Candy Character Analysis

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From sexualizing women, to the murder of a best friend, Steinbeck introduces a handicapped elder, Candy, and his dog. Throughout the novella the other characters make several comments about how elders are basically useless. Steinbeck crafts Candy and his dog in order to expose the social commentary, and the exclusion of elderly and the handicapped from the American Dream. Steinbeck’s characters, Candy and his dog, are both treated as if they are useless; some of the characters point out how Candy’s dog is old and handicapped, and the only thing there is to do is to kill the dog. “He’s all stiff with rheumatism. He ain't no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain't no good to himself. Whyn't you shoot him, Candy?” This commentary reveals the discrimination of elders, and how they are excluded from the American Dream since people believe they are better dead than alive. Candy was always a disenfranchised character in the novella, but he still had a purpose which was to take care of his dog, but the other characters have no sympathy for Candy and they show this by stealing the one…show more content…
On the ranch that Candy is at, the hierarchy is strictly based on strength and physical abilities, and since Candy has no strength and is missing an arm he falls at the bottom of the ranking of importance. “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.” This quote directly shows how unimportant crippled people are to the other characters by showing how Slim, the character who said this, would rather die than be crippled. Candy’s job at the ranch is to clean the bunkhouses, and be a host to newcomers but he knows that as soon as he is unable to do his job, the boss of the ranch will kick him and and he will not have anywhere to

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