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Innocence in american literature
Mice and men friendships
Mice and men friendships
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People have different beliefs when defining innocence. Some might think, innocence is a "lack of knowledge". The others might believe innocence means a person "is free of guilt". To me innocence means being free from any crimes. Either way innocent can never last long enough. In the novel, "Of Mice and Men", written by John Steinbeck, the characters do show their lost of innocence throughout the novel. One main character that has lost their innocence was Lennie. Lennie a mentally impaired man had a mind of a child. He likes to pet soft objects, hang out with George, and plays around. However, he lost his innocence when he committed a crime.
At the very beginning of the novel, Lennie and George was walking to their new workplace. Lennie hadn't committed any serious crimes. He was a hardworking man, he listened and followed what George told him to. They both had a dream of owning a pice of land together. Lennie would repeat himself
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Unfortunately, the puppy died from the impact. After the death of the dog, Curley's wife went into the barn, Lennie complained to her about the death. She didn't care, and started talking about her life. Lennie kept re-iterating about his lost. And so Curley's wife let Lennie pet her hair. He pulled her hair and she frantically scream. He started to panic and held on, keeping her quiet. She yelled frantically, and so Lennie broke her neck. At that point, Lennie had lost his innocence. In Chapter 5 page 92 the text stated, "He pawed up the hay until partly covered her." Even though he murdered the small animals, this is a human and is not exceptional. Especially when he tried to cover it up, this is an action of a criminal. The lost of innocence did not only effect Lennie, however, it effected George and Candy also. The three of them dreamed of owning a farm together, since Lennie is a criminal, their dream shattered. Lennie is going to get shot for what he has
As George becomes aware of the situation he begins to ponder what will happen if Lennie gets away. George understands that Lennie would not be capable of providing for himself out in the wild. As George contemplates allowing Lennie to be free of all the men, he “[is] a long time in answering” (94). George is one of the few men who understands Lennie’s mental limitations, he knows Lennie would not remember how to survive and “the poor bastard’d starve” (94). He
George wanted to be alone, away from Lennie because he could earn a lot more money without worrying about Lennie. George wants Lennie gone so he could live life without getting into so much trouble like Lennie does. When Lennie gets into trouble then they both get into trouble. George needed Lennie gone in general weather he had to kill him or
Curley's wife, an accident that seals his own fate and destroys not only his dreams but George's and Candy's as well. In the beginning Lennie used to pet mice that his Aunt Clara used to give him, he would always end up killing them because he didn't know his own strength. Lennie never killed any pet or person purposely; he pets too roughly and kills them accidentally. An example of his rough tendencies is in the first chapter (page7) when Lennie wants to keep a dead mouse and George wouldn't let him Lennie says" Uh-uh. Jus' a dead mouse, George.
Lennie has always been told what to do by George. George really helps him through problems that keep happening during the book. Lennie is incapable to live because he does not know his strength and George has to play the role as a living assistant for Lennie. Lennie does not mean to harm but because of his condition he essentially harms people. In the book it explains the
Lennie had a soft spot for petting animals and soft things. He is totally oblivious to the fact that he hurts almost every thing he touches. He had pet mice and ended up killing them and when he played with the 'pup' he ended up killing it too. His uncontrolled strength also caused him to kill Curley's wife. "Lennie's fingers fell to stroking her hair... he stroked harder... "Let go!" she cried... She struggled violently... and then she was still; for Lennie had broken her neck." (Page 91). With the death of Curley's wife, Lennie's innocence was taken. He had unwillingly killed. He had to pay the price, by losing his life.
Due to child like qualities, Lennie is a person which would be easy prey and a vulnerable person. Lennie is a vulnerable person who is quite dumb. His has an obsession for touching soft thing and this will often lead him in to trouble. But poor Lennie is an innocent person who means no harm to anybody. When he and Curley get into a fight Lennie is too shocked to do any thing. He tries to be innocent but, when told to by George grabs Curley’s fist and crushes it. George is Lennie’s best friend and Lennie does every thing he tells him to do as demonstrated in the fight with “But you tol...
Consistently throughout the story George and Lennie were there for each other; in fact towards the very beginning Lennie and George discussed how they were better off than most guys because they had each other (14). When George killed Lennie a part of him died too, George knew murdering Lennie would hurt him mentally and emotionally. However he did it because he wanted what was best for his friend no matter the cost. His actions were altruistic and that made his decision the more favorable one. Another instance when George was selfless was when he gave up his dream. Throughout the story George and Lennie dreamed of and worked towards owning their own piece of land together. However, after discovering Curley’s wife dead, George returned to reality and informed Candy that they would, “never do her” (94). After losing his friend George understood the impossibility of achieving the American Dream. Beforehand George knew he would not want to live out his dream without Lennie, so by protecting Lennie and giving up on his own dream he put Lennie above himself. Conversely, someone may believe that George's actions were selfish and that he benefits himself by killing Lennie. After George comes after Lennie, the dim-witted man asks if George was going to yell at him. Reluctantly George told him “If I was alone, I could live so easy,” (103). Although George said
Innocence is defined as the state of being not guilty of a crime or other wrong act. The definition does not have any exceptions depending on race, age, gender or other physical characteristics. Yet in the south, the innocence of a guilty white man, is more important than the innocence of an innocent black man. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is about a young girl named Scout who lives in Maycomb County, Alabama. The novel is separated into two parts, the first part is about the adventures of Boo Radley.
There is much to be said about innocence. If one is with innocence than one can do no wrong. But that is not all to be said. Innocence is not always a good thing. It could make one naive or blind to certain evils. Like in the case of Billy Budd. Billy was innocent from evil and therefore could not see the evil of John Claggart approaching him, out to destroy him.
Lennie accidentally killing all of his pets establishes that the theme of this novel is death and loss. These pets consist of mice, dogs, kittens, etc. Lennie loves to feel and pet animals, but he does not know his own strength. He kills them without really noticing what he has done, until George tells him that he did something wrong. After being scolded, Lennie is very remorseful about what he did. Once, after being yelled at Lennie says, “I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead- because they were so little (13).” Lennie’s remorse is probably more for upsetting George than it is for actually killing the animal.
In the Novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck is providing the reader with the sense of brotherhood. John Steinbeck communicates the positive influence in brotherhood and how you can grow fonder when someone is within a strong relationship. The negative influence in brotherhood and how you can separated from that strong and brotherly relationship. The considerable amount of responsibility it requires to maintain that brotherhood. If there is no sign of truthfulness and respect that brotherhood can easily be demolished. Also, John Steinbeck communicates brotherhood through the lives of the characters stated in the novel. Mostly through the main characters Lennie Small and George Milton.
Lennie had got into trouble towards the end of the book. He killed the boss’s, who he was working for, son’s wife. She did not have a name;, she just went by “Curley’s wife.”. Lennie was playing with her hair because he said he liked soft things. Curley’s wife was a flirt;, she got around. She allowed him to touch her hair. Lennie was very strong and aggressiveaggresive about this, but he did not realize it because he is slow and mentally challenged. “She jerked her hair sideways, and Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on. Let go, she cried. You let go!” (Steinbeck 91). Lennie kept the tight grip on her hair and shook her to make her be quiet before she gets him in trouble. When he shook her, he snapped her neck, and she died instantly. He knew he had done something wrong and he panicked. “He looked down at her, and she lay still. I don’t want ta hurt you, he said, but George’ll be mad if you yell. When she didn’t answer nor move he bent closely over her. He lifted her arm and let it drop. For a moment he seemed bewildered. And then he whispered in fright, “I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing (Steinbeck 91).” When George found Lennie at his hiding spot where George told him to go if he ever got into any trouble,. hHe shot him in the back of the head to save Lennie less trouble than he already was in. George knows he was wrong for this, but he knew he was right too because he saved Lennie from the trouble he was going to get
Throughout the story, George and Lennie represent the power of human companionship. Without George, Lennie simply would not be able to survive in a world where the weak are constantly destroyed. In the eyes of George, Lennie is his only friend and is the companion that most men in this time period desperately crave. Together, these two men are able to lean on each other regardless
The connection between George and Lennie illustrates the adversity during their course towards achieving the American dream. Things Lennie did, either on accident or purpose, foreshadowed what was going to happen in the book and the way people acted impacted this. Like millions of other people, George and Lennie were affected during the great depression heavily, and dreamt of owning land of their own. They worked from place to place making barely any money, and didn’t have a real home. To add to this, Lennie got in trouble a lot and in the end George had to make the crucial decision to shoot Lennie so he wouldn’t have to deal with any more difficulty. George knew he had to do what was best for Lennie and himself.
When a person as described as “innocent”, the typical person thinks of them as harmless, kind, and naive. While this is true for the majority of people, Lennie’s character in the story Of Mice and Men portrays the opposite of this stereotype. In the novella Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck demonstrates though Lennie how innocence can get one into trouble and even cost them their life.