Who is the swamper in "Of Mice and Men"?

Candy is
the "old swamper" in 's novella . The term "swamper"
simply refers to the fact that he literally "swamps" or washes out the bunkhouse where
the men on the ranch live. When we first meet Candy in chapter two, he is carrying a broom in
his left hand because he lost his right hand in a work related accident. Steinbeck describes
him,

The door opened
and a tall, stoop-shouldered old man came in. He was dressed in blue jeans and he carried a big
push-broom in his left hand. 

He's followed around by a "a drag footed sheepdog" with
"pale, blind old eyes." He seems happy enough in the beginning and is used by
Steinbeck to describe the various characters on the ranch, including the Boss, Slim, Crooks,
Curley and Curley's wife.

At the end of chapter two, however, Candy's life
takes a depressing turn as Carlson, a "powerful, big stomached" worker on the ranch
suggests to Slim that Candy's dog is too old and decrepit and should be put out of its misery.
He wants Slim to give Candy one of his puppies (one of them is given to ). Slim, being the de
facto leader of the men approves Carlson's idea, and in chapter three Carlson shoots Candy's
dog.

The old swamper becomes despondent over the loss of his dog untilbegins
to describe the "little piece of land" he and Lennie hope to one day have. Because
Candy received a settlement from the ranch over the loss of his hand he has $350 which he can
contribute. He tells George:

Spose I went in with you guys. Thas three hunderd an fifty bucks Id put in. I aint
much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. Howd that
be? 

George agrees and the "thing they had never really
believed in was coming true." Candy also serves to providefor the ending of the book as he
tells George,

I
ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldnt ought to of let no stranger shoot my
dog.

Rather than let Curley or one of the other men kill Lennie,
George takes Carlson's gun and shoots his friend in the back of the head. With the dream gone,
Candy expresses his bitterness over the loss his future as he stands over Curley's
wife,

You done it,
dint you? I spose youre glad. Everbody knowed youd mess things up. You wasnt no good. You aint
no good now, you lousy tart. He sniveled, and his voice shook. I could of hoed in the garden
and washed dishes for them guys. 

 

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)