In this essay, I will discuss how the theme of friendship is presented by Steinbeck in 'Of Mice and Men'. I will do this by discussing five chosen characters, and how they interact with eachother and others around them. My five chosen characters are George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy and Curley's wife. George starts off as a very brash and unpleasant person in the beginning of the novel, and this is shown from the way he tends to get easily annoyed and snap at Lennie. For example "Jesus christ you crazy bastard." He is easily irritated by Lennie's forgetfulness and his tendancy to keep mice in his hands while he walks, this might show that he is an impatient person. But despite him being easily annoyed by Lennie, he gets along well with the other men at the ranch, like Slim and Candy, whom he talks to quite often, this shows that he can make friends quite easily, but maybe doesn't have the time to, when he has to move a lot due to Lennie and being ranch workers. …show more content…
But despite George being his closest "friend", George is easily annoyed by Lennie, which causes them to brach away from each other when George starts to go off with other men on the ranch. By doing this, Lennie then gets into trouble because George isn't there to keep him in check even though he is responsible for him. Lennie tries to make friends with Crooks at one point, but doesn't get too far, as Crooks is the "negro stable buck." For example, Crooks says "nobody got any right in here but me." Which suggests he doesn't like to make friends, or he is even prevented from making any as there is no other person of colour on the
What do you think Steinbeck says about the theme of friendship in Of Mice and Men?
But despite Crooks being isolated from the other workers, he still values friendship, perhaps more so than most of the other workers. When Crooks is talking to Lennie in the stables, he confesses, “'A guy needs somebody – to be near him. […] A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you'” (72). Crooks values companionship, but is all alone as an adult. He is jealous of Lennie, who has always had George to look after him. Lennie doesn't understand what it's like for Crooks not to have anyone who is always there for him. He tries to make Lennie understand by saying “S'pose George don't come back no more” (71). Lennie can't imagine what it would be like without George, and can't understand Crooks' loneliness.In addition, when Candy asks Crooks if he wants to come into the barn, Crooks replies, “'Come on in. If ever'body's comin' in, you might just as well.' It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with
Is the love of your friend unconditional? Would you care for them if they were mentally retarded? What if they had unpredictable behavior that could be lethal to others? This was the daily life and burden of George in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. George and Lennie are great friends that are two migrant workers in California during the 1920s. George is physically a small man that takes care Lennie. Lennie is unaware of his largeness and strength that has a gentle heart and likes to pet soft things. The story begins when the two men are dropped off by a bus two miles away from the destination of the farm they are going to work at. George and Lennie stop by a river to get a drink of water before they walk to the farm. When George takes a sip of water, he notices that Lennie is hiding something in his pocket. So George asks Lennie what it is, Lennie pulls out a dead mouse. Lennie says that it feels soft and he likes to pet it. George, out of fear, takes the dead mouse and throws it into the river. George tells Lennie that he could get really sick from the mouse.
As Thomas Aquinas states, “There is nothing on this earth more prized than true friendship.” Friends cheer each other up when they are sad and support them when they are happy. In John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, two migrant workers, George and Lennie, arrive as newcomers on the ranch. Throughout the story, different problems are thrown their way, and their friendship is tested with each one. George shows how true friendship requires sacrifice because friends sacrifice personal freedom, they protect each other, and they sacrifice emotional energy.
George is also a main character in the book. George is one of those men that tries to protect everyone. “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world” (Steinbeck 15). George is saying he is glad he has Lennie because it gets lonely. “I want you to stay with me, Lennie. Jesus Christ somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself.” (Steinbeck 13). George is emphasizing to not leave him because he enjoys having Lennie around. He also is one of those men that people come to with all their problems. George is very protective of Lennie and tells him many times what to do and not
Good friendships make life easier. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is about two men, George and Lennie, who go on various journeys in order to get a job. Although George would consider Lennie to be his closest friend, he ultimately ends up shooting and killing Lennie. George did this, not out of hatred, but rather out of protection. A good friend will always want what is best for one another. Steinbeck uses his protagonists’ friendship in order to show that true friendship can help make any of life’s hardships less difficult.
Of Mice and Men may be the most thrilling, suspenseful story of its era. The theme builds on friendship. How are some of the characters are lonely? Also how Steinbeck portrays friendship in this novel. What I think this book is about is having life long friends and, is it always the way to go even if you have to do something so bad I will end the friendship.
Steinbeck is revealing that companionship can serve in many different purposes. Of Mice and Men is an important text because the themes of companionship, power, discrimination, loneliness, and dreams play a role in people’s lives at some point in time. An example of one of the themes that relates to a real world scenario is everyone has or had a dream and dreams is hope and a reason why people are still living and carrying on. In conclusion, companionship is two people sticking together through the stormy days and sunny days, making hard decisions that are in everyone’s best interest, and protecting each
Crooks is excluded from everything that happens on the ranch because of his skin colour. The black stable buck compensates for his loneliness by having his own room, with his own books and other property which nobody is allowed to touch. ‘books on a special shelf over his bunk’. No one else on the ranch has their own room but due to the colour of his skin he is separated from the other itinerant workers. He uses this to his advantage when Lennie goes in to talk to him, unaware that they aren’t supposed to mix. Crooks snaps at him ‘nobody got any right in here but me’. Crooks keeps his distance from the other itinerant workers, and they keep their distance aswell, so when Crooks does snap at Lennie it gives a sense that Crooks has forgotten how to be friendly and make friends because he has been lonely for so long.
These are all strong, recognizable, strong friendships that have been built in the past, but the
Imagine you are completely different from everyone else. You would feel scared and alone, you wouldn't know where to go or what to do unless you had a great friend to watch out for you like Lennie has. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows how Lennie, a mentally retarded man, is friends with George who tries to lead him in the right direction. But society, made up of ranch hands, can't understand his differences and this leads to a terrible tragedy.
The characters make dreams that cannot be achieved in John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, where friendship and loneliness are shown by certain characters in this novella.
George and Lennie have very different physical traits and personal characteristics even though they were both migrant workers, dressed in similar clothing and grew up together in the same town. George is small, defined, short tempered, impatient and responsible. “The first man...a thin bony nose..” (Pg. 2 ). George makes sure that they have jobs, controls their money, makes the plans, and stays clear of any trouble that Lennie’s actions may cause. Lennie is the complete opposite and is a much bigger man who has broad shoulders, is a hard worker, with dragging feet, childlike innocence, and acts impulsively. “Behind him walked...but hung loosely.” (Pg. 2). Lennie has a mental impairment that makes him react in an obsessive manner. This often leads to poor decisions or even unintentional
Imagine going through life without having any friends. The story Of Mice and Men, by
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. was an American author wrote many novels including one of his most famous, Of Mice and Men. Of Mice and Men teaches many lessons about the nature of human existence. Each relationship grows throughout this short story and end with a dramatic experience. All of the characters, including Lennie, George, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, admit, at one time or another, to having a profound sense of isolation, seclusion and loneliness.