-George: A small, quick-witted man who is a traveling companion of Lennie. George cares for and is devoted to Lennie. His behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie and deliver them to the farm of their dreams.
- Lennie: A large, childlike migrant worker who has a mild mental disability. Lennie depends upon George for guidance and protection. Gentle and kind, he does not understand his own strength. His love of petting soft things, leads to disaster.
- Candy: A ranch handyman who lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. He fears that his age is making him useless. Candy seizes on the description of the farm that George and Lennie will have. He offers his life's savings if he can join them in owning the land.
- Crooks: A black stable-hand who gets his name from his crooked back. Crooks is a proud, bitter, and funny man, but is isolated from the other men because he is black.
- Curley: The boss's son who is an aggressive and mean-spirited man who likes to pick fights with bigger men. Curley is a jealous man and is suspicious of his flirty wife.
- Curley's Wife: The only female character in the novel who is never given a name. The men often refer to her as a tramp or a tart. She is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life.
- Slim: A skilled mule driver who is a quiet man and understands the bond between George and Lennie. The men on the ranch ask Slim for advice, who is at peace with himself.
- Carlson: A ranch-hand who complains about Candy's dog saying how old and smelly the dog is.
- The Boss: Curley's father who is a well-dressed and fair-minded man that is in charge of the ranch.
- Aunt Clara: Lennie's Aunt who cared for Lennie until her death. She was kind and patient, and does not appear in the novel except at the end, as a vision.
Major Characters Of Mice and Men:
- George: A small, quick-witted man who is a traveling companion of Lennie. George cares for and is devoted to Lennie. His behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie and deliver them to the farm of their dreams.- Lennie: A large, childlike migrant worker who has a mild mental disability. Lennie depends upon George for guidance and protection. Gentle and kind, he does not understand his own strength. His love of petting soft things, leads to disaster.
- Candy: A ranch handyman who lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. He fears that his age is making him useless. Candy seizes on the description of the farm that George and Lennie will have. He offers his life's savings if he can join them in owning the land.
- Crooks: A black stable-hand who gets his name from his crooked back. Crooks is a proud, bitter, and funny man, but is isolated from the other men because he is black.
- Curley: The boss's son who is an aggressive and mean-spirited man who likes to pick fights with bigger men. Curley is a jealous man and is suspicious of his flirty wife.
- Curley's Wife: The only female character in the novel who is never given a name. The men often refer to her as a tramp or a tart. She is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life.
- Slim: A skilled mule driver who is a quiet man and understands the bond between George and Lennie. The men on the ranch ask Slim for advice, who is at peace with himself.
- Carlson: A ranch-hand who complains about Candy's dog saying how old and smelly the dog is.
- The Boss: Curley's father who is a well-dressed and fair-minded man that is in charge of the ranch.
- Aunt Clara: Lennie's Aunt who cared for Lennie until her death. She was kind and patient, and does not appear in the novel except at the end, as a vision.