Of Mice and Men – by John Steinbeck

Slim

Slim is a worker on the ranch, he has almost the same position and influence as the boss' son. He is a jerkline skinner, that means he is a mule driver. He seems to be “The Prince of the Ranch” (36) .

Slim is a person of extraordinary appearance. His face looks ageless. He could be 35 or 50. He is the most cultivated worker on the ranch. His hair is black and long and he has it combed back. Because of how tall he is he has a certain majesty in the way he moves. His hands are large and lean. With his blue-jeans and his short denim jacket he integrates himself in the workers group, but he isn`t like the workers of this ranch, he is sensitive and understands people and their relationships between them. Steinbeck describes him in a very fascinating way, because he steps out of the limited third person narration and gushes when he describes him. Slim works with animals and is master of non-verbal communication. He is able to empathise with others and this gives him a certain trustworthiness.

Slim is a character who never changes through the entire story. He always is in peace with himself, no matter what happens. His tone was friendly. It invited confidence without demanding it (36). This shows how engaged Steinbeck is to give us a good image of Slim and how Slim has the possibility to infect people with his confidence. People feel better when they spend time with him. As said, the glorification on page 36 is really extraordinary in the whole book.

Slim is the one who takes the right decisions and always stays calm.

Written by Danilo and Jonathan