of Mice and Men

Steinbeck characterizes his characters by using descriptive language.

Crooks

His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head... His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were lighter than his face... In one hand he held a bottle of liniment, and with the other he rubbed his spine... He flexed his muscles against his back and shivered."

George

The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose.

Lennie

".... a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, and wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely."

Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again. Lennie watched them go. "Look, George. Look what I done."

"Blubberin' like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you."