Of Mice And Men : Study Questions

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

Steinbeck’s character, Lennie, is large and strong, but his mind is weak and slow. His companion through the story, George, looks after Lennie and has plans for a good life for

Steinbeck introduces Lennie by physical description and it gives us an idea of how powerful he is compared to George. “a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders” (Steinbeck, Pg. 2) In this quote, the author is trying to make the reader

The author John Steinbeck presents the relationship between the two characters, George and Lennie in different ways as they are both different characters and have different personalities. He presents it like a parent and child relationship, with George being the parent and Lennie the child.

2. George is a small and thin man with sharp features (Steinbeck 2). He has a quick temper and a wit to match. His temper is shown early in the book on page 4 when he gets mad at Lennie for always forgetting what he’s told him. George plays the role as the caregiver in his relationship with Lennie. A conflict

What truly is the “American Dream”? Furthermore, during the Great Depression, even the concept of the “American Dream” was not readily available and was no more than a fallacy at the time. For the 2 protagonists in Of Mice And Men, their dream, like many others, was to “live off the fatta the land” and become independent. However, this was not such an easy task at the time, not just because of the rough economic times, but because people of that era still had World War 2 still very fresh in their minds, with the harbored hatred and untrust that came along with it. Nevertheless, for the millions who died in the course of the war, this “American Dream” was not only something worth living for it was something dying for too. However, in the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the author emphasizes that the dreams and hopes were delusions and has a grim outlook on living life in search of a dream.

At the beginning of the novel when the reader is first introduced to George and Lennie, they are first described as in “The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws”(Steinbeck 2). Together they sat at a bank and drank some water from the not moving green pool. For a long while together they walked four miles from where there bus dropped them off. Lennie's aunt Clara passed away and since he wasn’t smart enough to live in the world they lived in George said “Your Aunt Clara wouldn’t want you running off by yourself, even if she is dead”(Steinbeck 13). When candy got his dog put down he regretted not doing it himself. After Lennie killed Curley’s wife and ran off, George knew that moment, when he saw her dead, that he was going to kill Lennie himself because he was his best friend. George came quickly out of a bush to find

We see the interview with the boss, George becomes protective toward Lennie, “I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy.”(P43) and when Curley’s wife enters into the attention George is seriously apprehensive about Lennie, “Listen to me… you leave her be.”(P54). Later on, when George finds Lennie in Crook’s, the stable buck’s, room, he looks disapprovingly at Lennie, “George stood framed in the door, and he looked disapprovingly.”(P115), this is very parent like. Steinbeck reinforces the contrast between them and everybody else. Slims says “Ain’t many guys travel around together”(P57)

In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men characters in the novel are segregated by sex, race, age, physical and mental disabilities. John Steinbeck portrays the intolerance and bigotry of 1930’s America through the separation of his characters based on their handicaps. Lennie, Candy, Candy’s dog, Curley’s wife and Crooks all face social pressure from the other characters on the ranch based on their intelligence, physical disability, age, sex and color. Stereotyping based on ethnic or physical characteristics is typical to the 1930’s depression where civil rights for minority groups had not yet been addressed. Almost all of the characters who, in

The opening sequence of events, which introduces us to George and Lennie indeed gives the impression that the larger Lennie, suffers from some form mental disability. He is the exact antithesis is the character of George, a small man, with sharp features, who seems to be close friend and confidant to Lennie. In addition to this, George also seems to be greatly concerned with Lennie's safety and well-being. Furthermore, it seemed to me that the two have had a long-time close companionship, or, that George owes Lennie some type of allegiance, as George seems to have suffered at the expense of Lennie as is evident from the previous job.

The greater part of the novel's appeal, George and Lennie's relationship, although far from what one could call a reciprocal friendship, intrigues the reader in the same way many comic duos intrigue. It is easy to identify with the "smart guy" who helplessly tries to cope with and control his irrational, dumb and, yet, spontaneous, child-like partner as they lurch from one self-inflicted crisis to another. Steinbeck uses that classic comic routine so that the reader warmly identifies and recognizes the relationship. Steinbeck's narrator establishes and characterizes George's lording of power and control over Lennie early in the first chapter:

In the novella Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck, the relationship between Lennie Small and George Milton is complex. Lennie and George are two companions who look for work and brave the hardships of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression together. Although Lennie and George are both grown men, their relationship resembles more of a child and a single parent, or a boy and his dog. Lennie is portrayed as animalistic and childish through his behavior and Steinbeck’s comparisons. This reveals the crucial power dynamic in George and Lennie’s relationship.

Western mythology would appeal to ranch hands, like George Milton from Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, more than other genres or media. This is due to that examples of western lore, such as “How the West Was Won” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, are pillars of individual strength, “frontier justice” and the American dream, not having to rely on others for one’s own survival. These themes are all present in Of Mice and Men, and George as a character but by the end of the novella George has experienced the worst aspect of each of those themes. To explain why George would enjoy the western, one must first show the similarities between George’s experience in the novella and the previously stated themes of the western. Firstly, the idea of individual strength is important to the western, due to how prevalent it is, such as how in “The Good, the Bad and

The worker contacted Cliff Carekker who is a co-worker of Gheorge Gurley. Mr. Carekker stated “I’m really concerned with Gheorge’s financial situation. He never seem to be able to make end meet, but he works a lot and he’s always picking up extra shifts and coming in on weekends but it seems likes he and his family are always struggling. Me and my wife have bought groceries for them and told them about some free food pantries they can use.

In 1992 Gary Sinise directed the tragic film “Of Mice and Men.” The story is about George Milton and Lennie Small, two friends who travel together in search of work. Though Lennie is very calm and harmless he isn’t very smart and is unaware of his strength, which leads him into trouble. A New York Times article describes him this way; “Lennie is a gentle giant of a man with the mental capacities of an 8-year-old. He loves to fondle soft things, like mice, puppies and rabbits, even a small piece of velvet.” Through the eyes of Lennie and George the audience sees the special relationship that they share. However there is a larger theme at play in the film. Though George has Lennie by his side, Lennie’s companionship seems to offer George very little relief from his loneliness. The people they encounter and the irony of the duo’s situation portray the theme of loneliness in the film.