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The nature of friendship
The nature of friendship
The nature of friendship
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But not us! An’ why? Because… because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.’” -Lennie (14). 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 personalities, 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. While on the path to accomplish their hopes and dreams together, obstacles interfere, from meeting
At this point, the reader should learn that different people from different environments can become friends no matter what color, religion, size, etc. they are as long as both share a similar common belief or point of view. George became good friends with Lennie while the dog was Candy’s longtime companion although each pair were different from one another in terms of personalities. However, the reader should also note that although people are good friends with one another, if there ever comes to be a situation where something tragic occurred to someone because a friend did something bad, sometimes the other friend must step up to stop the other friend from doing bad things which ends their friendship, but is better for everyone else as a whole. George had to shoot Lennie to preserve their friendship instead of allowing other people to interfere and kill Lennie in a more drastic and horrendous manner. Carlson shot and killed Candy’s dog, but Candy told George that he should have killed his own dog because it would have had a better meaning to both him and his dog. People can become friends when they are different from each other, but sometimes, there are moments when being a good friend is hard because of the considerations and decisions that one has to make for the benefit of
George and Lennie were lifelong friends and had varying personalities even from the start. Lennie thought about how his Aunt Clara said he should have been more like George. At the time when the story took place, the two men were travelling together, and had been for some time, working and then moving on to search for the next job they could find. They were like many other men in search for work, except it was rare for men to travel together. George felt a need to take care of Lennie because he was somewhat slow. George was an average man of the time. He was a good size, nice, but firm, and he had aspirations to be more than just a nomadic laborer. Lennie, on the other hand, had always been a little different. He was big, goofy, clumsy, but sweet. They were also both good workers. George was concerned with working and getting his money before they got into trouble and had to leave camp. Lennie was the one who normally started the trouble. He was a hard worker and lived to appease George, but he got distracted easily which angered George. George told about how they would own a house and a farm together and work for themselves. Lennie loved to hear the story and think about the possibilities, even though nobody knew if any of it was a possibility. George and Lennie's differences in part led to George's inclination to kill Lennie. Despite their dissimilarity, the two men needed each other probably more than they realized.
To begin with, according to Lucius Annaeus Seneca, “One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood”. Even this quote explains that true friendship is when an individual stands for another individual. In the novel Of Mice and Men, author John Steinbeck examine the idea of friendship between two migrant ranch worker even when there was difficulties. Through the character of Slim and George, author Steinbeck illustrates friendship and reveals that friendships stand up for each other even when is difficult time.
By studying the scene where George kills Lennie, I learned that sometimes your best friends do not always act as they should as well as the importance of a strong friendship. I know from my own experience that sometimes friends do not make the best decisions when it crutial for something in your life. You will really figure out who your best friends are at a time like that. Some people think that George was not wrong with the decision he made but I feel he did not make the right decision because they were best friends and Lennie did not kill the woman on
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
The article states, “We may not define it as Aristotle did- friendship among the already virtuous.” (May,1). In the excerpt it states, “‘No,-look! I was just fooling Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me. Trouble with mice is you always kill ‘em.’ He paused, ‘Tell you what I’ll do, Lennie. First chance I get I’ll give you a pup.’...‘If you don’t want me, you only jus’ got to say so, and I’ll go off in those hills right there.’” (Stenbeck, 1). This shows true friendship, because the reader can pick out how they are both being virtuous towards each other. Lennie is upset, and wants to leave, so George wants to show how much he cares to keep him around since he enjoys him. They truly care, and do not expect anything from each other, just the careness within the bond they have. True friendships are rare, and showing that they have this in the novella, Of Mice and Men, completes it. Therefore, this friendship not only carries the weight of the excerpt, but the novella’s conflict as a whole.
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
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.
Friendships can change the outcome of a novel. Depending on who the main character sides with and who that character makes friends with can change if the character overcomes their obstacles or not. Friendship and love is when people caring and helpful to each other. Also its when both help each other without their own intentions. In Peak by Roland Smith, Peak views love and friendship as being helpful and caring, but when he is forced to go with his father, and finds out people who are his supposedly his friends are only helping him for their own special intention, he has to rely on loyalty and trust to find the people that actually care and love him.
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’s presence in George’s life causes George to learn about his friendship. An example of this is when George talks to a friend about his relationship with Lennie. He says that “Lennie just come along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to each other after a little while” (Steinbeck, 89). George implies that Lennie is different from others, however their relationship grows despite this. It is shown that as George spends with Lennie it causes him to experience friendship and to accept Lennie’s differences. It is proven that Lennie’s presence in George’s life causes George to realize that he is a friend to Lennie. Another example that proves how George’s relationship with Lennie promotes their friendship is when George is talking to Candy about his old dog. “Well-hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him…You wouldn’t think it to look at him now, but he was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen” (Steinbeck, 44). Candy talks about the friendship between him and his old dog and how the time they had together assisted their bonding. George relates this to Lennie, and believes that the longer that they are together the better friends that they will become. It is shown that George sees his relationship with Lennie when he relates it to Candy and his dog. This proves that Lennie causes George to realize that he can be a friend.
Friends have a strong influence on each other. George, a small, responsible, but sharp-tongued man, is looked up to by Lennie, who is dependent and, with an incomplete mental development, childlike. The two men are part of an uneven friendship, where George is superior. Steinbeck quotes, "Lennie, who had been watching, imitates George exactly" (Steinbeck 3). Yearning for George's acceptance and approval, Lennie mimics George. In the back of his mind, Lennie’s understanding includes that he is different and must prove himself, and in mimicking George, Lennie hopes to be found acceptable. In addition, George’s companionship is what prevents loneliness from consuming Lennie. Lennie cries, “ ‘He won’t,’ ... ‘He won’t do nothing like that. I know George. Me an’ him travels together’ ” (Steinbeck 98). Lennie has confidence in their friendship, and he has every right to, as George has not abandoned him. Despite all the troubles Lennie has brought upon them, George has chosen to remain with him. This is a demonstration of true friendship, for George could have just as easily left Lennie at any point along their perilous journey. For George, his personality has changed as a result of his association with Lennie. At the start of the novel, George expresses his impa...
"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.
...rspectives and opportunities. It is friendship that has the power to keep a person close to home. And it is friendship that gives a person the support to leave their home.