Although John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood discuss two very different tragedies, both novels still capture very unique companionships. In the novel Of Mice and Men, an independent hard worker, George, has to look after his companion with mental illness, Lennie. Consequently, Lennie’s makes a series of wrong decisions which leads to his unintentional murder of Curley’s wife. This tragedy leaves a group of people enraged at Lennie and they decide to give Lennie the ultimate revenge- to take his life. His mate knows that Lennie will have to die because of what he’s done so he decides it’s best for Lennie is to die as painless of a death as possible; therefore he himself kills Lennie. In Cold Blood, however, examines a dramatically different duo. Two literal “partners in crime” Dick and Perry kill a whole …show more content…
The two very different characters eventually get caught and go through a series of investigations to reveal their true feelings behind the tragedy. The crime leaves the whole town in grief and Dick and Perry are hanged because of their actions. Despite these two novels being very different, the relationships in both books fuels the tragedy that occurs, and contrasting personalities makes them very dependent on each other.
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’
Of Mice and Men - George and Lennie seem to have a very close friendship throughout the story. Of Mice and Men George and Lennie seem to have a very close friendship throughout the story. This is strange because they are completely different from each other mentally, as well as physically. The author tells us that George is a small, quick and defined man. He is the leader of the two men and makes all the plans.
In both stories of “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor, similarities and contrasts exist in their literacy forms. The characters in both stories are also comparable, although diverse at certain points. Several of the similarities ranges from foreshadowing, character simulation, and even the setting is similar since it envies ' and harbor criminal incidences (O’Connor, 121). Characters have similar qualities that originate them advance their heinous acts. It’s evident when the two stories culminates with the unwarranted deaths of innocent individuals i.e. grandmother in cold blood and the Clutters by O’Connor’s story.
Capote's structure in In Cold Blood is a subject that deserves discussion. The book is told from two alternating perspectives, that of the Clutter family who are the victims, and that of the two murderers, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. The different perspectives allow the reader to relive both sides of the story; Capote presents them without bias. Capote masterfully utilizes the third person omniscient point of view to express the two perspectives. The non-chronological sequencing of some events emphasizes key scenes.
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
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.
Relationships are an important essence of life. Humans need relationships because we are dependent on each other to survive. Babies need their mothers to feed and nurse them, and friends need each other to support, comfort, sympathize, and understand them. The friendship between George and Lennie outlined the core of Of Mice and Men, and although it’s sometimes idealized and exaggerated throughout the novel, there is no question of its sincerity. 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 done a real bad thing. I shouldn’t have did that. George’ll be mad. An’… he said…. An’ hide in the brush till he come. He’s gonna be mad.” (pg. 92) On the other hand, George thinks of Lennie as a constant source of frustration, and as he frequently mention in the novel, “God, you’re a lot of trouble. I could get along so easy and nice if I didn’t have you on my t...
Whether or not the men have a stable friendship with others determines some of their actions. George and Lennie’s friendship is very strong, so they base off their actions on the other persons. The have been staying together for many years. The two moving around and living together is great for Lennie, because due to
...These two naturally gravitate towards one another due to their personalities. Dick being the stronger and more aggressive needs a person like Perry who would naturally follow suit as long as he gained the approval he desired. During the event of the murders Perry will not leave Dick alone with the girls because he knows that Dick is evil and would most likely sexually attack them. Perry kills all four of the Clutters and it all starts because Perry was trying to show Dick he wasn't man enough to do it. He was taunting him, and then ended up slitting Herb Clutters throat in the basement. After, Perry shoots Herb, Kenyon, Nancy, and finally Bonnie. In the end when Perry is hanged he says he knows it doesn't matter, but he does apologize. Perry is a paranoid schizophrenic and wasn't emotionally connected to the Clutter's. This explains why he does not feel guilty.
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...
Capote’s structure throughout the entire book created an excellent backbone to tell the two alternating perspectives of the book that is of the victims; the clutter family and the murders; Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. This allowed Capote to not have a bias towards the accounts being told. The pattern of victims then the murderers causes an attractive puzzle where the reader collects an amount of information leading to the climax of the actual slaughter. He actually contin...
In Truman Capote’s non-fiction novel In Cold Blood, the Clutter family’s murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, are exposed like never before. The novel allows the reader to experience an intimate understanding of the murderer’s pasts, thoughts, and feelings. It goes into great detail of Smith and Hickock’s pasts which helps to explain the path of life they were walking leading up to the murder’s, as well as the thought’s that were running through their minds after the killings.
In Cold Blood by Truman, Capote takes a brave deviation from the mainstream of murder or crime novels in that the author frequently takes the perspective of the perpetrators of the crime in question. Dick Hickock and Perry Smith were two particularly perverse individuals who were hanged for the murder of the Clutter family. Capote gives a well researched account of the murder and events following November 14th, 1959, in such depth that the reader may even begin to sympathize with the duo. Capote portrays the murderers through a journalistic and mostly impartial description that enhances the reader's understanding of the two by going into trivial details. Dick and Perry are two individuals with conflicting origins and attitudes.
Overall, these two passages are just an illustrative representation of Capote’s consistent characterization of Dick and Perry. What makes Capote’s methods of characterization so different is that he does not merely state facts of each in random order. Each detail included or excluded is done with a specific purpose to manipulate the mind of the reader into sharing the same opinions of each character as
Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie and George express loyalty to each other and the reader indirectly finds themselves becoming loyal to their partnership. Lennie expresses loyalty when George says to Lennie “George still stared morosely at the fire. ‘When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nut. I never get no peace.’ Lennie still knelt. He looked off into the darkness across the river. ‘George, you want I should go away and leave you alone?’” (Steinbeck 12) showing how Lennie is willing to leave George if he has become a problem for him. George is saying how good he could have it if Lennie wasn’t in his life but doesn’t leave Lennie and Lennie asks if he should go away if he is making it hard for George. Lennie is being very loyal to George by being willing to leave George just so that he can be happier and life a better life. Also, Lennie after hearing George complain about how difficult Lennie makes his life is still willing to do whatever George tells him to no matter the consequences. Furthermore, George doesn’t leave Lennie and Lennie doesn’t leave George due to their loyalty and needing of each other (Steinbeck 12). Lennie goes to extreme of fighting someone to express his loyalty when “George turned to Lennie. ‘It ain’t your fault,’ he said. ‘You don’t need to be scairt no more. You done jus’ what I tol’ you to. Maybe you better go in the washroom an’ clean up your face. You look like hell.’ Lennie smiled with is bruised mouth. ‘I didn’t want no trouble,’ he said. He walked toward the door, but just before he came to it he turned back. ‘George?’ ‘What yo...
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.