Similarities Between Lennie In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

“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. Many of the men in Of Mice and Men are very lonely, they do not have any family, they do not have any friends, they do not even have a concept of companionship. The boss of the ranch once said to George,”Well, I never seen on guy take so much trouble for another guy. I just like to know what your interest is”(22). The other men in the novel did not understand why George and Lennie traveled together, because in everyone else’s eyes at this time, it was every man for himself. That is the one thing that set them apart from other men, they had each other. This is also one major thing they have in common. Throughout the novel, it is portrayed as if Lennie needs George and he relies on George. Yes, this is true, however, George relies on Lennie, just as much as Lennie relies on George. Lennie is George’s family. As much as Lennie gets on his nerves, George is still there to care for, and be a friend to Lennie, not only for Lennie, but for himself. George works so hard to achieve this dream for Lennie, for both of them, because if he did not, his life would have no purpose. George said,”Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake, and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look forward to”(13). Many of the other men in the novel, simply take their pay, come on the right days for good meals, and go on their way to the next ranch. They have no ties, nothing to come home to. Home is where your heart is, and wherever they are together, that is home for Lennie and George. Together they have their dream to look forward to own land and have rabbits. The dream sets the two apart from every other man, but by cause of the two men doing it together, simultaneously it draws …show more content…
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