Candy, in 'Of Mice and Men' Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dog

Candy has a dog in the novel, a dog which seems to be incredibly similar to its owner. It is old and, at the beginning of the book (in chapter 3) is killed because it is useless and in pain. This death signifies two key things, firstly, Candy's own fears at being disposed of when he is no longer useful and secondly, Lennie's death because it is the best thing that can be done for him.

The reader also sees the violent life that people living on ranches had.

Answer: True

Towards the end of the third chapter, after the dog had been shot by Carlson, Candy admits to George that he should have killed the dog himself. This is possibly one of the key quotes from the novel which can be used to explain why George decided to kill Lennie at the end of the novel.

The relationship that Candy has with his dog, and the death of the animal in chapter 3, has parallels with the relationship between Lennie and George, and Lennie's death at the end of the novel.

Firstly, Candy is proud of his dog, as shown at the beginning of the novel when he is explaining to the others what a good sheep dog it is. George is also shown to be proud of Lennie at the beginning of the novel, bragging about Lennie's working abilities.

Secondly, both Lennie and the dog are killed in the same way, in the back of the head, where it is said in the novel that it doesn't hurt them.

Also, Candy is reluctant to allow the dog to be shot because it has been such a faithful companion, reflecting George's obvious reluctance to kill Lennie at the end of the book.

Furthermore, Slim reassures both Candy and George that killing their companion was the best option, as it is better for them and they no longer have to live in misery, as they have been.

There are several other comparisons that can be made.

Answer: Absence of a hand

Candy lost his right hand in an accident on the ranch, meaning that he received $250 compensation, a key point which is brought up in the third chapter as a way of making George and Lennie's dream seem more possible. His disability ensures his permanent place on the ranch until he is too old to be of any use.

It also ensures that he is less able to do things on the ranch, such as the jobs the other men are doing. This causes him to be isolated from the other workers.

Answer: Gossiping

Candy is a terrible gossip, particularly in chapter two at the beginning of the novel when the reader is introduced to the other characters. This encourages the reader to have pre-conceptions of those characters, for example Curley's wife who Candy describes as a 'tart'.

But what could be the reason for this gossip? It is more than likely that the main reason why Candy is such a gossip is because it is his only way of socialising with the others as his age and disability stop him from doing most things with them.

Answer: Hoe the garden

Candy suggests in the novel that he could also be part of their dream by contributing $350 ($250 from compensation and $100 from two months of wages). He suggests that he should cook, tend the chickens and hoe the garden. This dream makes Candy feel more useful and gives him a purpose in his life.

However, it could be argued that Candy's contribution to their dream is just setting them up for a bigger fall.

Answer: More confident

Candy appears to be more confident once he knows (or in this case just believes) that he will be safe and secure in the future. This is made apparent during chapter 4 when he tells Curley's wife that (in paraphrase) 'maybe there was a time when we were scared of getting canned, but we aren't anymore'.

This is an amazing transformation in Candy who, in the beginning of the novel was quiet, passive and avoided confrontation.

Answer: False

Candy clearly has a low opinion of Curley's wife in the novel, shown by his numerous remarks about her being a tart. Candy has a low opinion of Curley also, shown when he is telling George and Lennie about Curley's glove which is full of Vaseline.

Answer: Swamper

Candy is the old swamper on the ranch as he is unable to do the kind of manual labour that the other workers do because of his hand. A swamper, for those who aren't sure, is someone who cleans out the bunkhouse. This accentuates his inability to socialise with the other workers and demonstrates the theme of solitude because he has a solitary job.

Answer: Angry

At the end of the fifth chapter, it is clear to the reader that Candy is angry because of his bitter disappointment after realising that the dream will no longer happen. He feels angry towards Curley's wife rather than Lennie and is seen shouting at her in the barn when the others go to find Lennie.

Answer: No

In the novel, dogs appear to be rather important animals. Firstly, there is Candy's dog, who represents several things (as mentioned above). Then there is Lennie's puppy who he inevitably kills at the end of the novel. There is also Slim's dog, and its puppies- one of which belonged to Lennie. Finally, there is Lennie himself who is frequently described as being a dog, such as a terrier.

This is because he is a loyal companion to George.