The Bond of George and Lennie in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men *No Works Cited In The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck , George and Lennie are a pair of men who travel along with one another. Along their journey they give eachother a sense a comfort along with hope for a brighter future. Each share a common dream , this keeps them motivated and encourages them to look out for eachothers backs in case of trouble. George and Lennie's previous experience had been a disaster. Lennie had been accused of raping a woman. This accusation forces them to head to Cellinis in hopes of avoiding the law and in the process gives them incentive to make some much needed money to obtain a home. Because of this shared dream, George and Lennie look out for one another and create a safe sense of comfort . This bond that has been formed by this dream can only be broken upon death . George and Lennie had always had a dream. It consisted of owning a small home with lots of land . They talk about it often, almost like it exists "Some Day were gonna get the jack together and were gonna have a little and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs (Steinback, 14) " Even though they didn't have the money and they might not ever have the money , the two men have the determination to get what the wanted and try harder. They had been so sick of listening to other people, each can hardly wait to have some freedom . Each was determined to stay self dependent " an live off the fat of the lan (14)" as Lennie's says. By and large, the two men had always looked out for one another . In the past when Lennie had tried to "rape" a woman they stuck with one another. George made sure Lennie would escape unscathed because he didn't know any better. While in some cases other men would have let Lennie get caught and killed, George takes any pre-caution that is necessary to keep them safe . "Lennie if you jus happen to get trouble like you always done before , I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush.(15)." This quote shows Steele3 how George took every measure possible to look out for Lennie and his safety . " Because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you, that's why .
In chapter one, George and Lennie are introduced onto the scene and you get to know them a little bit and you get to see how they are related/ their relationship. When I read this first part, I could tell that George was pretty much Lennie’s caretaker and it was his job to find Lennie a job and make sure he ate enough and stayed a live. He kind of resented having to drag Lennie around (pg 11~12: “Well we ain’t got any!” George exploded. “Whatever we ain’t got, you want. If I was alone I could live so easy… But wadda I got? I got you. You can’t keep a job and you loose me every job I get.”), because Lennie’s a bit slow and he messes up a lot. He tries really hard to be good and listen to what George tells him to do, but in the end of every situation, Lennie forgets what George told him beforehand and sometimes it creates a little trouble (pg 45~46: “Well, he seen this girl in this red dress. Dumb like he is, he likes to touch ever’thing he likes. Just wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk, and that gets Lennie all mixed up, and he holds on ‘cause that’s the only thing he can think to do. Well, this girl just squawks and squawks. I was jus’ a little bit off, and I heard all the yellin’, so I comes running, an’ by that time Lennie’s so scared all he can think to do is jus’ hold on. I socked him over the head with a fence picket to make him let go. He was so scairt he couldn’t let go of the dress. And he’s so strong, you know… Well, that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she’s been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in an irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day.”). But when you look at them, you can tell that George is...
Lennie began to grow furious at her for dying because of how George would react if he found out. George was left with no choice but to kill Lennie for his own
1. George and Lennie both desire to own a piece of land, one they can call their own.
George kills Lennie because he did not want to witness Lennie being hurt or killed carelessly, run off by in his own and not being able to take care for himself, and Lennie’s mental disorder will never change how Lennie reacts to certain situations. Many believe taking the life of another without consent is unacceptable but in certain situations like George’s, he has to decide due to Lennie’s mental disorder that was leading him into unpleasant situations. George is an admirable character who choose to protect and do justice to his distressed friend,
George and Lennie's ultimate goal is to "get the jack together," buy a few acres of land they can call their own, "an' live off the fatta the lan' (pg. 14)." George talks in great depth about how their dream house is going to have individual rooms, a kitchen with a fat iron stove, and an orchard. But, George only recites this yarn when he wants to get Lennie calmed down. Lennie has the mentality of an 8 year old, the memory of a senile 80 year old, and only desires to tend rabbits. George fully understands that Lennie can easily be manipulated. Even though the dream to have a piece of land is shared, George knows that by himself he cannot amass a large enough "stake," to buy it himself (pg. 33)." Just as the boss thought, George was "takin' his pay away from him (pg. 22)."
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
How does John Steinbeck use the character George to illustrate aspects of 1930s American society?
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.
George and Lennie have a dream that gives them a reason to keep living and working as they do. “George I still get the tend the rabbits, right George” ( 57). Lennie is looking forward to getting their own place. Lennie tries to stay out of trouble so he can tend the rabbits. “O.K. someday- we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and
dream; that one day they may buy a farm, and Lennie will be able to
An’. he said. An’ hide in the brush till he comes. He’s gonna be mad.” (pg. 92)
George also knew that Lennie had dug a hole for himself and could never get out. He knew they were looking for Lennie and wouldn’t stop until they killed him. He decided to do it himself in the kindest way he could. It’s like when Candy said about his dog, “I should of shot that dog myself.'; meaning it would have been kinder to the dog. Lennie was lying down, facing away from George and didn’t know he was going to be shot. He didn’t know what was going to happen, just like Candy’s dog.
George knew keeping Lennie alive He never understood things the way “normal” people do. He is like a giant baby, not able to make any decisions himself and pure at heart. George is wise and witty is fully capable himself, yet he sticks around Lennie regardless. “… if I was alone I could live so easy.
George understands that he can’t hide Lennie from the world forever and that the natural order of things is that the strong pick off the weak, and he will eventually have to let Lennie go. This motivates him to seize reality, meaning he had to kill Lennie, which itself was a sign of tremendous growth in himself. Killing Lennie had many effects on George; one of them being that he became one of the men he’d tell Lennie stories about. George believed that he and Lennie were not like the other migrant workers – travelling alone and spending all their earning on a whim. When George would te...
Lennies pipe dreams were more selfish and related to himself rather than Georges. Lennie wished for rabbits, and furry creatures to satisfy his urges. This showed his lack of control, intelligence, and his liking towards soft things. George and Lennie did share their goal about the farm and both wanting to succeed at it. They also knew that they would be different from the others because they had each other to rely on. Their dream of the farm in the future and the pipe dreams symbolized their security.