Friendship, it can be for pleasure, money, or self gain, but the friendship that is the most scarce is that of a true friendship. True friendship is that which “stands as a challenge to the tenor of our times”.(May) True friendship is shared mutually between two people that are open and intimate. When you share personal details and experiences in your life to one another and trust one another, you develop a true friendship that is not about money or personal gain, but about being involved with the life of another human being. An example of one of these friendships is the friendship between Lennie Small and George Milton in the book Of Mice and Men.
An example from this novel that illustrates the true friendship between George and Lennie is that they both share a common goal to have their own little farm where they can “live off the fatta the lan.” ‘“Lennie said, “Tell about that place, George.” “I jus’ tol’ you, jus’ las’ night.” “Go on—tell again, George.” “Well, it’s ten acres,”
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“He can do anything you tell him,” said George. “He’s a good skinner. He can rassel grain bags, drive a cultivator. He can do anything. Just give him a try.” (Steinbeck) Also lennie assures the others that George wouldn’t do anything bad to him. “George wouldn’t do nothing like that. I been with George a long a time. He’ll come back tonight—” (Steinbeck) Loyalty is one of the emotional attributes that Karen Karbo lists out that contribute to a strong friendship. “Hefty helpings of emotional expressiveness and unconditional support are ingredients here, followed by acceptance, loyalty, and trust.” (Karbo) George and Lennie share a strong loyalty, trust and acceptance of one another that draws them together and forms the strong friendship between the
I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn't have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl. " If George wanted to leave Lennie and change his lifestyle completely, he easily could. But he stays with Lennie throughout the whole book so they must have a special friendship.
It is very apparent that each of the four characters in the two friendships feed off of each other. In Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie are very different, yet they need one other. George is a very independent, loyal, and caring person who takes care of Lennie because Lennie is unable to take care of himself. Although George makes it seem like he would be better off without Lennie, George makes it clear that without him he would be better off. This is evident because of this conversation h regularly had with Lennie” I could go get a job an’
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
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.
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
George and Lennie seemingly contrast each other throughout most of the story, constantly arguing about Lennie’s actions. After the two fight about Lennie needing ketchup for his beans, the author writes, "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’s innocent offer to give up ketchup for his friend, resolving their argument, also establishes that extending acts of friendship is an astounding way to overcome differences. Certainly one must not only be kind in order to gain acceptance, but persistent in attempts to establish friendship. Lennie is another perfect example of this when he befriends Crooks: “Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him. ‘Come on in and set a while,’ Crooks said. ‘ ‘Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.’ His tone was a little more friendly” (69). Analogous to Lennie’s tenacious attempts to win Crooks’ trust, one must be resolute in order to accept those with differences. Constant acts of friendship show compassion and clear purpose in actions, ridding any stereotypes or misunderstandings in a
That shows the power of friendship. Friendship is like a spark of life that brings two people together from sometimes different situations to learn more about each other and to benefit one another. In Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, two close friends, Lennie and George, who are opposites in size and personality, come from different situations, but end up traveling together to find a job in the Salinas. Both have done so to pursue their hopes and dreams of happiness and to purchase a small ranch of their own.
In life, friendship is something that everybody needs. It allows people to function better and be more successful. Some people think that all friendships are the same and do not differ from the next. However, I believe that each friendship has its own quality that makes it different from all of the other friendships while still retaining all of the characteristics that make the relationship a friendship. Today, this essay will highlight the qualities that are the same in the friendship of Maurice and Laura from An Invisible Thread and the friendship of Lennie and George from Of Mice and Men while also identifying the differences between them as well as illustrating the very attributes that define a friendship.
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...
Just as looking after each other is important, another component of a healthy relationship is being able to make each other better people. With no surprise, George and Lennie are able to do this for each other constantly. The first way that George and Lennie make each other better people is because they have common goals between each other. George and Lennie explain to readers how their goal is to own a farm with each other. Their farm will take up an acre of land, and it will have a shack on that land that they can live in. They will own chickens, pigs, cows, and rabbits that Lennie will be able to tend. (Steinbeck 105-106)
Curly and Lennie, two men that traveled together everywhere they went. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck describes friendship, dreams, and personality to describe Lennie and Curly adventures.
Friendship is a bond that brings society together as a whole. The article, “Friendship in an Age of Economics” by Todd May describes six friendships that pertains to life. In the Of Mice and Men excerpt, the reader meets two characters, George and Lennie, and their friendship is shown. Of the six friendships, in “Friendship in an Age of Economics,” the true friendship, developed by Aristotle, is used in Of Mice and Men through George and Lennie’s relationship because of how they act towards each other, and how they take care of one another through many different ways.
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.
"Were born alone we live alone die alone. Only through love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that were not alone” Orson Welles. In this novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck focuses on the loneliness of California ranch life in the 1930’s. One of the most important things in the life is to have a friend, without friends people will suffer from loneliness like in this novel, not everyone in the novel has the same connection and special friendship like George and Lennie’s. Of Mice and Men is the story about lonely men who travel from ranch to ranch not really communicating with other ranch hands. Candy, Crooks and Curley’s wife all were lonely and dealt with their loneliness in different ways.
The famed nurses study from Harvard found “Not having a close friend is as detrimental to your health as smoking.” Lennie and George’s friendship is necessary to keep the better for each other. Throughout the story, Lennie and George need each other and look out for one another no matter what. Lennie and George’s friendship and journey throughout the story symbolizes the struggles to achieve the American dream. Steinbeck, in the story Of Mice and Men, combines characterization and symbolism to prove friends do whats best for eachother.