Carlson

Says

"That old dog suffers itself all the time. Why don't cha' shoot it?"

"That dog can't eat, can't see, and smells to beat hell. It's no good to you or itself"

"That bastard stole my luger. It's not in my bag."

"What the hell do ya' suppose is the matter with those two guys?"

"You damn punk. You're yellow as a frog belly. I don't care if you're the best welter in the country. You come after me I'll kick your damn head off"

Thinks

Candy's dog is old and stinks.

Lennie stole his gun.

Environment

A ranch with poor conditions. Men sleep on burlap sacks filled with hay.

Social environment is very predatorial. The weaker characters are destroyed.

Actions

Kills Candy's dog. Buries it after Slim tells him to.

Gets in a verbal argument with Curley with the guys.

Main topic

Subtopic

Critic Says

Carlson is violent, brutal, and insensitive.

"Carlson is a brutal, violent, unsympathetic, and emotionless man. He is a part of all of the destructive events in the novel. He kills Candy's dog without any thought of Candy's feelings towards the animal. He also is an adamant participant in the hunting of Lennie. His lack of compassion and emotional connection to anything is illustrated at the end of the novel when Slim offers compassion to George and Carlson replies by stating "what the hell do ya' suppose is the matter with them two?" -- Frank N. Magill A Survey of American Literature

Likes

Gambling

Horse shoes

Destroying things.

Feels

Mostly emotionless kills Candy's dog without much feeling.

Big stomached man with a sternness about him.

Lacks normal human emotions and feelings.

Looks

Powerful, big-stomached man that is aggressive.