In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, many themes come up often throughout the story, especially the theme about bonds between two people. The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck expresses theme of Friendship through various literary elements. Friendship is people that care for and respect each other. It is the link that makes people stick together through the struggles of life. This essay will prove that friendship is important in life. The book starts in a town called Soledad, which means lonely, but George and Lennie are far from lonely. Their friendship is a caring one because all they have is each other. The first example of their friendship is when George and Lennie are at the pond place and Lennie boasts, “......because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you” (Steinbeck 14). The friendship between Lennie and George is close and strong. Both faithfully show their friendship and are happily together. The second example that proves their friendship is when George talks to Slim and George coaxes, “It's a lot nicer to go around with a guy you know” (Steinbeck 35). George likes the company of Lennie. He feels Lennie's friendship protects him from loneliness. The third example that presents their friendship is when George tells Lennies about Curley's wife and he demands, “Well, you keep away from her, 'cause she's a rattrap if I ever seen one” (Steinbeck 32). George doesn't want Lennie to get in trouble with Curley's wife. George shows he is responsibly able for their friendship by trying to protect them both. The fourth example that shows their friendship is when George is explaining something to Lennie and states, "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. Th... ... middle of paper ... ...s how much conflict he has caused and starts to blame himself for it. Lennie feels regret that he has put them both in trouble. Lennie worries about George's reaction. The third case of their friendship is when Slim acknowledges George's actions and sighs, “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda” (Steinbeck 107). George puts Lennie out of misery by killing him. If they captured Lennie, he would die a slow and painful death. George still cares about Lennie, so he gives him a painless death. This proves that the theme friendship is important in life. Throughout the book, Steinbeck mainly uses George and Lennie's friendship to emphasize a message which he wants to get across to us. By looking at the situations which George, Lennie, and Candy were in, we can conclude that Steinbeck wrote the book to tell us how important it is to have a friend to share your life with.
This can be identify George as a good friend or a bad friend to Lennie. In my personal opinion I think that George is a good friend to lennie. Because that I think that george need to kill Lennie, the first reason is that if Lennie get caught by Curly and the others he will still died but he will be torture to death by them. Another reason is that Lennie kills a person so he will get caught eventually and he will end up the same way as he get caught now. So George kills lennie out of caring, out of the relation that they had. that is why I think that George is a good friend to Lennie
George says that none of his other friends are quite like Lennie. They did not have a true relationship with him. George also says that Lennie is an annoyance most of the time, but he got used to it and eventually could not get rid of him. This shows that George is lonely, due to the loss of Lennie. It is proven that Lennie causes George to realize his need for others in his life.
Overall, John Steinbeck uses the character of George to represent the harshness of 1930s society and how rare companionship was, even though his companionship with Lennie ended
The friendship with George and Lennie is shown throughout the whole book. Of Mice and Men talks about the way the 1930’s were and the work you did to earn money (Cook). George and Lennie had to work on a ranch so they could earn money. George is the one to always take care of Lennie when he needs help. George and Lennie have a dream of getting a farm throughout the whole book and it shows. George tells Lennie in the book “O.K. Someday, we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and,” Lennie interrupts and says “An’ live off the fatta the lan’, (Steinbeck)” George wants Lennie around even though Lennie is a little slow in the head. George wants to help Lennie because he knows no one will help him if he is not around.
As the story continues on and the pair arrive at their job, the character chart begins to branch as we are introduced to Slim, another worker on the farm. After learning of the two’s past together, he openly expresses, “Ain’t many guys travel around together... I don’t know why. Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other” (Steinbeck 35). There is a unique value to George and Lennie’s relationship which the world lacks. Rather than combining their might, people would rather watch their own back with one set of eyes than having a second set to keep watch. There is mistrust between people and the idea of backstabbing and swindling is very present due to the economic decline and the loss of wealth for all social classes. Due to Lennie’s mental decline, however and the fact that if it were not for George, Lennie would not be alive, there is a strong bond apparent. To be separated from one another would mean becoming the rest of the world, sad and lonely. Neither of the two would like to bring sorrow to one another or let each other go through
Do you know what the meaning of friendship is? In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, you learn about George and Lennie taking care of each other. They also support one another in striving after their shared dream. George and Lennie make sacrifices for one another and are responsible for one another. George and Lennie’s relationship shows us the true meaning of friendship.
Lennie offers to go away to someplace else if that was what George wanted, but George lets Lennie stay with him (Steinbeck). Lennie says he will go live somewhere else and take care of himself, but George does not want that (Steinbeck). When cooking the beans, Lennie says George can have all the beans he wants and that he was only joking about wanting ketchup to go on the beans (Steinbeck). George says how people like him and Lennie are lonely, by Lennie says that he and George are not lonely because they have each other to look after (Attell).
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.
Man needs companionship and has difficulty maintaining it because no humans think the exact same or have the exact same beliefs. To maintain a companion you must have things in common, you must be able to disagree with a sort of respectful understanding, and finally you must care legitimately about that person. These three requirements to preserve a companionship are at times arduous to keep true. Some people do not have the time, concern, or the ability to sustain a veritable friendship with a companion or companions.
Steinbeck shows that people will trust others because of their personal prejudices. Because of his mental disability, Lennie often acts in inappropriate ways that cause both him and George to lose their jobs. George complains to Lennie that “I got you! You can’t keep a job and lose me ever’ job I get. Jus’ keep me shoving’ all over the country all the time. An’ the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out” (Steinbeck 11). Just like in Weed, a town that they have once worked at, Lennie and George has to hide from the townspeople because Lennie grabbed a woman’s dress in panic. Although Lennie acts with innocent intentions, the people around him simply do not spend the time to understand them. As soon as they move into the new farm, the boss and Curley display suspicion and even open hostility toward Lennie. They make their judgments about him before even trying to have a chance know him better. Even Crooks, also abandoned by society, regards him with contempt and disdain when Lennie first tries to enter his room. Lennie has no intention of hurting the other people, yet the people around him always feel uncomfortable around h...
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck brings out the themes of Lonliness and companionship, and strengths and weaknesses through the actions, and quotations of the characters. Irony and foreshadowing play a large roll on how the story ends. Lennie and his habit of killing things not on purpose, but he is a victim of his own strength. George trying to pretend that his feelings for Lennie mean nothing. The entire novel is repetitive in themes and expressed views.
In all of these quotes George is looking after Lennie similar to how a brother would look after a younger sibling. From when he is talking to Slim about Lennie’s work ethic on page 39 to when he is trying to keep Lennie from getting into trouble with Curley and his wife on pages 32 and 29, George is always looking after Lennie in some way. Alongside the last example, Steinbeck illustrates a caring relationship between George and Lennie. “ [George] ‘They ain’t got nobody in the worl’ that gives a hoot in hell about em-’...[Lennie] ‘But not us’” (104). George and Lennie always come back to the subject of looking out for each other. This is demonstrated when Lennie is talking to Crooks about George and Crooks says, “jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then” (72)? Just the mention of George doesn't come back or being hurt makes Lennie defensive about George, “Suddenly Lennie’s eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad. He stood up and walked dangerously toward Crooks, Who hurt George” (72). Lennie is attached to George, to Lennie, he is the only person in the world that actually cares about his well being.They have been together for years, which is quite similar
“Hey! Look Lennie”. John Steinbeck describes a world where the American Dream something everyone wants to live up to. Steinbeck painted a harsh reality portrait America in the 1930s. Steinbeck reveals during the great depression it's a every man for himself in battle. Also he reveals during the Great Depression everyone is trying to find work for themselves. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck tells a story about two guys being each other's keeper. The setting of the novella is The Great Depression. The Great Depression was a time in American history when it was hard for people to find work and support for themselves and their family. Of Mice and Men leaves the reader questioning Aristotle meaning of true friendship. According to Aristotle, George and Lennie have a true friendship because George always looks out for Lennie even though he's a trouble makers and their friendship is rare.
George’s relationship with Lennie has made him selfless; his conversations, with and with out Lennie, are generally revolving around Lennie, although in the case of their dream-ranch George seems to find fulfilment for himself as well. Due to these altruistic tendencies that he shows throughout the novel, a danger is bestowed upon George; he tends to care for Lennie far too much, and too little for himself. In occasional moments, he escapes his sympathy and compassion for Lennie, and realises the burden that he causes. This usually results in George taking his frustration out on Lennie, which can often harm his simple mind, leaving Lennie upset and forced to confess to his own uselessness, and George feeling guilty for what he has caused. We can learn very little about George through his actual conversations, which made it necessary for Steinbeck to focus the novel on him in particular, and let the reader gain an closer insight on him through his actions. Generally, he seems to be caring, intelligent and sensible, but is greatly worn by the constant attention Lennie requires. This illustrates a major theme in Of Mice and Men, the dangers that arise when one becomes involved in a dedicated relationship.
Although it seemed like George and Lennie’s relationship was not very equitable, thorough examination of their interactions, conversations and time spent together reveal that they indeed had a true friendship. Thus, the men were always there to back each other up; they accepted one another; and George always knew the right decisions for Lennie. In conclusion, Steinbeck shows us that a true friendship can be a bit difficult at times, but in the end two can come together to make the perfect team that will always have each other for support. When the time comes for you, and you find “the perfect friend”, you should think to yourself: Would this person ever be as close to me as George and Lennie were in the book, Of Mice and Men by John