In Of Mice and Men, Candy fears outliving his usefulness.
Candy is a loyal, hardworking man who has lost his hand in an accident. Despite his disability, he remains positive and dreams for the future.
Candy is also a key figure in the novel’s central conflict: the fight for survival between man and nature.
His quotes reflect this struggle and the hope that comes with it.
Here are 30 Candy quotes from Of Mice and Men, sorted by page number.
Of Mice and Men Quotes With Page Numbers
Candy Character Description
Candy, a character from John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” is a sad and aging ranch handyman who loses his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch.
He characterizes the fears of growing old and becoming useless. But he also shares in George and Lennie’s dreams.
Candy’s Fear: His aging and disabled sheepdog symbolizes Candy himself. Candy tells George Milton, “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.” (Chapter 3, Page 60).
This illustrates his fear of becoming unfit and an outcast in a society that values productivity and strength.
Candy’s Regret: Candy regrets letting a stranger shoot his dog, stating, “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (Chapter 3, Page 61).
This embodies his regrets, particularly his inability to control circumstances, especially regarding the fate of things he loves.
Candy’s Hope: Despite his physical limitations and insecurities, Candy seeks companionship and hopes for a better future.
He proposes the idea of joining George and Lennie in their dream of owning a ranch, saying, “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?” (Chapter 3, Page 59).
This reveals his desire to invest in a place where he’ll be valued and can continue working despite his old age.
Observations about Others: Candy also provides insightful observations about characters like Curley. He notes, “Curley’s like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys.” (Chapter 2, Page 26). His observations illuminate the novel’s themes of inequality and antagonism.
Candy represents the elderly, the disabled, and, most importantly, dreams shattered by the harsh reality of life. Despite his physical limitations and hardships, his character speaks volumes about the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Candy Of Mice and Men Quotes With Page Numbers
“They let the n***** come in that night. Little skinner name of Smithy took after the n*****. Done pretty good, too. The guys wouldn’t let him use his feet, so the n***** got him. If he coulda used his feet, Smitty says he woulda killed the n*****. The guys said on account of the n*****’s got a crooked back, Smitty can’t use his feet.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, about Crooks (George Milton and Candy), Chapter 2, Page 20
“The old man came slowly into the room. He had his broom in his hand. And at his heels there walked a dragfooted sheep dog, 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 he shad a minute scratchin’ my dog.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, (The Narrator about Candy), Chapter 2, Page 24
“A guy on a ranch don’t never listen nor he don’t ast no questions.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, (Candy), Chapter 2, Page 24
“Curley’s like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at ’em because he ain’t a big guy. You seen little guys like that, ain’t you? Always scrappy?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 2, Page 26
“Say, what the hell’s he got on his shoulder? Lennie didn’t do nothing to him.”
The old man looked cautiously at the door to make sure no one was listening. “That’s the boss’s son,” he said quietly. “Curley’s pretty handy. He done quite a bit in the ring. He’s a lightweight, and he’s handy.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George and Candy about Curley, Chapter 2, Page 26
“Never did seem right to me. S’pose Curley jumps a big guy an’ licks him. Ever’body says what a game guy Curley is. And s’pose he does the same thing and gets licked. Then ever’body says the big guy oughtta pick somebody his own size, and maybe they gang up on the big guy. Seems like Curley ain’t givin’ nobody a chance.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 2, Pages 26, 27
“The old man sat down on another box. “Don’t tell Curley I said none of this. He’d slough me. He just don’t give a damn. Won’t ever get canned ’cause his old man’s the boss.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 2, Page 27
“Seems to me like he’s worse lately,” said the swamper. “He got married a couple of weeks ago. Wife lives over in the boss’s house. Seems like CurIey is cockier’n ever since he got married.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy, Chapter 2, Page 27
“You seen that glove on his left hand?”
“Yeah. I seen it.”
“Well, that glove’s fulla vaseline.”
“Vaseline? What the hell for?”
“Well, I tell ya what – Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy, Chapter 2, Page 27
“Well – she got the eye.”
“Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye? Maybe that’s why Curley’s pants is full of ants.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy, Chapter 2, Page 28
“You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?”
“Hell no.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy, Chapter 2, Page 28
“Well, you ain’t bein’ kind to him keepin’ him alive.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Carlson to Candy, Chapter 3, Page 45
“The old man squirmed uncomfortably. “Well – hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him.” He said proudly, “You wouldn’t think it to look at him now, but he was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 3, Page 45
“Carl’s right, Candy. That dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht somebody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple.”
“Candy looked helplessly at him, for Slim’s opinions were law.
“Maybe it’d hurt him,” he suggested. “I don’t mind takin’ care of him.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Slim and Candy, Chapter 3, Page 45
“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.” He did not look down at the dog at all. He lay back on his bunk and crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Slim and Candy, Chapter 3, Pages 47, 48
“A shot sounded in the distance. The men looked quickly at the old man. Every head turned toward him.
For a moment he continued to stare at the ceiling. Then he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, The narrator about Candy, Chapter 3, Page 49
“When Candy spoke they both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible. Candy said, “You know where’s a place like that?”
George was on guard immediately. “S’pose I do,” he said. “What’s that to you?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy and George, Chapter 3, Pages 58, 59
“I ain’t much good with on’y one hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch. That’s why they give me a job swampin’. An’ they give me two hundred an’ fifty dollars ’cause I los’ my hand An’ I got fifty more saved up right in the bank, right now. Tha’s three hunderd, and I got fifty more comin’ the end a the month. Tell you what-” He leaned forward eagerly. “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hunderd an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy and George, Chapter 3, Page 59
“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.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 3, Page 60
“I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 3, Page 61
“Carlson laughed. “You…punk,” he said. You tried to throw a scare into Slim, an’ you couldn’t make it stick. Slim throwed a scare inta you. You’re yella as a frog belly. I don’t care if you’re the best welter in the country. You come for me, an’ I’ll kick your…head off.”
Candy joined the attack with joy, “Glove fulla vaseline,” he said disgustedly. Curley flared at him. His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie; and Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Carlson and Candy, Chapter 3, Page 62
“Candy leaned against the wall beside the broken collar while he scratched his wrist stump. “I been here a long time,” he said. “An’ Crooks been here a long time. This’s the first time I ever been in his room.”
Crooks said darkly, “Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Candy, Chapter 4, Page 75
“Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much. Jus’ som’thin’ that was his. Som’thin’ he could live on and there couldn’t nobody throw him off of it. I never had none. I planted crops for damn near ever’body in this state, but they wasn’t my crops, and when I harvested ’em, it wasn’t none of my harvest.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 4, Page 76
“Think I’m gonna stay in that twoby-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twict, and then bring in the of right cross? `One-two’ he says. `Jus’ the of one-two an’ he’ll go down.”‘ She paused and her face lost its sullenness and grew interested. “Say-what happened to Curley’s ban’?”
There was an embarrassed silence. Candy stole a look at Lennie.
Then he coughed. “Why . . . . Curley . . . . he got his han’ caught in a machine, ma’am. Butt his ban’.”
She watched for a moment, and then she laughed. “Baloney!
What you think you’re sellin’ me? Curley started som’pin’ he didn’ finish. Caught in a machine -baloney! Why, he ain’t give nobody the good of onetwo since he got his ban’ bust. Who bust him?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Candy, and Lennie about Curley, Chapter, 4, Page 78
“We know what we got, and we don’t care whether you know it or not.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 4, Page 79
“Candy’s face had grown redder and redder, but before she was done speaking, he had control of himself. He was the master of the situation. “I might of knew,” he said gently. “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.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 4, Page 79
“Candy said, “That bitch didn’t ought to of said that to you.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” Crooks said dully. “You guys comin’ in an’ settin’ made me forget. What she says is true.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 82
“Crooks called, “Candy!”
“Huh?”
“‘Member what I said about hoein’ and doin’ odd jobs?”
“Yeah,” said Candy. “I remember.”
“Well, jus’ forget it,” said Crooks. “I didn’ mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.”
“Well, O.K., if you feel like that. Goodnight.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Candy, Chapter 4, Page 82
“But Candy said excitedly, “We oughtta let’im get away. You don’t know that Curley. Curley gon’ta wanta get ‘im lynched. Curley’ll get ‘im killed.”
George watched Candy’s lips. “Yeah,” he said at last, “that’s right, Curley will. An’ the other guys will.” And he looked back at Curley’s wife.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy and George about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 94
“Then – it’s all off?” Candy asked sulkily. George didn’t answer his question. George said, “I’ll work my month an’ I’ll take my fifty bucks an’ I’ll stay all night in some lousy cat house. Or I’ll set in some poolroom til ever’body goes home. An’ then I’ll come back an’ work another month an’ I’ll have fifty bucks more.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy and George, Chapter 5, Page 95
What is a quote that describes candy?
“The old man came slowly into the room. He had his broom in his hand. And at his heels there walked a dragfooted sheep dog, 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 he shad a minute scratchin’ my dog.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, (The Narrator about Candy), Chapter 2, Page 24
What is Candy’s dream quotes in Of Mice and Men?
“S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hunderd an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy and George, Chapter 3, Page 59
How is Candy powerless quotes?
“A guy on a ranch don’t never listen nor he don’t ast no questions.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, (Candy), Chapter 2, Page 24
What is the quote for Candy and his dog?
“I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy, Chapter 3, Page 61
What does Candy’s dog symbolize?
Candy’s dog symbolizes Candy himself and the societal attitude towards aging and uselessness. Like his dog, Candy fears that his diminishing usefulness will lead to his being discarded, reflecting how society often disregards those who are old or handicapped.
Similarly, the dog’s loyalty and reliance on Candy mirror Lennie’s dependence on George, underscoring Steinbeck’s exploration of personal responsibility and companionship between characters.
Why is Candy so attached to his dog?
Candy’s deep attachment to his dog stems from their shared aging experience and fear of becoming useless. The dog, a once productive sheepherder, symbolizes Candy’s journey – a hardworking ranch hand turned swamper due to his aging and a loss of hand in an accident.
The dog’s execution, due to its perceived uselessness, terrifies Candy, making him cling to his pet, as he sees it as a reflection of his impending fate of being discarded when found unproductive.
What does Candy realize after his dog is killed?
After his dog is killed, Candy comes to the harsh realization that his life on the ranch might not be different from the fate of his dog. This harks back to his dog, once a useful sheepherder, being callously put down when he was no longer productive.
Candy finds this parallel eerily indicative of his future — he fears that once he loses his usefulness, he too may be ‘put out to pasture,’ dismissed and discarded, mirroring the fate of his dog.
Why does Candy wish he shot the dog?
Candy deeply regrets allowing a stranger to shoot his dog instead of doing it himself, an action which causes him deep emotional agony. He wished he shot the dog himself as it would have been a more compassionate end for a beloved pet he had raised from a puppy.
However, his inability to do the deed reflects his fear and a sense of powerlessness, much the same way he feels about his own life, where he fears being discarded when he is no longer useful, much like his old dog.