The Importance Of Romance In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Romance is a genre of literature that takes on many different shapes. Most of the time it is easy for the reader to determine if there is chemistry between two characters, while other times it is not plainly stated but rather heavily implied. Such as in the novel“Of Mice and Men '' by John Steinbeck, many readers could and would argue that the story is a romance because of the emotional connection between George and Lennie, Georges's actions regarding Lennie, and the happiness they brought each other throughout the novel. Throughout the novel “Of Mice and Men'' the reader witnesses the emotional connection between George and Lennie, which many consider a budding romance. In chapter one of the novel, George confides in Lennie about his dreams

During chapter two of the novel while meeting his new employer, George states of Lennie that "He’s my.... cousin. I told his old lady I’d take care of him”(Steinbeck page 19). This quote aids the reader in comprehending the complexity of George and Lennie's relationship because it confirms that George feels he has to lie to outsiders about his relationship with Lennie to avoid suspicion. It is this rooted fear of suspicion and the feeling that he needs to protect Lennie that supports the belief that they were in love. During the final chapter of the novel Lennie runs back to the clearing after accidentally murdering Curley's wife and it's here that George finds Lennie and helps to settle him down as he talks about the ranch that they're going to get. It's during this earnest exchange that George “raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie's head, the hand shook violently, but his face set and his

During chapter one of the novel George and Lennie have a reflective conversation about how most people don't have a future or something to look forward to when George states "With us, it ain’t like that we got a future we got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us”(Steinbeck page 11). This quote from the novel communicates to the reader the idea that George believes his future lies with Lennie because they're the only ones who care for and protect each other out of love, not necessity. Furthermore during the final chapter of the book while George and Lennie are having their last exchange, George tells Lennie about what life on the land they're going to buy would be like and states "You an' me ever'body gonna be nice to you ain't gonna be no more trouble nobody gon-na hurt nobody nor steal from 'em."(Steinbeck page 19). This statement shows that George wants Lennie to die happy so to achieve this George described to Lennie his dream paradise with them together free from the judgmental scrutiny of society where they could love each other in peace. However, this could not be because such a place did not exist in the 1930s therefore George had to shoot Lennie so that he would be spared the brutal execution Curley would sentence him to. The evidence presented communicates the idea that the happy