Slim, he is a jerk line skinner, “The Prince of the ranch” in the words of John Steinbeck, a quiet, thoughtful, observant, and level –headed person who has an air of confidence and self-assurance achieved only by complete mastery of one’s own craft. He is the collection of people in society that know they are good at what they do, the professional athletes who are dominant in their sport and are assured so every day by the people around them. The owners and CEOs of companies that are spread over the vast expanse of the populated world those people that are so dominant at what they do they have little or no self-doubt.

Then there is Carlson, a man moving from one job to the next, a ranch hand, an expendable worker who gives his all and gets little in return. He is the embodiment of those people that sacrifice all or most of their lives to a cause and get little or no credit in return for their efforts. Those single parents that have multiple kids and little formal education, that work hard all day and get barely enough pay to scrape by in their everyday lives. The soldiers that everyday risk their most valuable things, their lives, and do not get the pay or respect befitting of their sacrifices.

Next is Curly, the man with the attitude of conceit and self-importance that only those that think they are above all other humans for racial, mental, or physical reasons that make sense only to them and those like them. He represents the oppressors of today’s society those, that believe they are better than someone ,whether it may or may not be true, and think that that gives them the right to do whatever they want without retaliation or indignation.

Then there is Curley’s spouse, a tart or tramp, a woman whose existence is so pathetic and insignificant that she feels the need to become involved in the lives of others in ways unnecessary and unacceptable in the eyes of others. She portrays those people that feel it is necessary for them to openly judge those people around them or to talk and spread false statements about them, due to jealousy or simple dislike.

Crooks, the colored stable buck he is the lowest on the social scale represented in this book due simply to his skin color. He is at the mercy of all because of something he cannot change or control. He is a figment of a larger population of people that deal with this problem every day, due to things out of their control such as height, weight ,physical or mental capabilities, and heritage or religion. They are shunned from groups, not allowed to join in on activities they would not think twice about letting another person not showing these traits take part in.

Next is Candy, the elderly swamper, a cripple due to an accident on the very ranch where he still resides. He is the elderly or handicapped those do not want to be a burden on others so they continue to go about their lives in normal fashion. They continue to work, be moms and dads grandfathers and grandmothers to take care of what is needed to be done.

Next is George, A cautious and quick minded man whose life has been consumed by a man whose immense size and strength is not matched by intellect, instead being completely opposite, small and inconsiderable. He is a patron of a group of dedicated people who care to much for their charge to give up and walk away, to take the easy road, just let those people take care of themselves. They have dedicated their entire existence to caring for and coaching these people to be a member of today’s society.

After that is Lennie a man of huge proportions, but with a mind of little intellect and consideration he is a man with the mind of one who is yet a young child. He is member of the group that relies on people like George to take care of them. Those that are mentally handicapped and do not or cannot do anything about it.

Last is the boss, a man that is not discussed much in the book, but from a brief encounter seems to care only about if the work is getting done. He is a man that is like those in today’s world that give little thought to those doing the work and more thought to it getting done quickly. Those people like inconsiderate owners, or people who have little regard for human rights and more regard for money.