Slim Character Analysis in Of Mice and Men

A tall, strong, quiet, and craggy-faced laborer on the ranch who works as a mule driver. Slim has an ageless, inscrutable face and a reserved disposition, and his physical power and commanding nature make him something of an authority figure to the other ranch hands. In spite of his intimidating appearance, Slim has a sensitive side, and is the only one to comfort George after the death of Lennie.

Slim Quotes in Of Mice and Men

The Of Mice and Men quotes below are all either spoken by Slim or refer to Slim. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Penguin Books edition of Of Mice and Men published in 1993.

“Ain't many guys travel around together,” he mused. “I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”

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Page Number and Citation: 35

Explanation and Analysis:

“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.”

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

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Page Number and Citation: 45

Explanation and Analysis:

“Why can't I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

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Page Number and Citation: 86

Explanation and Analysis:

"Never you mind," said Slim. "A guy got to sometimes."

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Page Number and Citation: 107

Explanation and Analysis:

Slim Character Timeline in Of Mice and Men

The timeline below shows where the character Slim appears in Of Mice and Men. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...on both Lennie and George. He orders the men to start work after dinner with Slim’s team—Slim, the boss says, is a skinner, or mule driver. The boss takes his leave,... (full context)

...whispers, has “got the eye”—in other words, she’s flirtatious, and has been making eyes at Slim and a worker named Carlson ever since arriving on the ranch. (full context)

...looking directly at her that Curley just left the bunk house a minute ago. When Slim comes by, Curley’s wife greets him flirtatiously and says she’s trying to find Curley. Slim... (full context)

Slim enters the bunk house. He is a grave, strong man with an “ageless face.” He... (full context)

A large man with a big stomach comes into the bunk house. Slim introduces him to George and Lennie as Carlson. Carlson asks Slim whether his dog had... (full context)

...George if he heard the men talking about the puppies, and if George can ask Slim to give Lennie a brown and white puppy. George tries to calm Lennie down by... (full context)

That evening, after dinner and barley bucking in the fields, George and Slim return to the bunk house and sit together at the card table while the rest... (full context)

Slim remarks how strange it is to see two men traveling and working alongside each other... (full context)

Minorities, Marginalization, and Scapegoating Theme Icon

George begins playing solitaire. He confesses to Slim that he doesn’t want to get rid of Lennie and go around alone like most... (full context)

...he’ll kill the puppy if he keeps it from his mother, and threatens to have Slim take the puppy away again if Lennie doesn’t treat it right. Lennie takes the puppy... (full context)

Slim offers to give Candy a new pup from his bitch’s litter if Candy shoots his... (full context)

Another laborer named Whit comes in and brings Slim a magazine to read. There is a letter inside by Bill Tenner, a laborer who... (full context)

The room falls silent, and Slim tries to make conversation to ease the morbid mood. He talks about his mule, who’s... (full context)

The door opens, and the stable hand peeks his head into the room. Slim greets the man as “Crooks,” and asks him what the matter is. Crooks replies that... (full context)

After Slim and Crooks leave, Whit makes small talk with George about Curley’s wife, remarking on how... (full context)

...wife. Whit says she hasn’t come by. Curley looks around the room and asks where Slim is. George says he’s at the barn, tending to his mule’s hoof. Curley blusters away.... (full context)

George asks Lennie why he’s come back from the barn, and Lennie says Slim told him that petting the puppies too much wouldn’t be good for them. George asks... (full context)

Slim, Curley, Carlson, and Whit all enter the bunk house. Slim and Curley are arguing—Slim says... (full context)

...Curley starts crying in pain, but Lennie doesn’t let go until George tells him to. Slim and Carlson stand over Curley, and remark that they need to get him to a... (full context)

A horse whinnies in the stable, and Crooks calls out to ask if Slim has come into the barn. Candy answers, saying he’s come looking for Lennie. Crooks tells... (full context)

...goes out to tell the other men. The game abruptly comes to a stop, and Slim, Whit, Curley, and Crooks all rush into the barn. Candy follows them, and then George... (full context)

Slim asks George where Lennie might have gone—he seems sad at the prospect of hunting the... (full context)

Slim tells Candy to stay with Curley’s wife, and Candy agrees to do so. All the... (full context)

...the brush. Curley sees Lennie dead on the ground and congratulates George on getting him. Slim sits down beside George and, seeing his distress, tries to comfort him. Carlson asks George... (full context)

Slim pulls George to his feet and tells him they should all have a drink. George... (full context)