Friendship In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

One would not expect a friendship to be one of the most risky things in life. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is an example of a risky friendship. Both characters show a trust and bond for one another in a time where true friendship is hard to come by. While friendships can make people vulnerable, it can also add significance to their lives and make it improve. People in friendships can be vulnerable because of themselves, another person, or their own goals. Steinbeck displays that people can be vulnerable in friendships because of themselves throughout the novel. “George still stared morosely at the fire. When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts. I never get no peace” (12). George is knows that if he were to leave Lennie behind, that he could live a better life. However, he stays with Lennie because he cares about Lennie. “Friendship in an Age of Economics”, is another piece based on friendships. “If we are to have friends, then we must be willing to approach some among our relationships as offering an invitation to build something outside the scope of our own desires” (May 3). While George might have his own goals in life, he sets them aside to maintain his relationship with Lennie. However, other people

“I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be” (32). Curley’s wife is making Lennie and George’s friendship vulnerable because George knows that she is tempting to Lennie and that could get them in trouble. “Conversely, our times challenge those friendships. This is why we must reflect on friendship; so that it doesn’t slip away from us under the pressure of a dominant economic discourse” (May 2). Other temptations can put friendships at risk because something else may seem better than what they already have. Goals are another thing that can put a friendship at