Candy Quotes

Question 1

Dreams:
He is entranced by George and Lennie’s dream and is keen to hear more about a potential better life.

Answer 1

“Old Candy turned slowly over. His eyes were wide open. He watched George carefully.”

“Candy went on excitedly, “How much they want for a place like that?”

Question 2

Dreams:
He wants to join George and Lennie’s dream to feel valued, included and have a sense of purpose.

Answer 2

“I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some.”

“It’ll be on our own place, an’ I’ll be let to work on our own place.”

Question 3

Dreams:
He has to offer financial incentive before George allows him to join.

Answer 3

‘He leaned forward eagerly. “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hunderd an’ fifty bucks I’d put in.’

Question 4

Dreams:
His money makes the dream tangible.

Answer 4

“That’d be four fifty. I bet we could swing her for that.”

“This thing they had never really believed in was coming true.”

Question 5

Dreams:
He is determined to make the dream a success and plans to make money from the land.

Answer 5

“I been figuring out about them rabbits…I got it figured out. We can make some money on them rabbits if we go about it right.”

Question 6

Dreams:
He is passionate and protective of the dream.

Answer 6

‘Candy rubbed his cheek angrily. “You God damn right we’re gonna do it…we gonna do it now, and don’t you make no mistake about that. “‘

Question 7

Dreams:
Candy is selfishly concerned with the dream, rather than Curley’s Wife’s death.

Answer 7

‘Now Candy spoke his greatest fear. “You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we, George?…can’t we, George? Can’t we?
‘“Then—it’s all off?” Candy asked sulkily.”’

Question 8

Friendship:
Candy demonstrates how friendship isn’t common on the ranch.

Answer 8

“I ain’t interested in nothing you was sayin’. A guy on a ranch don’t never listen nor he don’t ast no questions.”

Question 9

Friendship:
He presents his friendship with his dog as the sole reason why he should remain alive, but it is ignored.

Answer 9

”I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup…I’m so used to him,” he said softly. “I had him from a pup.”

Question 10

Friendship:
He is insensitively shown how his dog will be killed and where he will be shot.

Answer 10

‘“I’d put the gun right there.” He pointed with his toe. “Right back of the head. He wouldn’t even quiver.”’

Question 11

Friendship:
The men offer no friendship or support to Candy after his dog is killed- they attempt to move past it.

Answer 11

“The men looked quickly at the old man… he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent.”

“George shuffled the cards noisily and dealt them.”

Question 12

Friendship:
He is so desperate to buy into a friendship that he is willing to leave every thing to George and Lennie.

Answer 12

“I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing.”

Question 13

Friendship:
Candy feels that he failed to properly honour and respect his friendship with his dog.

Answer 13

“I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”

Question 14

Friendship:
Candy uses his friendship as a weapon to belittle Curley’s Wife.

Answer 14

“You ain’t wanted here. We told you you ain’t.”

”…we got fren’s, that’s what we got.”

Question 15

Loneliness:
He frequently gossips about others in an attempt to foster friendships and have conversations with others.

Answer 15

“Tell you what…tell you what- Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife.”
“Well—she got the eye…I seen her give Slim the eye…I seen her give Carlson the eye.”

Question 16

Loneliness:
His age and physical disability prevents him from socialising with the other men.

Answer 16

“…the guys went into Soledad and raised hell. I didn’t go in there. I ain’t got the poop no more.”

Question 17

Loneliness:
He clings to the conversations of George and Lennie to feel included.

Answer 17

“Say, what the hell you doin’ listenin’?… You was pokin’ your big ears into our business.”

Question 18

Loneliness:
The thought of having his dog killed and being without him upsets Candy.

Answer 18

“…Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?” The old man squirmed uncomfortably.“

Question 19

Loneliness:
None of the men consider the emotional impact the dog’s death will have on Candy and Carlson consistently pressures him.

Answer 19

“Carlson was not to be put off”

“He don’t have no fun,” Carlson insisted.”

“He went to his bunk…and took out a Luger pistol. “Le’s get it over with,” he said.”

Question 20

Loneliness:
He enjoys feeling included with the other men, even if it’s at the expense of Curley.

Answer 20

‘“Candy joined the attack with joy. “Glove fulla vaseline,” he said disgustedly.”’

Question 21

Loneliness:
He insensitively comments on the loneliness that Crooks faces as he doesn’t recognise it.

Answer 21

‘“You got a nice cozy little place in here,” he said to Crooks. “Must be nice to have a room all to yourself this way.”’

Question 22

Loneliness:
He also mistakes Curley’s Wife’s loneliness as inappropriate flirtatious behaviour.

Answer 22

‘He said accusingly, “You gotta husban’. You got no call foolin’ aroun’ with other guys, causin’ trouble.”’

Question 23

Loneliness:
At the end, Candy is left behind by the other men and, due to the death of the dream, he is condemned to a life of loneliness.

Answer 23

“The sound of the men grew fainter. The barn was darkening gradually…Old Candy lay down in the hay and covered his eyes with his arm.“

Question 24

Treatment of others:
He seems to enjoy the violence of the ranch and sees the mistreatment of Crooks as a form of entertainment.

Answer 24

“Jesus, we had fun…Little skinner name of Smitty took after the nigger…”

“He paused in relish of the memory. “

Question 25

Treatment of others:
He enjoys gossiping about others with George.

Answer 25

“The swamper warmed to his gossip.”

Question 26

Treatment of others:
He initially allows his dog to linger in pain so he isn’t alone.

Answer 26

”This ol’ dog jus’ suffers hisself all the time… Can’t eat, can’t see, can’t even walk without hurtin’…”

Question 27

Treatment of others:
Candy is blinded by his misogynistic prejudice of Curley’s Wife that he can’t recognise that she is lonely, just like him.

Answer 27

“We ain’t got nothing to say to you at all… So maybe you better jus’ scatter along now.”

Question 28

Treatment of others:
Candy cruelly reminds Curley’s Wife about her loneliness.

Answer 28

“…we got fren’s, that’s what we got.”

Question 29

Treatment of others:
Even after her death, he is vindictive and abusive towards Curley’s Wife.

Answer 29

‘“You God damn tramp”, he said viciously.”’

“You wasn’t no good. You ain’t no good now, you lousy tart.”

Question 30

Treatment of others:
He mourns the death of his dream, not the death of Curley’s Wife.

Answer 30

“He paused, and then went on in a singsong. And he repeated the old words…”

Question 31

Power:
Candy is easily intimidated by powerful people, including the Boss and Curley.

Answer 31

“The old swamper looked quickly at him, and then shuffled to the door…shuffled past the boss and out the door.”

“Don’t tell Curley I said none of this. He’d slough me. He just don’t give a damn.”

Question 32

Power:
His job title suggests that he is relatively useless compared to the other workers.

Answer 32

“The old swamper”

Question 33

Power:
Candy is unable to influence or persuade the other men to keep his dog alive. He is pressured into having him killed.

Answer 33

“Candy looked helplessly at him… Candy looked for help from face to face.”

“Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none.”

“At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, “Awright—take ‘im.”

Question 34

Power:
Candy admits that he only remains on the ranch out of pity; he acknowledges that he is disposable and relatively useless.

Answer 34

”I lost my hand…That’s why they give me a job swampin’. An’ they give me two hundred an’ fifty dollars ‘cause I los’ my hand.”

“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.”

“I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs.”

Question 35

Power:
Curley’s Wife reminds Candy and Lennie that the other men disregard them and Candy acknowledges his powerlessness.

Answer 35

“Nobody’d listen to you, an’ you know it. Nobody’d listen to you.”

‘Candy subsided. “No . . . .” he agreed. “Nobody’d listen to us.”’

Question 36

Power:
Curley’s Wife cruelly comments on the insignificance of Lennie, Candy and Crooks.

Answer 36

“They left all the weak ones here”

”…a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep”

Question 37

Power:
He isn’t included in the hunt for Lennie - instead, Slim delegate him to remain behind with Curley’s Wife.

Answer 37

”You stay here with her then, Candy. The rest of us better get goin’.”

Question 38

Physical description:
The strenuous life that Candy has endured on the ranch has taken a physical toll on him.

Answer 38

“…a tall, stoop-shouldered old man”

Question 39

Physical description:
Candy’s dog, and its physical description, is used to represent the weakness and uselessness of Candy.

Answer 39

“…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…”

Question 40

Physical description:
His physical disability makes him unable to partake in the labour-intensive work in the ranch.

Answer 40

“…a round stick-like wrist, but no hand.”

”I ain’t much good with on’y one hand.”

Question 41

Physical description:
While speaking about Candy’s dog, Slim indirectly suggests that Candy himself is worthless due to his age and physical condition.

Answer 41

“I wisht somebody’d shoot me if I get old an’ a cripple.”