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Symbolism essay mice and men
George and Lennie in "Mice and Men
George and Lennie in "Mice and Men
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Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie travel together, with George attempting to control and parent Lennie. Lennie is not mentally capable to stay out of trouble, so he ends up killing animals, and eventually a person. Finally George decides to take Lennie 's life, because it would make his own life easier. Needing someone or something is when a person or thing is necessary to someone/thing else. Selfishness is acting driven by oneself ' needs and wants as motives. George acts selfishly toward Lennie, killing him only because he didn 't want the burden of Lennie 's actions. To George, Lennie is just someone that he can use for his entertainment, which is selfish because he is only acting with his own entertainment, …show more content…
George is playing a game of cards with Slim, and they are conversing. After George was inquired about traveling with Lennie, George continues on to make a confession. George says that he "used to play jokes on 'im 'cause he was too dumb to take care of 'imself. I had fun. Made me seem God damn smart alongside him." George says he liked playing tricks because it was fun and it made him feel smart which shows he cares only about his own life and image instead of caring about the effects of his actions on Lennie. George 's actions are selfish because he is motivated only by his own needs and wants. Before then, when George and Lennie were arguing, George says, "I wish I could lock you up with about a million mice an ' let you have fun." Instead of caring about Lennie 's conditions, he would just u thoughtfully put Lennie in a cage with some mice. George is selfish because he only cares about living trouble-free, and having fun at the expense of Lennie; devoting his energy to tending only to what he wants, not
Lennie, like a mouse, is helpless. Lennie relies on George to think for him like mice rely on scraps of food from the dinner table to eat.
is in the air. Animals begin to scatter. Two men have arrived on the scene,
George was the only person in the story who was selfish. George was only working with Lennie to keep him out of trouble. George was only working for the money that's all he cared about. If George cared about Lennie then he wouldn't have killed him. George just wanted Lennie for the extra money for the farm. George did take care of Lennis for most of his life because Lennie's aunt died.
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
It is very apparent that each of the four characters in the two friendships feed off of each other. In Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie are very different, yet they need one other. George is a very independent, loyal, and caring person who takes care of Lennie because Lennie is unable to take care of himself. Although George makes it seem like he would be better off without Lennie, George makes it clear that without him he would be better off. This is evident because of this conversation h regularly had with Lennie” I could go get a job an’
Of Mice and Men - George and Lennie seem to have a very close friendship
The physical symbiosis of George and Lennie is beneficial to Lennie but detrimental to George. Although George used to hurt Lennie, Lennie now needs George to bail him out of trouble. Lennie also profits because he needs a person to tell him what to do. “He can’t think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders” (39). Lennie is “a hell of a good worker”(22) and able to “put up a four-hundred pound bale” (22) but is likely to get himself in trouble without George’s protective influence. George likes Lennie but would be better off without him because “you (Lennie) can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get” (11). Lennie hinders George while George helps Lennie.
There are a variety of relationship of people can have with other people. In John Steinbeck's novels, relationships between characters can be difficult, but are always important. The central relationship in Of Mice and Men is between Lennie and George.
when he got in trouble at Weed. If George were not a good friend, he
One must decide his or her future on whether to live with their most cherished person, who is considered a killer, or to live by oneself for self-benefits. George Milton, in Of Mice and Men, pulls the trigger against his best friend, Lennie Small, who accidentally kills a woman. While one may believe that people should not murder their companions, Lennie’s mental and physical state shows that George’s decision is correct. Although George loved his friend, Lennie’s mental handicap, emotions, and accidental human killing forces George to do what he did.
You can 't keep a job and you lose me ever ' job I get. Jus ' keep me shovin ' all over the country all the time. An ' that ain 't the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out. ' His voice rose nearly to a shout. 'You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You keep me in hot water all the time. ' ¨ (Steinbeck 11).George if feeling anger at Lennie because he always forgets things and isn 't very bright. He gets mad because he always has to answer Lennie´s silly questions and Lennie doesn 't understand how much George has done for him.George knows Lennie is mentally ill and since his Aunt Clara died he has no one to take care of him so George is being selfless by taking in Lennie and putting his life before his own.Since George take in Lennie, when Lennie gets in trouble George has to leave with Lennie even though it wasn 't George 's fault. He puts Lennie 's problems. In front of his own and solves them in order to help Lennie.George knows Lennie gets in a lot of trouble. George is taking the risk of getting in trouble along with Lennie if anything were to happen to Lennie. George is willing to help Lennie by taking care of him and helping him the best he can.In Of Mice and Men, by Steinbeck, George takes in Lennie
George’s relationship with Lennie has made him selfless; his conversations, with and with out Lennie, are generally revolving around Lennie, although in the case of their dream-ranch George seems to find fulfilment for himself as well. Due to these altruistic tendencies that he shows throughout the novel, a danger is bestowed upon George; he tends to care for Lennie far too much, and too little for himself. In occasional moments, he escapes his sympathy and compassion for Lennie, and realises the burden that he causes. This usually results in George taking his frustration out on Lennie, which can often harm his simple mind, leaving Lennie upset and forced to confess to his own uselessness, and George feeling guilty for what he has caused. We can learn very little about George through his actual conversations, which made it necessary for Steinbeck to focus the novel on him in particular, and let the reader gain an closer insight on him through his actions. Generally, he seems to be caring, intelligent and sensible, but is greatly worn by the constant attention Lennie requires. This illustrates a major theme in Of Mice and Men, the dangers that arise when one becomes involved in a dedicated relationship.
“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
In Of Mice and Men, George shows the weight of responsibility on taking care of Lennie. George knows he could be better off without Lennie. “When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts,” George finally expresses. He even tells the other farm hands, “If I was alone, I could live so easy.” George often keeps his “single like” in the back of his mind. Even so, George stands up for Lennie many times. His advice is always in Lennie’s best interest. He watches out for Lennie when he keeps hold of Lennie’s work card and bus pass. George also knows that he and Lennie wouldn’t have jobs if he didn’t make Lennie keep quiet. Lennie cannot take care of himself without George. With George watching out for Lennie like he does, Lennie’s mishaps can also have detrimental effects on George’s life. George loses his job and his best friend because of his connection with George.
The characterization of George and Lennie’s friendship shows the importance of having a friend to be staunch for you. Here, when George and Lennie argue, they resolve to do whats best for eachother. “I was only foolin’, George. I don’t want no ketchup. I wouldn’t eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me.” Lennie later adds: “I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it.”(Steinbeck 12) Lennie, although mentally disabled, still does what he can for George and only wants him to be happy because he knows how much George does for him. He can’t help himself, but when it comes to George he’ll do anything for him, because George gives him hope. Lennie gives George the ambition to succeed because George knows he has to succeed to support both of them. Lennie is later told by Crooks what it’s like to be lonely: “A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.” (Steinbeck 72) Without a friend, Crooks doesn’t have the brightest light for a great future because he has nobody to depend on like Lennie and Georg...