Companionship In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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The first topic this novel explains is the importance of companionship in one’s life. Companionship, and also lack of, is a consistent theme throughout the novel regarding George and Lennie’s friendship, and also the ranchmen's lack of companionship. From the beginning of the novel it is easy to realize that George and Lennie have a very special friendship. It is not just a friend or bestfriend, but rather a big brother to a little brother or even a dog to its master. George and Lennie spend their lives roaming from ranch to ranch in search of work, which many men did during the times of the Great Depression which is the era the novel takes place. Except many ranchmen often travelled alone, but not George and Lennie thanks to their unlikely friendship. …show more content…

An’ why? Because...because I got you to look after me, and you’ve got me to look after you, and that’s why” (14). This is a common exchange between the two characters when describing a common “dream” the two have. The dream describes them living on their own ranch, living off of the land, and Lennie tending to the rabbits. George uses this exchange to remind Lennie that this “dream” will one day occur, and to keep him from messing up another ranch job. Another example regarding George and Lennie's friendship is when Lennie exclaims, “George wouldn’t do nothing like that. I been with George a long time. He’ll come back tonight-” (71). This shows Lennie’s undivided loyalty to George and his hope that he always comes back no matter what. This is much different compared to the other ranchmen’s lives. Other ranchmen often travelled alone, and often did not like or welcome the company of others around them. In particular, the ranchmen Crooks is described as, “A proud, aloof man” who “kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs”

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