At some point in life, many people will experience being judged and not being accepted because of who they are through discrimination. Everyone is exposed it. In the novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck has a main theme of how many of the characters are often discriminated and how it affects their lives. These characters include Curley's wife, Lennie, Candy, and Crooks. Each of these individuals are treated differently through what discrimination is frequently based on — race, age, gender, and abilities.
Curley's wife, a woman who is never given a name, lives on the farm with her husband and the other workers. On page 31, she appears wearing "a cotton house dress" with "fingernails that were red" and "her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages" looking for her husband. From this description, readers, as well as the ranch men, think she is flirtatious and seductive. Being the only female on the ranch, she represents temptation to the other men. On page 32 and 51, she is referred to as a "tramp" and "tart". From this, the reader can infer that she is not respected. She is vulnerable because she feels lonely and isolated there. She, as the only female character in the book, is discriminated by her gender.
Lennie, George's traveling companion and friend, is a large, childlike man. On page 23 of the book, George is telling Lennie things, but somehow, Lennie always forgets. "Yeah, you forgot. You always forget, an' I got to talk you out of it." Throughout this conversation of the men, the audience can infer that Lennie is obedient to George. They realize that Lennie has a mental disability. On page 22, George calls Lennie his "cousin," but then later, on page 24, says it "was a lie" to get Lennie the job. He was being protective. Readers realize that Lennie is completely dependent on George for guidance. Due to his mental disability, Lennie is distinguished from the others.
Candy, a ranch handyman with one hand, is very old. "I ain't much good...