Real Friendship In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Real friends are the people you can count on, no matter what. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, in the 1930s Great Depression the two workers George and Lennie have been together their whole lives, always having each other's back. This sets them apart from everyone else because of the friendship they share. George and Lennie have been traveling around in search of work for a better life when they arrive at the ranch. During this time friendship is lacking and dry but George and Lennie are able to show friendship and bring it out of people. Simple and quick is the opposite of friendship. Real friendship requires understanding, empathy, and trust. Understanding is key to friendship. It allows you to have empathy and others to feel

A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make any difference who the guy is, long as he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.” (stienbeck72) This is crucial because Crooks reflects on how all he wants is someone to talk to him and be understood. It's the basic ingredient to friendship, the kind of friendship he sees with George and Lennie. When Lennie comes to talk with him, it gives him hope to have that same kind of friendship. George always does his best to understand Lennie and what he likes and how he feels. When they are sitting by the river, Lennie begs him to “tell about” the farm. After seeing how it makes Lennie feel, he says, “You get a kick outta that, don’t you? Awright, I’ll tell you, and then we’ll eat our supper.”(Steinbeck 13) This is important because it shows George's ability to understand Lennie and how it makes him feel hope and purpose. This ultimately leads to bettering their friendship. Understanding between people is huge throughout the novel because it's something that every character desires. With proper understanding comes empathy; the ability to take your understanding of the person's situation and put yourself in their