He thinks that Candy’s dog should be shot because it is old and smelly, he persistently argues to shoot the dog, an example is when he says “Well, I can’t stand him in here” and “and he stinks to bear hell. Tell you what. I’ll shoot him for you. Then it won’t be you that does it.” He suggests that Candy could have one of Slim’s puppies instead, but he does not recognise that Candy has an emotional attachment to his dog. After he shoots the dog, he does not apologise to Candy and he even cleans his gun in full view of everyone, this shows that he is an insensitive character.
As he tries to help the men attain their dream, he also reminds them of the possibility (and indeed, likelihood) that it’s going to fail. Once it does indeed fail, it’s Candy more than anyone else who feels the loss. While George mourns what he must do to his friend, and Lennie worries for the future rabbits, Candy is left to embody the despair one finds at the end of a long, hard-working life when you’re done with your career and no closer to the American dream. And also, your best friend (even if it is a dog), is
Yet another way these people are intolerant. When Lennie walks into Crooks room, which is in the barn, Crooks says to Lennie, “I aint wanted in the bunk house and you aint wanted in my room.” (page 68) This lets you know in one sentence, how Crooks feels about the intolerance for himself. Now Carlson has a slight intolerance for stinky, old and unusual things, like Candy’s dog for instance. The dog used to be a sheep herder until he got old and came down with rheumatism. After the conversation about Candy’s dog.
Lennie was very isolated also from the ranch workers because he wasn't normal and acted very childish, this mustn't of been nice for Lennie and that is how the ranch is unpleasent for him. Carlson made Candy's life on the ranch very hard because he depised Candy's smelly old dog, in the book Carlson kills the dog because it was old and it stank but he never cared about how Candy felt about the dog he just cared about himself. Carlson killed the dog eventhough he knew how much Candy loved it, when Carlson suggested killing the dog “Candy looked for help from face to face” but nobody helped him. The reason why Candy couldn't stop Carlson from killing his dog was because he was a very brittle old man and was mainly over powered by people stronger than him. This event was very unpleasent for Candy.
Like Candy's dog, Lennie depends on George to take care of him and show him what to do. Candy, like George, is different from the other ranch hands because he has his dog as a constant companion, someone devoted and loyal to him. That at the time the novel is set, most men were alone as they didn’t have the company of another and so they were lonely and drawn into themselves. Candy takes such a shine to George
In comparison, Slim was more thoughtful and wanted the dog dead for its own good because of its poor health: “He ain't no good to you, Candy. An' he ain't no good to himself. Why'n't you shoot him, Candy?” At the end of the novel when Lennie must die, similarly, Carlson is only interested in killing the weak (Lennie), so he says, “I’ll get my luger” not thinking about anyone else. The scene that includes the killing of the old dog foreshadows the death of Lennie too; one clue is that the dog is shot in the back of the head completely unaware and with no pain with the luger. Towards the end of the novel, Lennie is also secretly shot in the same place with the same weapon by George out of mercy so his friend doesn’t experience a cruel painful death.
Candy is lonely because of his old age although it is somewhat helped by the fact he has a dog but as we know, he is left high and dry after the residents of the bunkhouse choose to eradicate it for it was in pain and also smelling. Curleys wife throughout is negatively portrayed to the reader by the workers on the ranch and therefore is not left with anyone on her side, ultimately, making her lonely despite having a husband. The fact that Lennie is so incapable of getting along with people who he doesn’t already know well, this leaves him almost completely reliable on George in the book. Last but not least, Crooks is left without companionship on the ranch for various reasons. In the novel, the ranch is a huge symbolism of loneliness.
CANDY (OLD AND INFIRM) “lousy ol’ sheep” …Carlson’s attitude towards his dog (A70,P48): ‘I don’t know nothing that stinks as bad as an old dog. You gotta get himout…he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?’ …Candy’s words about his future (A88, P66): ‘You seen what they done to my dog tonight?…When they can me here…I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs.’ He believes he will share the same fate as his dog eventually, because he is old he is seen as 2useless2. In the novel old age is associated with lack of ability, even in modern times, we still believe old people to lack vital capabilities. However, there are some old people who are still fit and capable of working.
Steinbeck uses Candy to show the theme of loneliness. He initially becomes lonely once his dog is shot and killed. The dog was his closest companion. Candy told George, "You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else.
Then Curley attacked his stomach and cut off his wind.” - P.g 60 COWERING = To crouch, as in fear or shame. (Verb) “Suddenly Lennie let go his hold. He crouched cowering against the wall. "You tol' me to, George," he said miserably.” - P.g 60 DERISION = Ridicule; mockery. (Noun) “Through the open door came the thuds and occasional clangs of a horseshoe game, and now and then the sound of voices raised in approval or derision.” - P.g 36