In the novella Of Mice and Men by the author John Steinbeck, George Milton and Lennie Smalls deal with the pitfalls of migrant work while employed as ranch hands in the midst of the Great Depression. Steinbeck explores the theme of brotherhood through George’s responsibilities towards Lennie, Lennie’s downfall, and the ranch hands’ camaraderie. Throughout the work, John Steinbeck proves that brotherhood cannot outstand all of life’s challenges and necessary decisions. First, George’s dedication to Lennie shows an example of brotherhood in the plot. George began watching over Lennie after his Aunt Clara, his primary caretaker, passed away. Even though Lennie has cost him many jobs and opportunities, George does not leave him behind. George reassures Lennie, “‘I want you to stay with me, Lennie...No, you stay with me. Your Aunt Clara wouldn’t like you running off by yourself…’” (Steinbeck 13). This quote is an example of George expressing how he …show more content…
After George kills Lennie, Slim reassures him, “‘You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.’” (107). He expresses that George had to shoot Lennie, because if he hadn’t, Lennie would had been killed violently. Slim is showing his brotherhood and loyalty to George even though he just watched him kill his only other friend. Crooks is the only African American on the ranch and is also very kind to Lennie and shows him respect even though they have many differences. “‘Come on in and set a while,’ Crooks said. ‘Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.’” (69). Even though Lennie bothered him at first, he still lets him stay in the room because everyone else was gone and if Lennie was alone he could get himself into trouble. This shows Crooks’s true values and feelings as he cares enough to protect Lennie from himself. This shows his brotherhood even for someone of a different race than
One of John Steinbeck most notable works, Of Mice and Men, a novella based on American life in the 1910s, tells the story of George and Lennie. Two ranch workers based in California who travel around the state trying to find work during the Great Depression. As George and Lennie are hired at a new farm, concepts such as friendship and violence appear in the novella. Steinbeck develops these ideas using elements such as imagery, syntax, and details. Towards the end of chapter one, Lennie and George had gotten into an argument, an argument bad enough for Lennie to suggest that he leaves.
From the day that Lennie’s Aunt Clara died and from the day George took Lennie in as a friend George was always there for him. If Lennie did not have George, Lennie would have no one to protect him and save him from all of the bad things that he has done. Despite all of the dangers and problems Lennie got George and himself into, George benefited and also learned from Lennie’s mistakes. George needs his ignorant sidekick as much as Lennie needs George.
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck there are many themes but the main one is brotherhood. On page 22 of the story Of Mice and Men George says,“He 's my...cousin” The boss of the job that George and Lennie are applying for is questioning whether George and Lennie are traveling together because that doesn 't happen that often. This quote proves that the theme is brotherhood because George is willing to lie to protect Lennie. Also on page 32 George says, “I seen 'em poison before but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.” George and Lennie have just ran into Curley 's wife and George is warning Lennie not to interact with her if he knows what is good for
It makes him think like a 6-8-year-old. When George replies he states a half truth half lie. That being when he says, “he’s my… Cousin. I told his old lady I’d take care of him” (Steinbeck 11). Now just for confirmation, they are not cousins but he does take care of them.
A theme that was evidently a stable for the working farmers, and also the Protagonists Lennie and George was the theme of brotherhood. Brotherhood contributed to the novel in a sense that it created opportunities amongst men which society would deem impossible at the time. People are definitely reliant on human interaction. This is seen in the novel when an African farmhand named Crook, who was segregated at the time because of the color of his skin, talks with his cohort Lennie about how he never has anyone to talk to, stating, “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. DOn’t make no difference who the guy is as long as he’s with you” (Steinbeck 80 1937).
Examine how far George and Lennie are loyal to each other throughout 'Of mice and men' In the novella 'Of Mice and Men', by the well-known author, John Steinbeck, the reader is introduced to a varied range of different characters on the ranch; within this realm loyalty between George and Lennie plays a significant role in the lonely itinerant lifestyle. The characters in this short novel act in a world of their own, having no connections to any other type of society; through this Steinbeck can strongly depict the theme of loyalty and friendship in dire situations during this period of time. During the 1930's, at the ranch, a predominant role of intelligent white-males is seen to retain power over lesser groups of people, of which Lennie is portrayed to be this part as he is mentally disabled. Despite this George and Lennie strike up a friendship of loyalty: showing firm and constant support. ' Guys like us got no fambly...they ain't got nobody in the worl' that gives a hoot in hell about 'em' sums up the reason why their loyalty and companionship is so vital and special to each other.
If you had the choice to save your friend from misery by kill them. What would you do? In the story, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, opposite pair up like George Milton and Lennie Small. Both George and Lennie stick together like brothers through the rough times of the Great Depression.
Crooks is a black man who has been given the nickname because of his crooked back. He is another character in the novel that is discriminated against. Similarly, as Lennie and Candy are discriminated because of their weakness, Crooks is discriminated because of his race. For example, he says how he “ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse… can’t play [cards] because I’m black” (68). His race causes him to be separated from everyone else and be isolated in his own room.
Therese Pivarunas November 1, 2017 Literature 2 Honors Period 4 Banned Book Essay A deep friendship between two people has always been valued in society. The novella Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, should not be banned from libraries and schools, rather, it should be taught to students and remain accessible to the public. This book takes place in the middle of the Great Depression, and follows the journey of two workers looking for jobs in California. Lennie and George, the two workers, support each other through their companionship and hope to make enough money to start a new life. This story contains relatable characters who try to achieve their goals in life, a compelling story of hardship, and features a strong bond between two
The novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck is a gripping tale of two men and their lives during the Great Depression. George Milton and Lennie Small are two migrant workers who travel together finding work. They take on a new job “bucking barley” at a ranch in central California for the ranch owner and his son. While working at the ranch they encounter Curley the ranch owner’s son and his wife, a flirtatious woman. The story reaches a climax when Lennie unintentionally kills Curley’s wife and runs back to the Salinas River just as George instructed.
George knows Lennie can’t do everything on his own so he has to take care of him. But both men take care of each other and have someone to look after them. “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after
In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the era of the Great Depression in the 1930’s is revealed through a simple story of ranch workers who hope to improve their lives. Migrant workers, George and Lennie, have a friendship that is based on trust and protection. The other workers lack the companionship and bond that these two men have. In the novel, the absence and presence of friendship is the motivation for the characters’ actions.
Lennie asked Crooks “Why Ain’t you wanted?” Crooks replied “Cause I’m black” he also told Lennie, “I tell ya a guy gets lonely and he gets sick.” The explanation supports the fact that Crooks was plagued by loneliness and alienation and he wanted
Crooks (named crooks after being kicked in the back by a horse) is a very controversial character as he is the only black member of the farm and doesn’t actually feature to much in the book. When he is in it though most of what we find out is when Lenny walks into his room. From the start its clear that crooks is a very abused and defensive because he says “You got no right to come in my room” as soon as he notices Lennie stood in his room even though Lennie doesn’t really see any difference between skin colour and doesn’t understand why this is happening. Most of what can be known about Crooks is from the items in his room. His room is actually connected to the barn showing they do not value him as a person but only as a stable buck.
In addition, the kindness and compassion George shows to Lennie must end with Lennie’s