CANDY Flashcards
(4 cards)
Themes Candy Represents
Loneliness & Isolation – Candy fears being useless and alone.
Age & Disability – He is marginalised due to being old and disabled.
Powerlessness – Candy has little influence or authority on the ranch.
The American Dream – He invests his hopes and money in George and Lennie’s plan.
Fear of Obsolescence – Like his dog, he feels he’s close to being “put down.”
Key Quotes & Analysis
- “They’ll can me purty soon.”
— Candy knows his age and disability make him vulnerable. “Can me” means fire me—he’s just waiting to be replaced. - “I ought to of shot that dog myself.”
— A powerful moment of regret. Reflects personal responsibility, and foreshadows George’s decision to kill Lennie himself. - “When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me.”
— A tragic quote showing how Candy equates loss of purpose with the end of life. Reflects attitudes toward the elderly and disabled in 1930s America. - “S’pose I went in with you guys.”
— His excitement about the dream farm reflects his desperate hope for a better future. He wants companionship and security. - “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else.”
— The parallel between Candy and his dog is clear—both are considered useless and unwanted.
Contextual Points
1930s America / Great Depression – Old and disabled workers like Candy were often discarded.
The Dust Bowl & Job Insecurity – Candy’s desire for stability and security reflects the real struggles of itinerant workers.
Euthanasia & Utility – The shooting of his dog shows the harshness of a society that values people only for their productivity.
American Dream – Candy’s involvement shows how widespread the dream was—even for those with little hope.
Structural Role
Candy helps reveal the cruelty of life on the ranch.
He offers a practical way for George and Lennie’s dream to seem possible.
After the dream dies, Candy is devastated—highlighting the novel’s tragic tone.
His emotional arc mirrors the overall theme of lost hope.
