Character Foils in Of Mice and Men

1. Character Foils in Of Mice and Men Doug Barnett, Josh Galanti, Eden Munari, Fi Karamitros, and Lucy Smith

2. Definition of Character Foils In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, to highlight particular qualities of the other character. For example, think of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner.

3. George and lennie • Not much of an intellectual • Strong build (Big) • Mentally disabled • Follower • Looks at to brighter side of things • Submissive • Gave hope to George • Lennie said softly, "We could live off the fatta the lan' ." "Sure" said George.(Steinbeck) --Symbolizes  the American dream and how people wanted to own work for themselves and be their own bosses. This was the dream that George and Lennie were chasing. George Lennie • Has smarts • Average build (Small) • Mature • Leader • Focuses on reality • Dominant  • Kept Lennie happy • "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . . With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us." (Steinbeck) "Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you" (Steinbeck ) - Shows that despite their differences they need each other for support

4. Slim and Curly Slim Curley Son of the boss Short in stature Short in temper Quick to judge and make assumptions "He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists. He stiffened and went into a slight crouch... "by christ he's gotta talk when he's spoke to. What the hell are you getting into it for?"" (Steinbeck 25) • Highly respected by his peers • Tall figure • Always relaxed and knowing • Able to make intelligent decisions under pressure • "His hatchet face was ageless. He might've been 35 or 50. His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought." (Steinbeck 34) Due to both characters holding positions of power, Curley feels challenged by Slim and becomes weary of his wife having an affair with him. This brings out the characters' deeper traits and creates conflict, resulting in Curley lashing out and having his hand broken while Slim sits back and formulates a plan.

5. Curley's Wife and Crooks Curley's Wife Crooks • Black man​ • Likes to be by himself ​ • Prefers books over people​ • Also a minority, and has the least amount of power on the farm​ • "Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego—nothing to arouse either like or dislike" (steinbeck 81). • White woman • Bounces all around the farm and goes everywhere • Loves to talk to everybody • Though a minority, she has a lot of power being Curley's wife • "'I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny'"(Steinbeck 81). Even though they contrast greatly, they both show forms of aggression to get their points across. But they each have their own desires to be with other people and have more freedom. For example they both want to expand their lives outside of the farm and do things for themselves.

6. Why are there so many Character Foils? • We thought there were so many character foils because it helps readers get a stronger sense of the character's personalities, their relationships to each other, and what drives them to do the things they do.  • The large amount of character foils in this novel show the dichotomy of the personality traits of people and the way they affect others. For example, Curley represents the vicious and belligerent way that his social power manifests, and Slim provides a quiet authority that undercuts Curley's.