“An’ why? Because….because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why” (Steinbeck 14). In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, he portrays a story of a mentally handicapped man born in the wrong generation. The novel shows many differences between mentally handicapped Lennie and his best friend, with full mental capacity, George. Although George and Lennie have countless differences and play contrasting roles, they are alike in several ways.The way the story is written, it would not have been the same without Lennie’s character not having a mental illness. In several ways Lennie and George are alike, or show similarities throughout the novel. The novel portrays a very lonely mood, and sense of life.
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First of all, Lennie’s internal disorder, causes a lot of external issues in the story. As Lennie and George move from ranch to ranch, the only reason they are doing so, is by cause of Lennie doing something that he should not have. When the two left Weed, they did so because Lennie has the conflict with the little girl. If Lennie was a “normal” man, he would know his own strength a little better, and he also would not have grabbed the girl’s dress the way that he did. Another time his mental disability caused them problems was at the new ranch. First, it started out with the boss and the other men questioning him. The boss asked, “I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin’ his pay away from him?” With Lennie’s size but lack of common sense, it arises questions among people, just like it did with the boss. The connection between Lennie and George also stems from Lennie’s disability. Lennie is very reliant on George, and George keeps him out of trouble. Not only does George keep him out of trouble, he keeps him from being institutionalized. The entire novel relies on Lennie’s disability to cause the different conflicts throughout the
First of all, Lennie’s internal disorder, causes a lot of external issues in the story. As Lennie and George move from ranch to ranch, the only reason they are doing so, is by cause of Lennie doing something that he should not have. When the two left Weed, they did so because Lennie has the conflict with the little girl. If Lennie was a “normal” man, he would know his own strength a little better, and he also would not have grabbed the girl’s dress the way that he did. Another time his mental disability caused them problems was at the new ranch. First, it started out with the boss and the other men questioning him. The boss asked, “I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin’ his pay away from him?” With Lennie’s size but lack of common sense, it arises questions among people, just like it did with the boss. The connection between Lennie and George also stems from Lennie’s disability. Lennie is very reliant on George, and George keeps him out of trouble. Not only does George keep him out of trouble, he keeps him from being institutionalized. The entire novel relies on Lennie’s disability to cause the different conflicts throughout the