The Most Loyal Friend: Lennie Small

The Most Loyal Friend: Lennie Small
Back in the day far too often people looked down on or took advantage of people with mental or physical disabilities. Those are the kids nowadays that ride the short bus, are in a wheelchair, or their brain or other organs or limbs never completely developed so they have trouble completing simple everyday activities. About 15% of the people in the world today have either a significant mental or physical disability (according to Disabilities of America website). In John Steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men, Lennie Small displays three common qualities of a person with mental disabilities. Lennie is innocent, loyal, and has amazing physical strength.
From the very beginning you see that Lennie is a very innocent person and sometimes doesn’t understand what is going on. There is a great example at the beginning of the story, George and Lennie are in the clearing before they go to the ranch and they’re making camp for the night. ”’tha’s good,' he said. 'you drink some George. You take a good big drink.’ he smiled happily”'(3). George has just yelled at him for drinking too fast, but he is too innocent to realize it. Lennie also showed innocence when he is told to jump into Sacramento River. “‘An’ he was so damn nice to me for pullin’ him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. Well, I ain’t done nothing

like that no more.”’ He can’t even remember what someone told him literally 15 mins before. Lennie is also loyal and has amazing physical strength.
Lennie’s best characteristic is that he is super loyal to George. He will go anywhere George wants him to, and he does everything George tells him to. “Suddenly Lennie’s eye centered and grew quiet and mad. He stood up and walked dangerously toward Crooks. ‘Who hurt George?’ he demanded”(72). You see in this passage Lennie is super protective and loyal and if someone hurt George, then Lennie would hurt them because George is his best friend. Lennie is also super loyal in the aspect of when George tells him something he listens to him most of the time. ”She said, ‘What you got there, sonny boy?’ Lennie glared at her.” George says I ain’t to have nothing to do with you-talk to you or nothing’”(86). Lennie is super Loyal to George and listens to what George tells him to do. Lennie also has the characteristic of amazing physical strength.
Lennie’s most astonishing characteristic is his physical strength. George is very proud of Lennie’s strength and brags about Lennie to the boss when they first met him. "The boss pointed a playful finger at Lennie. 'He ain't much of a talker, is he?' No, he ain't, but he's sure hell of a good worker. Strong as a bull'"(21-22). Lennie also shows his amazing strength when he breaks Curley's wife's neck. "He shook her then, and he was angry with her. '"Don't you go yellin','" he said, and shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck." He got so scared that he was confused and just wanted her to be quiet, and he didn't realized that by shaking her he snapped her neck. Lennie is not a bad person he just underestimated his own strength and doesn't realize what he has done until it was over. This characteristic is the one that gets him in trouble all the time.
Despite Lennie's mental disabilities he is still amazingly innocent, loyal and strong-maybe not as innocent as we might think from the beginning of the book- but he still is very innocent.

There are many “Lennies” in our world today, and we all need to help and care for others who are less fortunate than us. Lennie has influenced me to think how to be loyal to people, and how I can help people with disabilities. Lennie is a very strange character, but some of his characteristics we all wish we still had or more of. Remember we don’t have to be like the people back in the time this story takes place, we should enjoy life’s

happiness.