Lennie's Mental Illness In Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck

Mental illness is one of many things that can isolate and damage a person. It can cause them to be ridiculed, it can change the lives of those who surround that person, and it can even lead someone to act against their will. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie Small is a character who, because of his mental disability, portrays many of the qualities mentioned above. Lennie’s life long companion, George, is Lennie’s protector who keeps Lennie from being isolated and lonely. However, there were certain things that Lennie’s mental illness caused that George could not protect him from. Lennie’s disorder altered the way he was treated by those around him. It also drastically changed the outcome of the novel, as well as the life of George.

From the start, George had constantly mentioned what a burden Lennie and his disability were. However, it is also known that George is just angry when he “insults” his companion, and actually loves him. “God, you’re a lot of trouble,” said George. “I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl” (7). The excerpt above demonstrates how Lennie and his mental disability had negatively impacted George. It left George longing for the better life he could’ve or would’ve had without needing to take care of Lennie. Many times, Lennie said something in the novella that George got upset about and George would then talk about what potential benefits there would be if he didn’t need to take care of a friend with mental disabilities. While Lennie and his disorder had negative impacts on the life of George, they also had positive influences. For example, Lennie’s childishness caused George to have hope for their future. Lennie also kept George from being alone like many of the other migrant workers. “Funny how you an’ him string along together… I hardly never seen two guys travel together. You know how the hands are, they just come in and get their bunk and work a month, and then they quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a damn about nobody” (39). By saying that no one would often travel in pairs, Slim (the speaker of the quote) was indicating that what George and Lennie had was special, even if Lennie was a “cuckoo” and George a “smart little guy.” If Lennie hadn’t had a mental illness, then he would have never needed the aid of George. George’s protection of Lennie kept him from being along. While Lennie’s mental illness impacted many aspects of the novella, it affected George the most, and in both positive and negative