How Steinbeck Presents Lennie and George

Lennie Small is a character that readers are drawn to right from the beginning of the book. His innocence stands out from the grimey coverings of loneliness and hopelessness that the other characters wear. The reason Lennie is so innocent is because he has a mental handicap, one that prevents him from understanding complex human emotions such as guilt, or concepts such as death. In addition Lennie has trouble remembering things, “" I tried and tried [to remember]...but it didn't do not good." Consequently, Lennie has trouble fitting in with society. Ultimately his mental disability is what leads to Lennie's demise at the end of the book. Another trait that is an essential part of Lennie's innocent character is his devotion to his closest friend George. In fact, the only times Lennie is shown to be angry is when George is insulted or threatened. When Crooks, the crippled, black, stable hand, implies bad things about George, this devotion is clearly shown. “Suddenly Lennie's eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad. He walked dangerously toward Crooks. 'Who hurt George?' he demanded" When it comes to George, Lennie would deviate from the normal passive motives of his persona. More support can be found when George is the only one who can convince Lennie to “get him[Curly]” when Curly attacks him, as well as being the only one to stop him. Perhaps the most prominent support for Lennie's childlike innocence is in his utter belief of George and his dream. No matter how

Although Lennie has the mental capacity of a child, he is innocent to doing anything wrong to George. George just seen him as a potential threat.

Lennie small is a large strong, and un intelligent man. He rarely thinks for himself and can’t hold his own. He does not understand Who you can laugh at or when you can laugh which makes him not have any social awareness. Lennie also never learns throughout the course of this story. He never learns to stay away from some people. For All these reasons we are sympathetic for him.

Lennie is described as a big bulky animal. But his brain, on the other hand, is slow as child’s. Because of this fact, when George was younger, he picked on Lennie and bullied him. In the book it states, “George’s voice was taking on the

George Milton and Lennie Small have traveled around the country as migrant farmers. George has been known to look over Lennie, similarly how a parent looks over a child. Lennie, for the most part, has to be watched and taken care of for the majority of the day. When Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, George decides to take matters into his own hands and take Lennie’s life. Although Lennie and George were good friends, George was justified in his decision to shoot Lennie because Lennie’s death decreased George’s responsibility and Lennie’s suffering.

The problem with Lennie was that he was mentally disabled, back in the 1930's people did not understand things like that, and had no clue about disabled people. Lennie was sweet and loved thing that were soft. Lennie would put himself in very dangerous situations and with disability he lacked the capacity to control himself physically. Lennie did not understand how strong he was and they damage he would do until after the fact. He also shares the dream of having the small farm and tending to his small rabbit hutch. Since Lennie is mentally disabled he depends on George for almost everything. Lennie is like a small child that has to a have a parent nearby always or he will get into

Lennie is mentally disabled and so always ‘does bad things’, because of this, he constantly depends on George to protect him and get him out of trouble. For example, in Weed, Lennie constantly ‘wants to touch

Lennie never does anything without the consent from George. He knows he has to listen to George, If he doesn't he knows he will end up in trouble like he did while picking weeds. In all the trouble that Lennie gets in, he doesn't do it on purpose. Lennie has a good heart and never means to hurt anyone. His mental disability causes all his action.

In the relationship of George of Lennie, George is similar to an older brother. George cares deeply for Lennie, but does not always show it. He is short tempered and get irritated very quickly by Lennie’s actions. When the two of them settled down to eat and Lennie was joking about

In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, he shows how the great depression is hard by showcasing Lennie and George's friendship. George and Lennie are in the middle of nowhere trying to get to the workplace they soon will be working at “He threw a scoop of water into his face and rubbed it about with his hand, under his chin and around the back of his neck. Pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knee and embraced them. Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly. He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, he pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes, the way George’s hat was”(3-4).

Lennie’s inability to think for himself and know the difference between right and wrong is most apparent in his actions when he talks. Even though Lennie’s physical strength makes him appear to be a person of power, his physical strength is the only form of power that he possesses. Lennie is constantly powerless against his mind’s perception that limits him to behave in a child-like manner against the consequences of his actions. For example, he knows that he needs to act correctly and does not want to do bad things, however he lacks the mental capability of an adult that lets him differentiate what’s right from wrong causing him to rely on George for protection and guidance.

I could also notice when I was reading through the first chapter that George has a sense of authority over Lennie, “you gonna get that wood”. This is like a parent telling a child to do his chores. On some occasions though George shows a bit of hatred towards Lennie, he thinks of what he could have if Lennie wasn’t around and contrasts that with George.

The physical description of Lennie is a large man with broad shoulders. Lennie is strong, a good worker, and drags his feet a little. Lennie doesn’t have a shaped face and has pale eyes. The physical description of George is a small, fast, dark face, shaped face, small features, thin arms, and a bony nose.

Lennie is a pivotal character as he is the literal demonstration of how a person can be both bad and good. Lennie is immediately shown as childlike when he hides the dead mouse from George on the walk to the ranch. ‘I ain’t got nothing George. Honest’ said Lennie which also shows his love for soft little things which is common amongst children, this is exemplified by the many animal connotations throughout. An example of this is when ‘Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water’. This is imagery of a bear which references the size and strength of Lennie but his lack of intelligence. He is very simple-minded and cannot even remember his own Aunt Clara. Being such a simpleminded person, Lennie does not comprehend the intricacies of laws in society like the majority of people do. Lennie depends on George to lead and guide him and to show him what’s right and wrong. We learn that Lennie tries to be good and repeatedly asks George to hear the dream of the rabbits and their planned simple life on a farm but when Lennie is met with a situation like with Curley’s Wife in the barn, he is unable to fight his evil actions because he himself does not understand nor realise that they are evil. Furthermore, he is incapable of distinguishing the difference

Even though they both want their dream to come true, only George knew that it was very unrealistic that this dream would ever happen. Lennie on the other hand had very high hopes and because he was slower and wasn’t very smart so in his mind he truly believed that the dream farm was very realistic. George only pretends to have really high hopes for the dream farm for Lennie’s sake. Lennie tends to get into a lot of trouble. He doesn’t mean to get into trouble but he gets a little too rowdy. So in order to keep Lennie out of trouble he bribes him with the farm. He tells Lennie that if he is good and if he doesn’t do bad things then he can tend the rabbits on the farm. It works pretty well because Lennie is so passionate about the dream farm. George knows the truth that the farm probably won’t happen but he stays positive for