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Symbolism in of mice and men essay
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The Relationship between George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men From the start to the end of the book the most important and dramatic characters are George and Lennie. These two characters presented by the author as two close friends who are travelling to a ranch where they are looking for jobs, and to eventually achieve the "American Dream" of obtaining enough money to buy their own land and farm to live off the "Live off the fatta (fat of) the land". George, the small and keen one of the two, goes in front. Lennie, a big shapeless man with a feeble mind, but an enormous strength, comes after him. Lennie has been accused of assaulting a girl and that's why they had to leave town. He merely wanted to stroke her dress, because it seemed soft. Lennie loves soft, furry things, but he can't have a pet animal, for they all die under the pressure of his huge hands. George could not always prevent Lennie from getting into trouble and together they travelled from ranch to ranch, trying to gather as much money as they needed to get their own place, where Lennie could tend rabbits. As we progress throughout the story, this theme for George and Lennie's relationship seems follow on. This is very true in the narrow view of the story, but while reading the book I found a much more deeper and important description of George and Lennie's relationship. I first had the simple idea of the meaning of their relationship (as I have described above), but as the other characters entered the story it became very clear that there are a lot more implications to what the relationship represents. At the beginning chapter the author introduces the story with a ... ... middle of paper ... ...in effect, is forced to shoot both his companion, who made him different from the other lonely workers, as well as his own dream and admit that it has gone hopelessly wrong. His new burden is now hopelessness, loneliness and the life of the homeless ranch worker. Another key point is Slim's comfort at the end, "You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me" Slim understands and sympathizes with George, things that most men don't do for each other or want to do. They are friends who understand sacrifice, mercy and care, which in many ways can be seen as a foretelling for an optimistic future. Personally I think Lennie is an irreplaceable friend, which indicates the sad truth that at sometime in ones future one has to surrender one's loved possessions and dreams in order to survive, even if it means killing.
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...
George obviously cared for Lennie or else he would have left him by himself afte...
Behind George’s impulsive enigma you can see just how much he wants to be accepted and make friends. Isolated and lonely, George bullied children who were smaller than him and appeared as ‘easy targets’ because deep down he didn't feel good about himself and wanted to be accepted due to his learning difficulties and other assorted problems. George readily agrees to the invitation to Sam’s birthday, seeing the trip as an opportunity to finally make friends. You see a glimpse of his caring nature when he gives Sam a birthday present, using all his savings to purchase him a water pistol, and ensuring he likes it. However, he was unaware of the true purpose of his invitation by the resentful Sam, forcing you to sympathise further on George and expressing his innocence and desperation to form friendships. This is further demonstrated later in the film where he lies and tells the group that he smokes cigarettes in hopes to be accepted in the group and appear as ‘cool’ by doing the things they
is in the air. Animals begin to scatter. Two men have arrived on the scene,
Lennie was not very smart and couldn't do much by himself. He had to be told what to do or he wouldn't do anything at all. He fits all the profiles for a retarded person. He doesn't have any self-control. When he starts to panic he gets out of control and even kills Curly's wife because she starts to scream. Lennie loves animals and can't stop talking about them. He always says that when they get their own place that he wants lots of rabbits, his favorite animal. To him George is like his father figure, since Lennie never really had any parents. He is easily amused and panics quickly.
George and Lennie need each other to achieve their dream of their own farm with rabbits to tend. Lennie could not take care of his rabbits or even survive without George.
Lennie is a massive and powerful man, but is dull-witted, George on the other hand is scrawnier and not as mighty. Both are hearty individuals just trying to survive a tough life. After Lennie’s Aunt Clara passed away George took the responsibility of looking after Lennie. Through good and bad times George has learned to love and protect him. Lennie, an animal lover at heart always takes pleasure from petting them. He loves all small, soft, fuzzy things and cannot help himself from petting them. During their journey to the new ranch, Lennie catches a mouse, “I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along.'; (Steinbeck:6). George hates it when Lennie catches animals and plays with them “well you ain’t petting no mice while you walk with me.'; (Steinbeck:6) because he knows Lennie could end up killing the tiny animal. Lennie does not know his own strength and handles the mouse too rough “you’ve broke it pettin’ it.'; (Steinbeck:9) After the two men spend the night in the woods, they finish their journey and arrive at the ranch.
John Steinbeck wrote the play Of Mice and Men in 1937 (Steinbeck). It is a play about two ranch workers who do not have the best of luck. The two workers were named George and Lennie. George was a more small bodied man. His partner Lennie was a giant among average sized people. They are on the road going place to place working numerous jobs. Lennie has a learning disability. The two work hand and hand. George is there to keep Lennie out of trouble. Lennie in a way helps keep George together. Sometimes it gets difficult for the two but they always get through everything together. They both work hand and hand. George is the brains and Lennie is the muscle. Lennie is a very powerful man so he can do a lot of things normal men cannot do. George is Lennie’s only family or friend he’s all Lennie has in this world. In a way Lennie is all George has also. The two keep one another going throughout their long journey. They work together escape trouble together and keep each other pushing forward. In the end the only thing they have is each other. This story shows that no matter how different two people are they still can relate to each other. It also shows that no matter how independent one thinks he/she is someone can always help them with something (Steinbeck).
The background into a character is one of the most important necessities for understanding a book. John Steinbeck uses certain repetitive imagery whenever describing a character to give readers an insight on their mannerisms and peculiarities. Among the images Steinbeck uses, the dog and the bear are the most important. John Steinbeck develops the persona and character of Lennie, a big, strong farmhand that is small minded,by the animal imagery that he uses to describe him and through this Steinbeck conveys his overall message about farmhands of the time.
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.
Lennie accidentally killing all of his pets establishes that the theme of this novel is death and loss. These pets consist of mice, dogs, kittens, etc. Lennie loves to feel and pet animals, but he does not know his own strength. He kills them without really noticing what he has done, until George tells him that he did something wrong. After being scolded, Lennie is very remorseful about what he did. Once, after being yelled at Lennie says, “I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead- because they were so little (13).” Lennie’s remorse is probably more for upsetting George than it is for actually killing the animal.
There were multiple changes in George’s character, some blindingly obvious and some that were fairly subtle. All these changes had the same root – George’s choice to abandon his dream with Lennie and shoot his friend.
First, in John Steinbeck's, Of Mice and Men Lennie is a giant man with a mind of a child. He is a quite a pushover when it come to his partner George. George is always taking advantage of Lennie for his strength and mean mugging looks. George and Lennie move
“George says I ain’t. I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof’ things.” (90). These things bring him happiness, and many times throughout the story Lennie seems to be quite focused on them and the feelings that something as simple as a soft item brings. “If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
George would do anything to help out a person in need of a little extra cash, even if that person doesn’t deserve the help in any way. People like George are the individuals that go far in life; he’s the type of person that doesn’t like to see others struggle. When he saw Herbert in need of money, forging to feed his family, he knew it was the right choice to take Herbert under his wing. (Chapter VI, Para.1) Not only is George a genuine person, he teaches Herbert very valuable lessons throughout their journey as partners.