Importance Of Friendship Between Of Mice And Men

During the Great Depression it was difficult to maintain a job, let alone support a friend. Despite this, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men characters, George Milton and Lennie Smalls, manage to stick together and support each other through hard times. Steinbeck uses characterization through hard times to develop the importance of friendship. In Steinbeck’s novel, these two unusual friends stick together, even though it means sacrificing their own dream for friendship.

When the novel opens readers realize George and Lennie watch out for each other. George always warns Lennie about life's dangers. For example, Steinbeck uses this in the opening scene to characterize George’s compassion towards Lennie, “ ‘Lennie for God’ sakes don’t drink so much... I ain’t sure

its good water,’ he said.” (3) In this quote, Georges worries Lennie will become sick by drinking too much dirty water. He knows Lennie is mentally impaired; His perception of life is full of childlike wonder. Even after George’s warning, Lennie scoops his “big paw” and splashes the water. George guides Lennie through life's problems even if it’s a stress on their friendship.

Even when George makes tough decisions, he does it in spite of George's own feelings of friendship towards Lennie. Towards the middle of the novel, the swamper, Candy, foreshadows a tough decision George has to make later in the novel. Candy must make the courageous decision to allow another character to kill his dog. He regrets this decision immediately and acknowledges it, to George, “‘I ought to of shot that dog myself, George.” (61) George has to put aside his feelings and do what's right for Lennie's and kill him in the end. He understands that if he didn't do it, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Often, people make tough decisions that cause them anguish and worry.

George experiences this exact emotion when he shoots his closest friend, Lennie. The readers realize that not only is Lennie dead, so is the dream. The dream is very important to George but, friendship is even more important. Even though Lennie could be a burden, George still loves and accepts him. In this situation, “He pulled the trigger... Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand,”(106) George has to make a choice. It’s ironic that George spends an abundance of time pleasing, helping, and protecting Lennie and in the end decides to kill him. Although it can be difficult for society and people to put other people first, George never has a problem.

In Of Mice and Men, friendship is a very important theme. For readers, it is obvious that Lennie can be a strain on their friendship. George shows compassion to Lennie by protecting him. He also learns from other characters that he has to think of others and do what’s right for friends. George also puts his feelings aside for his loved ones. The end implies that George will do anything for a friend. Readers conclude that friends keep each other

going.