Friendship, Life, and Nature: Of Mice and Men Essay examples

Lennie being mentally much less able gives the ideal opportunity to help exercise some authority in Crooks‘ life. Page 71 for instance, “S’pose George don’t come back no more. (…) What’ll you do then?” is terminative. By this stage of the chapter, there has been a power shift. Crooks is fully aware of the distress this would cause Lennie, as he would struggle to manage alone. The terminative comments are cruel and are linked to his jealousy of the companionship of George and Lennie, page 71 one quotes a “private victory” and even pleasure in some way. Steinbeck is presenting the bad streak that loneliness is drawing from Crooks, as a minority character.

Strong friendships have the power to make people’s lives better. George and Lennie travel together and eventually live together, resulting in a strong bond between them. George cares for Lennie and he makes sure

Moreover, this passage characterizes Lennie. First, John Steinbeck uses a simile by describing him as an animal: “they’ll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog” (72). Indeed, Lennie does act like an animal. For example, when “Lennie’s eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad” (72), Lennie starts behaving like a wild bear. He “walked dangerously” and “stood over” (72) Crooks. But as soon as, “Crooks saw the danger as it approached him” (72), he tries to calm him down and to talk to him “gently” (72). All of those examples characterize Lennie as a force of nature. He is also compared to a dog when Crooks orders him to “jus’set down” (72). Lennie follows his

In addition to George always picking on Lennie, George was the only person who vowed to take care of Lennie when his great aunt Clara became ill. “I told his old lady i’d take care of him” (Steinbeck 22). Given by that, Lennie could not function alone and by himself, even though he was a grown man he just had some major difficulties. At one time he relied on his Aunt Clara, but now since George has betrayed his promise he had made to take care of

George has essentially become the caretaker of Lennie, who is mentally handicapped, after the death of Lennie’s aunt Clara. We learn that the two men have fled another town after Lennie mistakenly gets them into some trouble but have secured positions as ranch hands. The two men wish to work there only long enough so that they can have the money to make a down payment on the house they look to own. Sadly, their shared dreams are crushed when Lennie accidentally kills the wife of another ranch hand. George must decide whether or not to take matters into his own hands before the people of the town can hurt

In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, he frequently compares Lennie to animals based on his behavior. He compares Lennie to dogs, bears, etc. For instance, on page 2, it states, “... and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.” To clarify, Lennie is obviously being compared to a bear, which means he acted in a way that no human would act. He would act correspondingly to an animal.

Being in the situation George was put into, Lennie was a hassle to take care of. Although a man of great size and strength, Lennie had a great lack of intelligence and was innocent (like a child). Even if the world got scary and complicated, Lennie felt secure by petting soft things. (To the point they would die in his arms from being petted too hard.) Lennie’s lack of intelligence combined with his strange sense of security made him a dangerous person. Due to this problem, Lennie was dependent on George to

Throughout the book, George complains and dreams about what life would be like without Lennie. Although, he could have more money and freedom without Lennie, George knows life would not be the same without him. George is like Lennie’s older brother and both of them would be lost without the other. George’s brotherly instincts are shown in the book by how he is stern with Lennie, he always protects him and he would do anything to keep Lennie out of

“Slowly, like a terrier, who doesn’t bring a ball back to its master. Lennie approached, drew back, approached again” (ch1, p7) wrote author John Steinbeck, in his classic novella Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck uses animal imagery and symbolism throughout the novel, especially in the character of Lenny Small, to reveal certain truths about the human condition. Lennie has a mental disability that prevents him from interacting and communicating with humans on a normal level. His inability to communicate effectively has led to dangerous situations for him and his friend George. In the novel, the animal imagery is used to reveal the way that humans, are ‘outsider’, are often viewed and treated by others as animals or animal-like.

Candy's explanation, "‘[Curley is] alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at ‘em because he ain't a big guy'" (26), reveals that humans have a tendency to bias and judge others based on outward appearances out of insecurity and cowardice. Steinbeck demonstrates the unfairness of judging by conveying that Lennie was an excellent worker despite his incompetence and adolescent mind. Likewise, Crooks epitomizes people who are discriminated for their color. Crooks was mistreated and isolated by the white men on the ranch. For instance, he was not able to live in the same bunk house as them, nor was he allowed to play cards or horseshoe with them. The fact that he lived in a place where animals lived in conveys that he is looked down upon as low as the animals. Although racism is not as prevalent as back in 1930s, it still exists today: some are misjudged by stereotypes or killed for their color. Last but not least, Steinbeck's main theme of loneliness emphasizes the power of companionship. Different from the other solitary characters in the book, Lennie and George work and travel together. This happiness of companionship is what lets

As much as George gets sick of Lennie and his childlike behavior and complains about how he could “have it so easy if he was alone”, he always goes back to thinking, if I did not have you with me “‘I [would] go nuts. I’d never get no peace...I want you to stay with me” (Steinbeck 11). In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men George is small, intelligent, and quick on his feet. On the other hand, George’s companion Lennie is a nice, absent-minded, but very large and strong, man with the best intentions at heart, but he is mentally disabled and has the mind of a child. His inability to understand the severity of his actions gets him into very bad situations, which is what forces George and Lennie, who travel around together trying to make money and sustain off of what they have, to lose their last job, just like

3. Lennie’s mental disability is becoming visible and makes the reader think deeper about him and his personality. Steinbeck might be using Lennie and animals and comparing them to humans and how they are not that different.

Lennie is mentally challenged and is very dependent on his friend George to always be there for him and protect him from the situations he gets himself into. Lennie is a very strong guy who has a very huge obsession with petting soft things for example rabbits. He usually kills the soft animals he touches because he doesn't know how to control himself. Lennie is devoted to George. He relies on George for everything like a dog relies on its owner.

In my essay about “Of Mice and Men” I will be discussing how Steinbeck is describing Lennie with animalistic characters. All throughout the book Lennie is compared to animals. Or comparing his characteristics to an animal’s. I will be listing some and telling why Steinbeck does this.

Steinbeck portrays friendship through different character interactions along with the thoughts of others, while eliminating loneliness with company. Lennie and George’s relationship, shows the special companionship that is present with their constant presence. With Lennie’s handicaps, George takes the responsibility of protecting these social incapability’s by being an advocate for their job interview at the ranch (Steinbeck 22). This created relationship, exposes many factors of caring along with the security of being in each other’s presence. Another way Steinbeck demonstrates the importance of friendship is through internal conflict between Crooks, who craves this relationship bond. Cooks explains the Lennie, “S’pose you didn’t have nobody.