Coping mechanisms are ways that one manages whatever life throws at them. Using coping mechanisms can help one bring a positive spin in a negative situation. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, tells the story of George Milton and Lennie Small’s lives as migrant workers in Central California in the late 1930’s. In this novel John Steinbeck used multiple friendships to demonstrate how one can use coping devices to fight isolation and insecurity with companionship. There are many different friendships in Of Mice and Men, and in spite of the many flaws and problems that their companion may have, the relationships remain sturdy. The two main friendships in this novel are between Lennie and George and Candy and his dog. The compassion expressed
