Old, one-handed swamper who fears being discarded. His dog's death and the farm dream are pivotal. Links to loneliness, responsibility and the American Dream.
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Watch first — Mrs Rumsey
Mrs Rumsey · Edexcel IGCSEAnalysis of Slim from OMAM
Key analysis
⚡ Section C — 40-mark essay: AO1 (20 marks — knowledge, argument, personal response) + AO4 (20 marks — 1930s context: Depression, itinerant workers, racism, gender). Every paragraph needs both. Closed book — memorise quotes.
Candy — key character points
Old, one-handed "swamper" — marginalised by age and disability in a world that values physical strength.
His dog mirrors his own situation: old, arthritic, useless to others, kept on out of sentiment.
He desperately joins the farm dream — "S'pose I went in with you guys" — offering his savings.
The dream briefly comes alive when Candy contributes: it moves from fantasy to possibility.
After Curley's wife is found dead, he knows it is over: "You an' me can get that little place" — but realises it is already gone.
His final act is to turn on Curley's wife's body in anger — a moment of displaced grief.
Candy and context
In 1930s America, older workers had no job security or pension rights.
Once unable to work, itinerant workers faced destitution — Candy's fear of being "cann'd" is existential.
Candy's dog being shot by Carlson prefigures George shooting Lennie — both mercy killings, both losses of companionship.
Steinbeck uses Candy to show how the Dream is not just George and Lennie's — it is collective, born of shared suffering.
"I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog."
Candy's defining regret
"I'd make a will an' leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, 'cause I ain't got no relatives or nothing."
Candy — desperate for belonging
Exam questions — 2 questions · 22 marks
1 markDog parallel
Why is the shooting of Candy's dog significant for the ending of the novel?
A It shows that Carlson is the most dangerous character on the ranch
B It directly foreshadows George shooting Lennie — both acts involve killing a beloved companion to spare them suffering. Candy's regret also teaches George to take the act personally.
C It demonstrates that animals are treated better than humans on the ranch
D It shows the men's casual cruelty to those weaker than themselves
20 marksCandy essayEdexcel IGCSE style
Explore the significance of Candy in Of Mice and Men. You must consider the context of the novel. (Full 40-mark question)
Hint: Plan: intro (fear of obsolescence) → his dog as symbolic double → Candy's regret and its link to the ending → farm dream (collective hope) → context (no safety net in 1930s) → dream destroyed → conclusion. Quote in every paragraph.