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Characterization of George and Lennie
Characterization of George and Lennie
Characterization of George and Lennie
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Of Mice and Men was Written by John Steinbeck. It tells the story of George and Lennie, two migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States. In this book, Steinbeck portrays a unique friendship between George and Lennie. George and Lennie have a special relationship because they are always together, and Steinbeck uses this relationship to express the message that friendship and loyalty work hand in hand. Lennie and George both have differences between each other but their friendship and loyalty towards one another shines throughout the story. Lennie says, “ Not us! An’ why? Because…. because I got you to look after me, and you’ve got me to look after you, and that’s why” (p.15). This shows how strong George and Lennie's friendship is, they always will have each others back. Their friendship is an important thing in their lives and they protect each other. Through their many differences these two prove that they need each other. …show more content…
In the book Steinbeck says, “ Suddenly Lennie’s eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad. He walked dangerously toward Crooks. Who hurt George? He demanded” (p.35). Lennie stood up for George, and that’s what true friends should do. They should be there for each other in times of trouble and that’s what Lennie did. Lennie and George shows a good connection between each other. Even though Lennie is dumb he understands that friendship means sticking
...e ever since they were children. Lennie knew that he owed George for all that he had done for him over the years. Other than that, Lennie just loved George and wanted to be with him. He hated the thought of making George angry. Often times Lennie said he could go by himself and live in a cave if George really did not want to be with him. It was obvious that Lennie could never really think of leaving George. Lennie stayed loyal to George until the very end, unaware of what would happen. Even though George did care for Lennie, he did not give Lennie the loyalty and friendship back like he deserved. It was easy for Lennie to be so loyal partially because of his simple mindedness. He almost acted like a puppy, following around its owner and trying to defend it. If only George realized what a good friend he had in Lennie.
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.
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.
In all of these quotes George is looking after Lennie similar to how a brother would look after a younger sibling. From when he is talking to Slim about Lennie’s work ethic on page 39 to when he is trying to keep Lennie from getting into trouble with Curley and his wife on pages 32 and 29, George is always looking after Lennie in some way. Alongside the last example, Steinbeck illustrates a caring relationship between George and Lennie. “ [George] ‘They ain’t got nobody in the worl’ that gives a hoot in hell about em-’...[Lennie] ‘But not us’” (104). George and Lennie always come back to the subject of looking out for each other. This is demonstrated when Lennie is talking to Crooks about George and Crooks says, “jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then” (72)? Just the mention of George doesn't come back or being hurt makes Lennie defensive about George, “Suddenly Lennie’s eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad. He stood up and walked dangerously toward Crooks, Who hurt George” (72). Lennie is attached to George, to Lennie, he is the only person in the world that actually cares about his well being.They have been together for years, which is quite similar
George is a person who externally carries around with a lot of anger and isn’t holding back to tell Lennie how much he would be better off without him etc. With that said, George is a good kid, and takes very good care of Lennie. Even though Lennie is dumb and life would be a lot easier without him, George still travels from town to town to keep Lennie save. Together, George and Lennie are chasing the pursuit of happiness. George repeatedly tells the story to Lennie - with them, having their own farm in the future. Lennie have this unconditionally faith in George and everything he tells - which also plays a major role at the ending of the story, where you experience Lennie and George at their secret place. George once again tells Lennie about their bright future together well knowing that he is about to take his best friends life. This of course also tells that George really cares. That he is willing to take his best friends life to give him the best ending
George and Lennie’s relationship is a complex one. For Lennie, it is all he has known since being brought up by his Aunt Clara. He makes a veiled threat to George at the beginning of the novel that he can live alone “If you don’ want me I can go off in the hills an’ find a cave. I can go away any time.” However both George and the reader know that Lennie would not survive. George feels responsible for Lennie, and in a way is making up for the mean things he did to him as a child, like making him jump into a river when he couldn’t swim. However, Lennie also gives George great comfort as his love for his friend is unconditional. Lennie is an honest companion: he brings out the paternal side in George “I wisht I could put you in a cage with about a million mice an’ let you have fun.”
George and Lennie always watch each other’s back and care for one another. During the story, Of Mice and Men, George was always telling Lennie “if you get into trouble, go hide
George is a good friend to lennie, because he cares for Lennie. This is like when he helps feed lennie by the river, because lennie cannot make food for himself. Like when Lennie asks, “‘Ain’t we gonna have no supper?’ ‘Sure we are if you gather up some dead willow sticks. I got three cans of beans in my bindle’” (steinbeck 8). This shows that he has to carry food for lennie when they are going from ranch to ranch.
George also gets Lennie out of the problems he tends to run into when people don’t understand him. When Lennie needs help talking to someone or escaping a town George is there for him. For example, when he gets run out of town because he touched a girl’s dress, George gets him out safely and gets him a new job." With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us"(36), This example shows how strong George and Lennie's friendship is, and how George will find a future for
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
However both of them are not equal. Steinbeck’s first descriptions of George and Lennie demonstrate the fact that George is the caretaker of Lennie and Lennie is a companion and protection for George. At one point Lennie says, “Ain’t nobody goin’ to talk no hurt to George,” suggesting that there is going to be no threats against his friend and that he cares for George. Also in the novel George says ‘He ain’t bright, but he’s a good worker’ this shows us Georges views about Lennie and the fact that Lennie isn’t very smart but he does what he is told and is a good caring friend .this tells and
“The great thing about friends is that they bring a new energy to the soul” (Shanna Rodriguez). In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George, one of the main characters, deals with the consequences of his friend Lennie’s frequent misunderstandings. In the end of the novel Lennie makes a mistake that ends up taking his friendship and life. Of Mice and Men has many examples of both positive and negative relationships. The most positive relationship occurs between Lennie and George. George had told Lennie how he had felt about the situation the occurred in Weed. Once George had told him how he felt, Lennie suddenly became miserable and George had to react quickly, “‘ I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me’”(p13).
Real friends always look out for the best interest of each other. In the book Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie are always looking out for each other, just like brothers would. George and Lennie had been friends for a long time and were committed to being friends, forever. Throughout the story George takes it upon himself to look after Lennie and in some ways Lennie looks after George too. Towards the end George realizes that they can’t be together forever, this is very hard on George. George and Lennie took care of one another, throughout their time together, but George realizes, when taking care of someone you must make difficult decisions.
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.
Friendship is about having your friends back and always being there for one another. George definitely has Lennie’s back and tries to help him through everything no matter what the situation. George says to Lennie, “When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts. I never get no peace.”(12 Steinbeck). In this quote, George says that he never gets any