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Why Is Lennie Important In Of Mice And Men

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The main character, George Milton, murders his best friend, Lennie Smalls, in John Steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men. In this book George and Lennie are running from Weed where Lennie did illegal things, like touching a dress, they are going to another ranch to gather a stake. When they get there, they are interviewed by the boss and meet some of the other ranch-hands and go out to work. The next day they have a horseshoe tournament and during it Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s Wife and runs away, Candy and George see what he did and have to tell the other guys, who then go on a manhunt for Lennie and George tries to protect him and kills Lennie in the end. George and Lennie show a great example of how it is good to have friends during your …show more content…

For example, When Lennie is being beat up by Curley so George says, “Get him, Lennie. Don't let him do it.” (Steinbeck 63) George and Lennie are best friends and so George doesn't like how Lennie is getting beat up by Curley even though Lennie could easily win. So George encourages Lennie to stand up and protect himself and everyone else from Curley. Later George and Candy are talking about how Curley is going to want to lynch Lennie and George says, “I ain't gonna let 'em hurt Lennie.” George is making a vocal promise that he will keep Lennie from being killed by the other guys. In this instance George is trying to protect Lennie from being killed and he is hoping there is another way. Earlier than this in the text George and Lennie just arrived at a stream that is not moving and Lennie drops down and starts guzzling water like there is no tomorrow so George says worriedly, "Lennie don't drink too much… you never ought to drink water when it ain't running, Lennie." George is telling Lennie to stop drinking so fast and so much of the still water. In this part of the story George is trying to protect Lennie from getting sick or harmed because of the water, and George openly tells him not to drink water when it isn't running. In the text there is an awkward moment in the bunkhouse while Carlson is taking Candy’s old dog out far from the bunkhouse to euthanize him and while the awkward moment is happing George tries to take everyone’s attention from what is going on outside by saying, "Does anyone want to play a little Euchre?" George says this because after Carlson walked out with Candy's dog he basically left an “awkward feeling” in the air that makes everyone uncomfortable as Candy is on his bunk depressed and the others are unsure of what to do. So George attempts to distract everyone by asking if they want to play a card game. George and Lennie are at

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