Of Mice And Men Relationship Between George And Lennie Friendship

Friendship is a way to express the emotions for the person that you love and care the most in life. Steinbeck created the two main characters, George who lives a normal life and Lennie who has a intellectual disability. George serves as a father figure, he gives Lennie counsel about what he should do in order to survive. The dream of both men is to buy their own ranch and spend the rest of their lives happily. But the road to prosperity is full of difficult challenges. In the beginning of the novel, the author quote, “They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight

blanket rolls slung over their shoulders” (Steinbeck 4). It symbolises that Lennie and George are best friends, but both of the men’s are not equal, because one walks behind the other.

Plus it also shows the signs of brotherhood. The audience also realizes that there's a mental relationship between both men, when the author quote , “Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly. He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, looked over to George to see whether he had it just right. He pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes, the way George's hat was.” It describes George more as a parent than a friend, and he is the role model that Lennie look up to. It also shows that there is a very special connection between Lennie and George. This novel is set during the Great Depression, the era in which people traveled miles in order to find a opportunity to work. Lennie follows George and travel places to places to find a job so they can earn money. They live beside the Salinas River in California, and decided to travel to the nearby ranch for a opportunity to work. When they reach the ranch, George talks to Curly and tells him about Lennie and says ‘We travel together,.” Curly states, "Oh, so it's that way." and once again George says, “Yea, it's that way." By saying "Oh, so it's that way," (Steinback

26). Curley thinks that George and Lennie are gay, its shows that just like the other people Curly is pathetic and can't understand the men's friendship.
Friendship is not just about traveling together, the real meaning behind friendship is to support each other in difficult situations and give healthy advices to your friend. At one point Lennie makes a hypothetical ketchup and states, “I was only foolin', George. I don't want no ketchup. I wouldn't eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me. If it was here, you could have some. But I wouldn't eat none, George. I'd leave it all for you.” (Steinbeck 13). It symbolizes the role of friendship, Lennie may not be able to look out for George, but he does everything in his power to help his friend. Throughout the novel, we see many more incidents in which Lennie tries to make George happy. For instance, before they gets the job at the ranch, they travel miles and stops to drink water from a pool. Lennie decides to stand back and lets George to drink first. After drinking from the pool, George stands back up and fixes his hat. As he’s doing that, Lennie studies his movements and starts to imitates him. He pulls his hat down, just like the way George does. Basically, it tells the audience that George portray himself less of a friend plus he acts as a father figure.
In the early age, Leenie unfortunately lost his aunt and George decided to take care of him.

On the ranch, Slim decides to give on of the pups to Lennie because George had asked him. George appreciates Slim and talks about Lennie. He quote, “It ain’t so funny, him an’ me goin’ aroun’ together. Him and me was both born in Auburn. I knowed his Aunt Clara. She took him when he was a baby and raised him up. When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to each other after a little while.” (Steinbeck 39). George talks about how Lennie became a orphanage and it’s shows shows the strong connection that both of theses characters have with each other as growing up. After Slim hears the Story, he quote, “ Hardly none of the guys travel together. I hardly see two guys travel together.” (Steinbeck 39). It shows the audience, the extraordinary quality in the friendship of George and Lennie. And moments later, Slim talks about the incomparable of true friendship. Plus its shows a special bond in friendship. They have the company of each other rather than the loneliness of a migrant worker. George makes a statement and questions the authority by saying “But not us”. The Secondary quote refers to how they aren’t normal like the others plus in their friendship they can count on each other in difficult

situations.
In the great depression, racism was a huge deal. One of the characters who got affected by racism in the novel is Crook. He’s an African-American male, who works at the horse stable. Because of Crook’s skin color, the workers at the barn stays away from him. But unlike the others, George and Lennie decides to talk to Crook’s. When both men arrives at the stable, Crooks quote, “come on in and set a while…..Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you