knows everything, and likes to talk. The others were mostly silent men who stayed in the background and had no dialogue. Steinbeck wrote the short novel with the intention of turning it into a stage play, and the play would undoubtedly have included a number of extras in overalls to create the desired illusion.

Candy is a useful character for exposition purposes. He spends his time around the bunkhouse and the other buildings because he is unable to work in the fields. All the other men are gone throughout the day, so Candy is there to greet George and Lennie when they arrive, to show them their bunks, and to provide information--in dialogue--which the reader and the audience need to know. He also represents the precarious situation of the men who get old and worn out, and he is useful for plot purposes because he has some money which seems to make George and Lennie's dream of owning their own farm realizable.

The old swamper, Candy, is an essential character for Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men because he is pivotal to the plot as well as to the theme of the Fraternity of Men. 

CANDY'S CHARACTER FURTHERS THE THEME OF FRATERNITY

When Candy's dog is shot, the swamper is bereft, believing himself alone and alienated in his aged and maimed condition.  But, when George allows him to share in the dream of owning a ranch because he has money saved, Candy feels renewed in life and whole because of his sense of belonging again instead of worrying that he will be disposed of like his dog.  For, like Crooks who longs for another man to be with him sometimes by whom he can "measure" himself, Candy finds meaning in sharing a friendship and a dream with George and Lennie, thus underscoring the importance of fraternity. 

CANDY'S CHARACTER FURTHERS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLOT

For one thing, the addition of Candy into the plot adds a third dimension to the dream of Lennie and George, thereby giving it more reality.  And, this dream is the provider of hope for the lonely "bindle stiffs."  Once Candy is included in the dream plans, he interacts more with the other men, demonstrating how destructive his alineation has been as it has separated him from the other men in a manner that has produced aggressiveness, hatred, and fear.  But, when Candy joins Lennie and George, there is a camaraderie built among them that contrasts greatly with this separation Candy has felt before, especially once his dog is shot. Moreover, the alienation that Curley feels from the workers, a separation that generates his pugnacious and hateful behavior, is perceived as an alienation not dissimilar in nature to Candy's when it is juxtaposed with the incidents involving Candy and his dog.

In addition, Candy gives voice to many of the ideas and feelings of George and Lennie.  For, when he discovers that Lennie has inadvertently killed Curley's wife, he is angry because this Eve has interfered with the men's fraternity. He looks down as the body of Curley's wife,

"You done it, di n't you?  I s'pose you're glad.  ever'body knowed you'd mess things up.  You wasn't no good.  You ain't no good now, you lousy tart." 

"I should have knew," George said hopelessly. "I guess maybe way back in my head I did."

The interference of the woman has broken the spell of the fraternity of the men; Candy verbalizes this loss, and physically he illustrates it as he lies down in the hay and covers his eyes with his arm, just as he has done when Carlson shot his old dog.

The most obvious way I can think of that Candy is misunderstood is when it comes to his dog.  The rest of the ranch hands seem to think that Candy can be objective about the dog.  They think he will see that it should be killed and replaced with another dog.  It might be logical, but they don't understand how attached he is to the dog.  He probably identifies with it because he is afraid that the boss will throw him out once he is too old to work anymore.

As far as effects go, killing the dog makes him want to leave the ranch and go with Lennie and George to the farm they dream of having.

Candy is written as an old "swamper" who lost one hand as a result of an accident while working on someone else's farm. Candy is discriminated against because of his age and disability; because of this, he is in constant fear that he will be terminated from the ranch he is struggling to work on. His disability prevents him from working alongside the other men. A form of alienation that he faces is simply a result of the fact that he has outworn his ability to function as a worker on a farm or in any other position. He and others sense that he has no "usefulness" in a laborer position.

His toothless aging dog is an important figure and companion to him. In a turn of events, Candy's dog gets shot. It is important to note that his dog is also described as not useful, toothless, foul smelling, and brittle with age. As such, his alienation deepens and his sense of purpose diminishes. Eventually, Candy gains a presumed friendship with Lennie and George. However, at the end of the story, he returns to his old position, and the dreams he had shared with Lennie and George become unattainable.

Candy is old and has only one functioning hand. He worries that he will soon become relatively useless as a worker on the ranch. This is why Candy is interested in George's and Lennie's dream of owning their own farm. Knowing that he can not be useful as a rancher for much longer, Candy offers to contribute money to Lennie and George so that he might join them on their own farm. 

Candy's dog is similar in that he is old and useless. Candy eventually allows Carlson to put the dog out of his misery. Candy recognizes that, just like his dog, he can become obsolete. 

He said miserably, "You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoot me. But they won't do nothing like that. I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no more jobs. I'll have thirty dollars more comin', time you guys is ready to quit." 

Candy clings to the idea/dream of joining George and Lennie on their own farm, as if it is his last hope. When Candy and George find Curleys' wife dead, Candy seems to know that the dream is also dead. 

Candy is depicted as an old handicapped swamper who fears losing his job once he is unable to clean the bunkhouse. Candy is a relatively weak character who is defenseless in the hostile environment on the ranch and places his trust in George and Lennie.

Despite Candy's obvious flaws, he is depicted as a loyal, hopeful man. Once Candy learns about George and Lennie's dream of purchasing their own estate, he offers to contribute his life savings to help make their dream a reality. The fact that Candy offers his life savings to newcomers on the farm emphasizes his gracious, trusting nature. Candy is also a faithful, optimistic man, who genuinely believes in their collective dream of owning an estate. Unlike Crooks, Candy is not suspicious of George and Lennie and does not question their intentions.

The fact that Candy chooses to align himself with George and Lennie also depicts him as a good judge of character. Candy is immediately aware that George and Lennie are honest, upright individuals, which is why he trusts them with his money. Candy's ability to save up three hundred dollars also portrays him as a financially responsible individual, which is another positive character trait. The fact that Candy regrets not shooting his ancient dog also reveals that he is an introspective person who analyzes his actions and is aware of his strengths and weaknesses.

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows that most of the characters, like human beings in general, have good and bad, kind and cruel, generous and selfish sides to their natures. Candy is no exception, but he has to keep his darker side hidden. He is old and weak, virtually a charity case. He can’t afford to antagonize anyone. He is holding on to his precarious position in constant fear of being cast out with no hope of finding another job.

Here is Steinbeck’s description of Curley’s dead wife:

Curley’s wife lay with a half-covering of yellow hay. And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly. The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted.

And here is what Candy says to the dead girl when he is alone with her:

“You God damn tramp,” he said viciously. “You done it, di’n’t you? I s’pose you’re glad. Ever’body knowed you’d mess things up. You wasn’t no good. You ain’t no good now, you lousy tart.”

Steinbeck had already shown that nearly every character had a cruel side. George protected and cared for Lennie, but he also abused him verbally on many occasions. Lennie loved little animals but accidentally killed them. The boss who interviewed George and Lennie was a just and hard-working man but also a bully. Curley had a vicious streak he didn’t even try to hide; instead it was his vulnerable side he tried to keep hidden. Poor lonely Crooks is an object of pity, but he takes sadistic pleasure in torturing Lennie by suggesting that George may have abandoned him. Curley’s wife is sexy and seductive, but this simple girl shows a shocking mean streak when she suggests to Crooks that she could easily have him lynched just by claiming he molested her. Carlson shows his mean streak when he gets all the men to pressure Candy into letting him kill his old dog.

Candy does not show the dark side to his nature until he curses the dead girl in the barn. Steinbeck must have invented this dialogue for the specific purpose of showing that Candy was like all the others (with the possible exception of Slim) in having a cruel streak. Candy is only thinking about himself and his own disappointment. He cares nothing about the girl. He can’t see that her face is “sweet and young” or that “the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face.” This ugly side had to be shown somewhere in order to make Candy seem like a real person and not just a quaint, stereotypical character.

Steinbeck was one of the most popular writers of his day, and he remains popular with discriminating readers because of his honest, realistic depiction of men and women of a certain social class. His fiction evokes many strong feelings, but he is never maudlin or romantic. He was always a realist, and his characters are always realistic in their being human and thus being mixtures of good and bad, kind and cruel, generous and selfish, strong and weak, honest and dishonest qualities. Like most of us.

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Candy suffers physically, psychologically, and emotionally.

Candy is old, tired, frail, and unable to perform physical tasks as well as he used to. He is missing a hand, which he injured and lost due to a work-related accident. No longer able to meet the physical demands of being a ranch worker, Candy now works as a cleaner.

Candy believes himself to be useless because of his age and physical limitations. He has a negative self-image and feels that he no longer serves a purpose and is a burden to those around him. He is unhappy and lives in constant fear of being fired. He has a glimmer of hope when George and Lennie agree to include him in their plan to buy a ranch of their own. That hope is quickly extinguished when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, forcing Lennie and George to flee.

Candy’s closest companion is an old dog. Much like Candy, the dog used to be able to work (as a sheepdog) but is now too old to be of use. The ranch workers complain about the dog’s presence and unpleasant odor and believe it should be put out of its misery. Carlson kills the dog, and Candy is left without his beloved companion. Not only is Candy saddened by the loss of his pet, but he considers the dog’s death to be a portent of how he himself will be treated when he is no longer able to work in any capacity.

Candy suffers from physical ailments caused by age and the loss of his hand. He suffers psychologically, believing himself to be useless and of no value. He feels he has outlived his purpose and could be fired at any moment. He suffers emotionally when his dog is killed and endures even more emotional and psychological suffering when his dreams of owning a ranch with George and Lennie are dashed.

In the course of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie Small go to work on a barley farm near Soledad, California. The two men share a dream that binds them together. They dream of owning a little house of their own and living off the fat of the land.

Upon arriving at the barley farm, George and Lennie become acquainted with the other men who work on the farm. One night, an old fellow named Candy overhears George telling Lennie about this dream and becomes interested. He has some money saved up and could provide them with a financial foundation they need to buy the little farm.

Candy is interested in their dream house because he feels like he is not much use on the barley farm anymore (he lost his hand four years earlier in an accident) and he believes that he will be fired fairly soon. Candy tells George that he just wants to do a few jobs on the farm and feel like he is of use to someone. He also wants to experience some sense of freedom and independence. Thus, Candy reasons:

"Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it. An’ I’ll wash dishes an’ little chicken stuff like that. But I’ll be on our own place, an’ I’ll be let to work on our own place.”