During the 1930s and still to this day many people with an intellectual or physical disability, along with a different race, struggled to fit in or even survive, John Steinbeck shows the struggle and conflict in the novella Of Mice and Men. Set on a ranch in Soledad, men work on a ranch earning a pay, but many are discriminated against for their differences. Other men on the ranch feel they are superior to those dealing with discrimination, thinking they are “normal”. This causes conflict between the workers and friendships. Throughout the workers there is Lennie who struggles with an intellectual disability, Candy who is missing a hand, and Crooks who is a different race all experience the inequality firsthand on the ranch throughout the novella. …show more content…
George has been stuck with Lennie ever since Lennie's Aunt Clara passed away. Because of Lennie’s intellectual disability, he has the mind of a child. Although Lennie may not be the smartest person, he is extremely strong and a hard worker. Other guys constantly made Lennie fun of for his disability on the ranch. Although the only opinion that matters to Lennie is George’s. George has realized that Lennie does not understand most of the jokes, so he is able to tease Lennie without Lennie being hurt by what he said. When George jokes about or yells at Lennie, it is the only time Lennie gets truly upset. When George tells Lennie to do something, Lennie will listen no matter what. Lennie has a very strong emotional attachment to George, which causes George to feel stuck with him. Without George, there is a very slight chance that Lennie would survive on his own. Lennie was seen as a burden when he wasn't working, and George wasn't afraid to tell him. “God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy,'' and, “You crazy son-of-a- b****, you keep me in hot water all the time.” (pg. 11) These words stuck with Lennie. Alongside Lennie's intellectual struggles, he also has a hard time with his memory, only remembering what George has told him, putting burdens on his