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Literary analysis on mice and men
How does Steinbeck describe friendship
Why trust is important in friendship
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John Steinbeck describes a world where the American Dream was based on achieving goals but never got accomplished. Steinbeck paints a uncontrollable portrait of America in the 1930s. Steinbeck reveals how people with different mindsets come together and help each other out because of the way they think and the ability they had. Friendship is the emotions or conduct of friends. Aristotle classifies friendship under three categories; pleasure, usefulness, and true friendship. I believe George and Lennie have a true friendship because it is long lasting, rare, and they want the best for each other. To begin with, George and Lennie have a long lasting relationship which makes them have a true friendship. Unlike friendships of pleasure and usefulness, true friendships last forever. Even though pleasure and useful friendships can last long because people like what they are getting out of it. On page 40 George says, “Him and me was both …show more content…
Most people who have true friendships are the same and want the same outcome even though that’s what George and Lennie wanted. They were different because George was smart and Lennie had a lack of mental intelligence. On page 35 Slim says, “Ain’t many guys travel around together.” In this time period most men were independent and did stuff on their own but since Lennie needed George on the daily bases due to his lack of intelligence, that’s what kept them together. Also the way they worked together and how they had each other’s back through whatever. On page 72 Crooks said gently, “Maybe you can see now. You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you didn’t have nobody.....A guy needs somebody to be near him.” Crooks was lonely because he was the only black man and he was always excluded. Crooks wanted a friendship with somebody like George and Lennie had. Crooks noticed how George and lennie had a true friendship because they always came back to each other unlike his
It is not, however, a one-sided friendship. George must be very close to Lennie because he goes to a lot of trouble to make sure that they both stay together. When Lennie got himself into trouble in Weed George didn't abandon him; they ran away to a different ranch together. I think George relies on Lennie for companionship because of the unfriendly and lonely environment they are in. he obviously cares about lennie because he says, "God, you're a lot of trouble.
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’
The emotional symbiosis between George and Lennie helps each man. Lennie’s attachment to George is most strongly visible when Crooks suggests George is not coming back. Lennie is almost moved to hysterics and his fear does not quickly abate. George prefers to feign dislike for Lennie to Lennie’s face: “I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail” (7). When pressed, George reveals his true feelings for Lennie. “I want you to stay with me Lennie” (13). They stay together because “It’s a lot easier to go around with a guy you know” (35). Both men need and value their strong emotional relationship.
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
This excerpt from Of Mice and Men emphasizes the power of friendship, which is one of the story’s main themes. Two migrant works from California are motivated by their will to experience the “American dream” and they can only do so by working their hardest. Their long days of hard work are accompanied by loneliness, fear, and betrayal. The reality and corruption of society during the Great Depression is revealed. The story explains the vicious and hostile way in which social power has a propensity to manifest itself.
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. .
First of all, George has given off a sense of friendship to a lot of other characters. First of all, George will always be supportive of Lennie in the long run. Lennie has gotten in trouble in weed and now they are on their way to Soledad. It is nighttime and George is a little bothered with Lennie, but he does not want Lennie to feel bad about anything. George says to Lennie “I want you to stay with me, Lennie.” (13). George needs the companionship from Lennie no matter what situation they are in. He does not ever want to upset Lennie. Even though Lennie gets them in trouble every job, George still needs him just to be with him because he loves friendship. George will always stick with Lennie. In addition, George tries to cheer Lennie up if he is confused or just did something wrong.George and Lennie are still on their way to Soledad after what happened in Weed. Lennie wants to be cheered up after having issues in Weed. George says to Lennie, “ Ok 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.” George is telling Lennie no matter what happens to us at this moment later in life they are going to have a whole house together. Lennie loves when George tells him a story because Lennie knows that there is hope in their dreams. No matter what George will try to cheer Lennie up. George knows how much Lennie loves animals, and telling him this will keep their friendship very strong. George and Lennie will always have a friendship because they have been with each other for such a long period of time.
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.
‘If you don’t want me, you just’ 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 care within the bond they have.
After reading the novella I think that George is a really good friend to Lennie. The first reason that I think that he is a really good friend to lennie, because that he runs off with Lennie when Lennie gets in trouble. George have a choice of running off with Lennie and been trace by those people or he could just don’t care about Lennie and keep his job. But he choose to run off with Lennie and been trace by those people. The second reason that I think George is a good friend to Lennie is because that in the novella it shows that George care about Lennie. On the first section it shows that George tells to Lennie to get off the the green water and throw away the dead mouse that Lennie had. He did that because the mouse might get him
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 into the world and someone that will respect him even though he isn’t intelligent. They, more importantly, give each other something to live for.
"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 characterization of George and Lennie’s friendship shows the importance of having a friend to be staunch for you. Here, when George and Lennie argue, they resolve to do whats best for eachother. “I was only foolin’, George. I don’t want no ketchup. I wouldn’t eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me.” Lennie later adds: “I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it.”(Steinbeck 12) Lennie, although mentally disabled, still does what he can for George and only wants him to be happy because he knows how much George does for him. He can’t help himself, but when it comes to George he’ll do anything for him, because George gives him hope. Lennie gives George the ambition to succeed because George knows he has to succeed to support both of them. Lennie is later told by Crooks what it’s like to be lonely: “A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.” (Steinbeck 72) Without a friend, Crooks doesn’t have the brightest light for a great future because he has nobody to depend on like Lennie and Georg...
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