More handpicked essays just for you.
Of mice and men characters
Imporant character traits of mice and men
Of Mice and Men Character Analysis and Afterword
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
‘“But not us! Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why”’ (Page 14). Partnership is very rare during the depression, but George and Lennie’s is different. Along with friendship, other major themes are established in John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men. Friendship, racism, and loneliness is expressed by the characters interactions with one another. Close friendship is seen with the two main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small. While sitting by the fire George says to Lennie: ‘“With us it ain’t like that. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us”’ (Page 14). This quote truly shows how strong George and Lennie’s friendship is, they will always have each other’s back. Lennie serves as a companion and potential protection for George. George took the role of a caretaker when Lennie’s …show more content…
Aunt Clara past. George is like a father towards Lennie. The theme of racism is displayed by the character Crooks.
Crooks has the worst job on the ranch he cleans up after all the horses, and not to mention he has a crooked spine because one of the horses kicked him. He is put in his own shack, isolated from everybody. A commendable example occurs when Lennie appears in the open doorway of Crooks’ shanty and stands there looking in, smiling helplessly. Crooks sharply says, “‘If you guys don’t let me in your house to play cards, why should I let you in mine?”’ (Page 68). Crooks isn’t allowed in the other bunkhouse because he is black. The fact that Crooks sleeps in separate quarters reveals racial discrimination as he is literally segregated from the other ranch workers. Because of the way white people treat Crooks, he would rather be lonely and sad than have a white friend. He always feels alone and separated because of his skin color. Why isolate Crooks because he has a different
characteristics? Curley’s wife is one who presents loneliness. She is the only woman on the ranch, she doesn’t even have a name. Nobody talks to her leaving her lonely all the time. When going into the barn she sees Lennie and tries to talk to him: ‘“Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely”’ (Page 86). This quote presents to the reader that she is craving attention because she is never permitted leave the house. Curley prefers she not interact with absolutely anyone on the ranch. The workers are afraid of Curley and don’t want any trouble from him, so they leave her alone. Curley is very possessive of her, as if she is something that belongs to him. Her loneliness causes her to be labeled “tart” by the men on the ranch. They feel if they give her attention they could get fired or worse. In conclusion, in John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, three prevalent themes are friendship, racism, and loneliness. George and Lennie will do anything for each other, everyone depicts racism towards Crooks, and Curley’s wife reveals she will do anything for attention. Each person has a different relationship with one another. The 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, once said: “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Each decision the characters make they develop a certain relationship with one another, whether it be a worthy or abhorrent decision.
Crooks also feels a great deal of loneliness, as he is an outcast on the ranch. He lives in his own room where hardly anybody ever bothers him. He is never invited to play cards or do anything fun with the other guys. One day a curious Lenny asked, “Why ain’t you wanted?” Crooks replies “Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They think I stink. Well I tell you, you all stink to me” (pg. ). Crooks’ attitude towards this is shown when he saw Lennie playing with his puppy outside of Crooks’ quarters. Crooks states that “if me, as a black man, is not allowed in the white quarters, then white men are not allowed in mine” (pg. ). However this is merely a front as the more open side of Crooks is shown later on in the book.
Of Mice and Men - George and Lennie seem to have a very close friendship
Within the beginning of the story, the dynamic of George and Lennie’s relationship is introduced, one that is uncommon and presents a fatherly vibe. The readers are thrown into the novel at the height of the great depression, an economic catastrophe that shook the world. Within these dark time, an unlikely friendship is in full blossom and we are meet by Lennie and George setting up camp for the night by a riverbed. After the duo’s personalities are expressed, they begin to set up the idea of a commonly shared dream which exists according to Lennie “Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you” (Steinbeck 14). Lennie is seen as a quite simple minded and extremely dim-witted character from just the first
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.
chance I get I’ll give you a pup” (p14) then he gets George to re tell
Crooks suffers from loneliness, because he is black, not because he is an unfriendly person. Crooks, though, may seem mean, but he is just tired of being rejected and disrespected by everybody around him. Crooks has a horrible life. He will never have a companion or anybody that will respect him unless he meets another black person. Crooks says,” I’ll tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick. (Pg. 73)” He doesn’t even have the opportunity to have a companion, and that is sad.
Loneliness has made Crook's a very bitter and isolated man. He is truly not able to leave this situation because of his race. The other men at the ranch do not communicate with Crooks unless he is working because he is black. Other than when they are working, the other men ignore Crooks off all of their activities. Crooks is very isolated, and doesn?t seem to want any company. He has become bitter and known to lash out at people because of the loneliness that he has. Crooks's emotions are showed to the reader when he talks to Lennie in his room about having no one to relate to and communicate with. "Maybe you can see now. You got George. You know he's goin' to come back. S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy `cuase you was black...A guy needs somebody--to be near him." Crooks has never been treated well by anyone because he is black. This has affected Crooks. Crooks's was shocked when...
Yet what most fail to see is that Of Mice and Men portrays both aspects of human life through the mutual friendship of two uncommon men, George and Lennie, the dream they both share, and the sudden calamity that befalls them. Relationships are an important part 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.
In Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, the central storyline revolves around the protagonists, George Milton and Lennie Small, and is set in the Great Depression era which depicts the socio-economic conditions and hardships of that time. Steinbeck’s characterization of George and Lennie is quite significant; though they travel together and it would be logical to think of them as an inseparable duo due to their similar characteristics, it is also their differences that originally conjoined them and has kept them together. It is this relationship between George and Lennie, with regards to their similarities, such as their evident mutual reliance, mutual acceptance and desire, and similar positions in society, as well as differences, like the
“Of Mice and Men”, by John Steinbeck is a novel about the hardships of life and the importance of having other people around. The story is of two men trying to survive with one another in a world full of loneliness; their relationship is quite rare and strange. Lennie, a large bear, has a mental disability which causes him to be in a childlike state. George, a much smaller and more competent man takes care of both of them. Although they work for others on ranches, their dream is to get by on their own and live off the land. However, Lennie’s state causes conflict as they travel from job to job. Steinbeck uses clever ways in his novel to develop his theme and characters as the story progresses; both of these elements also help create a large
Crooks is isolated for being the only black cripple man on the ranch. Since this book is set during the Depression, Jim Crow laws are still in effect, whites and blacks had separate facilities for socialising and living. The full extent of Crooks's suffering is made clear when Crooks lashes out at Lennie. Viewing Lennie as a symbol of all the white men who had hurt him, Crooks strikes out in anger, saying "You got no right to come in my room...Nobody got any right in here but me." (Pg 67 & 68). In fact, Crooks protects himself by acting like a "proud, aloof man." (Pg 67) and his anger is just a disguise for the pain he experiences from constant isolation as “his face lighted with pleasure in Lennie’s torture." (Pg 71).
Racial discrimination has been around for a long time, judging people for the color of their skin. Crooks is affected by this because he is black. Blacks in that time were thought as lesser than the white people. The racial discrimination affects Crooks' life in only negative ways. He is plagued by loneliness because of the color of his skin. His lack of company drives him crazy. Only when Lennie comes in to his room does he feel less lonely. He talked of his loneliness using a hypothetical scenario of George leaving Lennie. Crooks' responds to this discrimination by staying in his barn and being secluded. He doesn't want anyone to be in there but deep down he does so he can have some company. He isn't wanted in the bunk house or to play cards with the others because he is black. This effected the story by letting people walk all over him, letting them think they can do whatever they want, and ultimately making the people think they have a lot of power when really they do not.
In Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the importance of friendship is constantly being illustrated. George Milton and Lennie Small, the two main characters of this story move to Soledad, California in search of a job. Throughout the story, their friendship encounters many trials and tribulations that seem to only contribute to the strength of their relationship. In reality, underlying sorrow and anger has forced George to make a challenging decision, killing his best friend. Lennie demonstrates naivety and dependance in his relationship with George, which shows that unstable friendships push people to make difficult decision.
Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, one of the most prominent and well-explored themes is friendship. In the book, we observe many relationships between characters such as George, Lennie, Candy, and Curley’s wife. George and Lennie, the main characters, give a prime example of the upsides and downfalls of a close, dependant relationship. But Lennie is not to George as George is to Lennie. Their relationship could be better described as teamwork than friendship; both bring a different skill to the table. Steinbeck portrays different friendships between different people. Human interaction under harsh conditions can often have debatable outcomes.
Many people are identified by the friendships they form. George and Lennie are best friends. They have a brotherly and father son relationship. They are displaced migrant workers who always stick together no matter what. In the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, many friendships are formed between the people on the ranch in California. Lennie and George always stayed together, no matter what happened. George never got mad at Lennie when he did something wrong. Because Lennie was not the brightest George would always bail him out when he got in trouble. They found a job at a farm in California. The other workers were welcoming of George but not Lennie. While they are at the ranch they meet Slim, a mule driver. People go to Slim for advice.