Of Mice and Men Essay

By: Jonathan Barahona Date: 19/05/2011

John Steinbecks of mice and men is a tale of two ordinary lower class men in the great depression of the 1930s. The relationship portrayed in of mice and men is a burdened and charitable one. George burdened by the obviously mentally handicapped and gigantic Lennie. Theses animal actions and his childish speech place him for us quickly as an idiot.(Spilka). Lennie often gets himself into trouble beyond his own capacity to understand and resolve. George saves Lennie from the indifferent world and attempts to give him guidance in life. George in no way is entitled to help Lennie and often complains and reminds Lennie throughout the book. George makes it seem that he is only looking after Lennie because of a promise (to Lennies late Aunt Clara) and for pity itself. But behind the Georges complaints and a burdened relationship is a true friendship that is of love and caring. George loves Lennie as a brother for no man especially in the desperate times of the depression would help another man with such patience as George helped Lennie George did not always look after Lennie and care for him the way he did during the story. George used to do quite the opposite in there childhood George used to bully him and take advantage of Lennies mental handicap. I used to have a hell of a lot of fun with im. Used to play jokes on im cause he was too dumb to care of imself.(Steinbeck.pg40) George finally realize how awful vulnerable and sweet Lennie is. One day George told Lennie to jump in the lake, Lennie jumped in and almost drowned with George barley being able to save him. Lennie praised George for saving him not even realizing that it was George who got him into the situation in the first place, George realizing this, saw the how innocent and sweet Lennie is. Tell you what made me stop that. One day a bunch of guys was standi around up on the Sacramento River. I was feeli pretty smart. I turns to Lennie and

says, jump in. An he jumps. Couldnt swim a stroke. He damn near drowned before we could get him. An he was so damn nice to me for pullin him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. Well, I aintt done nothing like that no more.(Steinbeck pg 40). This moment bonded George to Lennie for the rest of there lives. This shows that tie that George has to Lennie and explains the trend of looking after and saving Lennie from himself after he first did they day Lennie almost drowned. One of the major examples of Georges strong unspoken bond with Lennie of love and compassion is the incident in weed, when Lennie was accused of assaulting a woman that he only touched for the texture and look of her dress. George easily could have left Lennie behind but knowing what would happen to him, and that he didnt mean any harm, would not sit right with him. Well, that girl rabbits in an tells the law she been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in a irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day. Got ony our heads sticking out from the side of the ditch. An that night we scrammed outta there (Steinbeck.Pg42). Not only does George stop Lennie from grabbing her, I socked him over the head with a fence picket to make him let go.(Steinbeck.pg41) But he also sits in a ditch with Lennie so he wouldnt be alone until they can get out of the town. This shows Georges dedication to helping and protecting Lennie through out the book. Lennie has a massive body and limited intelligence, and his unpredictable behaviour casts George as his protector.(Penguin Publishing Intro). George not only protects, and tries to guide Lennie but also goes out of his way to help keep Lennie happy. First off he constantly reassures Lennie when he asks for it, O.K. Someday- Were gonna get the jack together and were gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an a cow and some pigs.

(Steinbeck.Pg14). This small dream that George and Lennie share make both of them very happy and is a major staple in there relationship. George realizes how important this dream is to Lennie which is why he makes the extra effort to reassure Lennie of this dream which he really believes in and it really makes him happy. But not us! An why? Because.because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and thats why.(Steinbeck.Pg.14). Another instance of George doing extra to make his friend happy is when he gets slim to give Lennie the puppy, even with George knowing there is a possibility that Lennie wouldnt take care of it properly or could even kill it. George said, It wasnt much to you, maybe, but it was a hell of a lot to him. Jesus Christ, I dont know how were gonna get him to sleep in here. Hell want to sleep right out in the barn with em.(Steinbeck.pg38). It is evident that George goes out of his way to make sure Lennie is comfortable he even says himself, We kinda look after each other. He indicated Lennie with this thumb. He aint bright. Hell of a good worker, thought. Hell of a nice fella, but he aint bright. Ive knew him for a long time.(Steinbeck.pg34). It is clear that George even thought noting that Lennie isnt intelligent, that he thinks highly of Lennie and cares for him very much. The last act of love toward Lennie was sadly the pity execution of Lennie, which was for his own good considering what the villain curley and his party would have done to the innocent and misunderstanding Lennie. Curleymaybe you should stay here with your wife. Curleys face reddened. Im goin, he said. Im gonna shoot the guts outta that big bastard myself, even if I only go one hand. Im gonna get im.(Steinbeck.pg98) Lennie has a vision of Aunt Clara that also clearly states the kindness that George bestowed upon Lennie throughout there friendship. Through this vision Lennie is able to fully acknowledge such charity. I tol you an

tol you, she said. I tol you, Min George because hes such a nice fella an good to you. But you dont never take no care. You do bad things.you never give a thought to George, She went on in Lennies voice. He been doin nice things for you alla time. When he got a piece a pie you always got half or moren half. An if they way any ketchup, why hed give it all to you.(Steinbeck.pg101) This is the most understanding of the situation Lennie has been throughout the book. Lennie continued to have scornful hallucinations and tribulations until George finally comes to meet him. Unfortunately it only came after his gravest mistake. George sadly did what was best for Lennie, shooting him while he was basking in the dream of living on there own ranch. George raised the gun and his hand shook, and he dropped his hand to the ground again. Go on, said Lennie. Hows it gonna be? We gonna get a little place. Well have a cow, said George. An well have maybe a pig an chickensan down the flat well havelittle piece alfalfa.(Steinbeck.pg105) George struggles with the idea of shooting his old companion, Lennie said, I thought you was mad at me, George. No, said George. No, Lennie. I aint mad. I never been mad, an I aint now. Thats a thing I want ya to know.------ And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennies head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger.(Steinbeck.pg106) George ended Lennie and his relationship with his last act of kindness, making sure Lennie didnt feel bad for what he had done, letting him know that he wasnt mad at him. George did what he could to save Lennie from himself. But in the end the world didnt understand Lennie and his inability to reason. George in the beginning of the tale made it seem that Lennie was his only problem. God amighty. If I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an work, an no

trouble.(Steinbeck.pg11) But in the end it is evident that Georges life will not be complete now that he companion Lennie has passed. George let himself be helped to his feet. yeah, a drink. Slim said, You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me. He led George into the entrance of the trail and up toward the highway. Curley and Carlson looked after them. And Carlson said, Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin them two guys?(Steinbeck.pg107) Only slim could understand stand the relationship that George and Lennie had. Even thought Lennie wasnt essential in George and Lennies dream, it was George and Lennies dream and even with Candy involved which makes it more possible it will not be the dream that George and Lennie had made together. George could have done so. Not Lennie who died, but Candy who lived, had $350, and Candy still wanted to carry out the plan, Objectively considered, The prospects for success were better without Lennie, who would have surely have killed every rabbit on the place. But without Lennie the plan had no meaning for George.(Fontenrose) George had made every attempt to guide Lennie, although it frustrated him and he could have had a better, easier, life without Lennie, he wouldnt have changed any of it. Bibliography Attell. Overview of Of Mice and Men, University of California Author unknown. Biography of John Steinbeck, Online publication. http://www.gradesaver.com/author/john-steinbeck/ Benson, Jackson J. John Steinbeck, Writer: A Biography. New York; Penguin Books, 1990. Fontenrose. John Steinbeck: An introduction and interpretation, Barnes & Noble inc. pp56-59 Penguin Publishing Intro. Introduction, Penguin Publishing, Online Publication Leaf, Jonathan. Of mice & melodrama, Foundation of cultural Review 2007 Lisca. Motif and Pattern in Of Mice and Men, Modern Fiction Studies. P 28-34 Reith Duncan. A predatory world, Phillip allan update 2004.

Spilka. Of George and Lennie and Curleys Wife: Sweet Violence in Steinbecks Eden, Modern fiction studies Vol. 20 no.2 pg 169-79