George And Lennie's Friendship In Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck

Essay Question: Examine how George and Lennie’s friendship in Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ ends in tragedy.

Of Mice and Men Critical Essay

The 1937 novel, Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck during the Great Depression. Is a story about the realism of the so-called American Dream. It is about two travellers, looking for work on farms and saving up for what they think is the best life a man could have. Their own farm. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan and the novel twists into a miserable tale, on the consequences of your own actions. Although George and Lennie’s bond was almost unbreakable the book still ends in tragedy. The novel highlights the poverty during the great depression, the racism African-American people faced

The two men started walking, looking for a new job in the Californian countryside. After a while, George and Lennie got to there stop. In Salinas, California, working on a farm. The majority of this book is set on the ranch. While wandering to this ranch, Steinbeck emphasises just how close the relationship is with George and Lennie. Instead of a brother - brother, the relationship is more of a father - son. George is the more responsible one, who makes sure to keep Lennie’s work card. Whereas Lennie is more of a child, who will do almost anything that George would tell him to. Lennie can’t remember things, and has the mental age of a

And he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.’
‘He ain’t bright. Hell of a nice fella though.’
At the start of the book, Steinbeck describes Lennie as a bear. Which shows that he acts more like an animal than a human. It also describes Lennie as heavy and quite Lazy. George described Lennie to be slim as a nice fella that ain’t bright. Which shows that George knows Lennie isn’t the smartest but still sticks with him because he has known him for a long time making their relationship even closer. Although Lennie and George seem like they are perfectly fine, there can be tension with them. Lennie’s relationship to George is in a way that Lennie looks up to him. Lennie listens to almost everything that George tells him. We find out that George did take that for granted when Lennie jumped in a lake for him. George’s relationship to Lennie is more of a burden. Although George does like Lennie, he feels responsible for him, knowing that he wouldn’t abandon Lennie even if he had that opportunity.
‘If I was alone I could live so easily. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.’ Although George says this in an argument he eventually folds and say,
‘No - Look! I was jus’ foolin. Cause I want you to stay with