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How is the theme of friendship presented throughout the novel in of mice and men
How is the theme of friendship presented throughout the novel in of mice and men
How is friendship seen in of mice and men
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Friendships are developed when people fulfill each other’s needs. In Of Mice and Men Steinbeck introduces Lennie, a simple minded man, and his caretaker George. Their interdependent relationship provides security, essential needs, and camaraderie. In this pair, Lennie feels protected by his friend. The opening scene shows him “imitat[ing] George exactly.” Lennie is childlike and looks to George for instruction. This guidance provides him with a sense of confidence. When heading to their new job George tells Lennie, "If you jus' happen to get in trouble… Hide in the brush till I come for you.” George provides him with a refuge incase he needs to run. He knows Lennie often falters because of his disability and ensures he will be unharmed if …show more content…
Lennie expresses this when he remarks, “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you.” George promised Lennie’s aunt that he would take care of him and he continues to do so. Although Lennie often falters, he intends on providing George with what he needs. When George becomes frustrated with Lennie’s requests for ketchup, Lennie assures him that he “wouldn't eat none” and would “leave it all for [George].” Ketchup is not a necessity but it is significant to Lennie. By this childish statement, Lennie shows that he would give up what he thinks is an important commodity, expressing his gratitude for his friend. George also acknowledges “if [the employer] sees ya work… we’re set.” Lennie often causes them trouble, but his strength compensates for this. With the promise of a job, the two also receive shelter, food, and money. Their loyalty to each other and Lennie’s strength assure George and Lennie will have all they require for …show more content…
George tells Lennie that workers like them are “the loneliest guys in the world” but that they're different because they “got somebody to talk to.” At this time migrant workers did not have a partner to bond with. George and Lennie are a rare example of friendship in a society where traveling workmen were reclusive and careless. George explains to Slim that “it’s a lot nicer to go around with a guy you know.” Instead of living a lonely life, George has Lennie to keep him company. He realizes that without Lennie he would be completely desolate. While waiting for morning, Lennie begins to talk about leaving. George responds with the simple, powerful statement, “I want you to stay with me, Lennie.” George often complains about Lennie being a nuisance, but ultimately he values Lennie’s loyalty. Their companionship is important not only for Lennie, who relies on him, but also for George, who depends on Lennie emotionally. The friendship between these two supplies them both with a sense of
Lennie respects him a great deal. Lennie is huge, and very strong, but he has the mentality of a child. He relies heavily on George, as he cannot fend for himself. He always tries his best to imitate George's actions and an example of this is when the two men are at the beach. " George lay back on the sand and crossed his hands under
As George becomes aware of the situation he begins to ponder what will happen if Lennie gets away. George understands that Lennie would not be capable of providing for himself out in the wild. As George contemplates allowing Lennie to be free of all the men, he “[is] a long time in answering” (94). George is one of the few men who understands Lennie’s mental limitations, he knows Lennie would not remember how to survive and “the poor bastard’d starve” (94). He
Lennie Small, a mentally impaired man, is first introduced to us traveling with George. George, however, is not related to Lennie. Lennie travels with George because no one else understands him like he does. Lennie says, “Because…because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you…” (Steinbeck 14). Lennie believes if George ever left him that he could live in a cave by himself and not bother anyone again (Steinbeck 12). Lennie realizes he would be alone without George, but he never has known anyone else to depend on but George, and from that, they have a bond, a friendship. This shows Lennie’s need for his relationship with George.
Within the beginning of the story, the dynamic of George and Lennie’s relationship is introduced, one that is uncommon and presents a fatherly vibe. The readers are thrown into the novel at the height of the great depression, an economic catastrophe that shook the world. Within these dark time, an unlikely friendship is in full blossom and we are meet by Lennie and George setting up camp for the night by a riverbed. After the duo’s personalities are expressed, they begin to set up the idea of a commonly shared dream which exists according to Lennie “Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you” (Steinbeck 14). Lennie is seen as a quite simple minded and extremely dim-witted character from just the first
The physical symbiosis of George and Lennie is beneficial to Lennie but detrimental to George. Although George used to hurt Lennie, Lennie now needs George to bail him out of trouble. Lennie also profits because he needs a person to tell him what to do. “He can’t think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders” (39). Lennie is “a hell of a good worker”(22) and able to “put up a four-hundred pound bale” (22) but is likely to get himself in trouble without George’s protective influence. George likes Lennie but would be better off without him because “you (Lennie) can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get” (11). Lennie hinders George while George helps Lennie.
Lennie thinks of George as his only friend, his guardian, someone who he can trust and depend on, someone who had accepted him for who he is despite his childlike tendencies. Every time he did something wrong, his only thoughts would be of George’s disapproval. “I did a real bad thing. I shouldn’t have done that. George’ll be mad at me.
Friendship in the novel Of Mice and Men change the characters actions, their relationships, and their mood throughout the book. The friendships in this are vital to the development of each character. The strong relationships seem to build a better life for the men. George and Lennie had the strongest relationship in the novel, which caused George’s decision to kill Lennie be a very difficult one to
I could go get a job an’work, an’no trouble.” George expresses his frustration of how much trouble Lennie cause him. And how if wasn’t with Lennie he would have a simple live and wouldn’t have any trouble. However, when Lennie ask George if he should leave George says no.
Steinbeck tries to establish a perfect image of friendship by introducing us to George and Lennie. They are an extraordinary team, with Lennie being of monstrous size with a simple mind, and George being a smart and typical worker. Many times throughout the novel, Lennie threatens to go live in a cave to leave George alone so he won't have to take care of him anymore. However, George always explains to Lennie that he wants him by his side at all times because he knows they need each other: "No! I was just foolin', Lennie. 'Cause I want you to stay with me. . ."(13). This expresses that in order for them to have a successful friendship, they must first share their lives together to make every puzzle piece fit together. After the two men arrive at the bunk house, they meet the workers who all seem like they have no one that is willing to spend their life with as lovingly as George and Lennie. Slim, one of the mos...
In chapter one, George and Lennie are introduced onto the scene and you get to know them a little bit and you get to see how they are related/ their relationship. When I read this first part, I could tell that George was pretty much Lennie’s caretaker and it was his job to find Lennie a job and make sure he ate enough and stayed a live. He kind of resented having to drag Lennie around (pg 11~12: “Well we ain’t got any!” George exploded. “Whatever we ain’t got, you want. If I was alone I could live so easy… But wadda I got? I got you. You can’t keep a job and you loose me every job I get.”), because Lennie’s a bit slow and he messes up a lot. He tries really hard to be good and listen to what George tells him to do, but in the end of every situation, Lennie forgets what George told him beforehand and sometimes it creates a little trouble (pg 45~46: “Well, he seen this girl in this red dress. Dumb like he is, he likes to touch ever’thing he likes. Just wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk, and that gets Lennie all mixed up, and he holds on ‘cause that’s the only thing he can think to do. Well, this girl just squawks and squawks. I was jus’ a little bit off, and I heard all the yellin’, so I comes running, an’ by that time Lennie’s so scared all he can think to do is jus’ hold on. I socked him over the head with a fence picket to make him let go. He was so scairt he couldn’t let go of the dress. And he’s so strong, you know… Well, that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she’s been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in an irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day.”). But when you look at them, you can tell that George is...
In Of Mice and Men, George shows the weight of responsibility on taking care of Lennie. George knows he could be better off without Lennie. “When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts,” George finally expresses. He even tells the other farm hands, “If I was alone, I could live so easy.” George often keeps his “single like” in the back of his mind. Even so, George stands up for Lennie many times. His advice is always in Lennie’s best interest. He watches out for Lennie when he keeps hold of Lennie’s work card and bus pass. George also knows that he and Lennie wouldn’t have jobs if he didn’t make Lennie keep quiet. Lennie cannot take care of himself without George. With George watching out for Lennie like he does, Lennie’s mishaps can also have detrimental effects on George’s life. George loses his job and his best friend because of his connection with George.
A friendship is a special relationship between peoples , It occurs between friend that care about each other. In talking about friendship , the novella from John Steinbeck “Of Mice and Men”. Two friends George and Lennie ,they are trying to find a job together to complete their dream of having a farm. But Lennie is an adult size with a child's mind, he gets in trouble a lot and as his friend, George helping him solve the problem and taking care of Lennie. Later George and Lennie finds a new job , but George lies to the boss about the problem that Lennie has.
Lennie and George’s companionship meet and transcend all the needed requirements. They are a textbook example of loyal friends. They, together, are like peanut butter and jelly in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Lennie gives George someone to talk to and someone to keep him on track. George gives Lennie insight on the world and someone that will respect him even though he isn’t intelligent. They, more importantly, give each other something to live for. If George wouldn’t have met Lennie he would be a drunk in a whorehouse dying of cirrhosis. If Lennie didn’t meet George he would of died soon after his aunt did, because he would either have got himself in a bind with no one to help him or he would of simply wondered off and died of loneliness.
Steinbeck stated, “When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’,” (40). The quote is saying that Lennie used to live with his aunt before she died. George took care of him since they knew each other at the time. Another one of Steinbeck’s quotes is, “But I wouldn’t eat none, George. I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it” (12). Lennie is saying that if they had ketchup, he would give it all to George. He is sacrificing it because before he said that, he was talking about him always eating beans with ketchup on them. A line in the story says, “First chance I get I’ll get you a pup” (13). George is willing to spend his own money just to get Lennie a pup. He needs the money for his dream, but he will spend the money he makes to make Lennie happy. These are only a few of the ways that George and Lennie make sacrifices and be responsible for one another.
The characterization of George and Lennie’s friendship shows the importance of having a friend to be staunch for you. Here, when George and Lennie argue, they resolve to do whats best for eachother. “I was only foolin’, George. I don’t want no ketchup. I wouldn’t eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me.” Lennie later adds: “I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it.”(Steinbeck 12) Lennie, although mentally disabled, still does what he can for George and only wants him to be happy because he knows how much George does for him. He can’t help himself, but when it comes to George he’ll do anything for him, because George gives him hope. Lennie gives George the ambition to succeed because George knows he has to succeed to support both of them. Lennie is later told by Crooks what it’s like to be lonely: “A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.” (Steinbeck 72) Without a friend, Crooks doesn’t have the brightest light for a great future because he has nobody to depend on like Lennie and Georg...