George and Lennie: True Friends? (Of Mice and Men)
A true friend is the greatest treasure one can ever discover. This sentiment, however cliché it may sound, is universally true, across all ages, races, and back through the hallowed halls of history. The great classic novels, like Nicholas Nickleby, often feature the most intriguing examples of true friendship. Some such books make the bond between friends very obvious. Others do not. One example of the latter opinion is the great classic Of Mice and Men by the famous author, John Steinbeck. The story, set in the Great Depression era, is centered on two main characters: George Milton and Lennie Small, two drifters seeking work. The story describes how George has been traveling with Lennie …show more content…
In this scene, George and Lennie have just arrived at their new place of work, a ranch, and are confronted in the bunkhouse by their new boss. George has warned Lennie not to say a word, but Lennie forgets, causing the boss to ask him a direct question, something Lennie cannot answer. George talks down the boss by explaining that Lennie isn’t too bright, but he can work. He lies that he is Lennie’s cousin when the boss asks why George cares so much about him. The boss even remarks, “I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy 4.” When the boss has been satisfied by George’s explanations, and leaves the bunkhouse, George’s other side rears its head. He berates Lennie for not keeping quiet, going so far as to say that if he was really a relative of Lennie’s, he’d probably shoot himself. Skipping ahead a few pages, the book introduces Slim, another ranch hand, and the most respected man on the ranch. He strikes up a conversation with George, and, when he hears how George and Lennie travel together, he remarks, “Ain’t many guys travel together,” to which George responds, “It’s a lot nicer to go around with a guy you know.” By this statement, George appears to reveal that he might not hate being tied to Lennie as much as it might appear otherwise. This discussion is continued a few pages later. George and Slim are returning to the bunkhouse after a hard days’ work hauling grain bags. The two get …show more content…
Lennie enters the bunkhouse; secretly carrying in his shirt, the newborn puppy that Slim had kindly given him (though Slim had warned him not to carry the puppy around). George immediately knows what his partner is up to, and sharply tells him to take the puppy back to the barn. Lennie reluctantly pulls out his little pup and leaves the bunkhouse to return him to his mother, and George and Slim briefly renew their conversation. The two men discuss how Lennie behaves more like a young child then a man, and George, surprisingly, does not add any comment about how his partner’s behavior is a bother to him. Instead, George ends the discussion by remarking how Lennie will probably go out and sleep in the barn with his new friend. Despite what might have been said in the earlier discussion between George and Slim, it becomes clear how much George does truly care about Lennie. How much George cares is demonstrated in the final scene of the book. Lennie is hiding in the bushes near the stream where he and George had camped at the beginning of the story. He has just accidentally killed someone by breaking their neck unintentionally. Following George’s orders, he is hiding in the bushes and waiting for George to come. George does come, having separated from the lynch mob that has formed to track down and likely hang Lennie. George tells Lennie to look across the stream, away from him, and
A true friend is the greatest treasure one can ever discover. This sentiment, however cliché it may sound, is universally true, across all ages, races, and back through the hallowed halls of history. The great classic novels, like Nicholas Nickleby, often feature the most intriguing examples of true friendship. Some such books make the bond between friends very obvious. Others do not. One example of the latter opinion is the great classic Of Mice and Men by the famous author, John Steinbeck. The story, set in the Great Depression era, is centered on two main characters: George Milton and Lennie Small, two drifters seeking work. The story describes how George has been traveling with Lennie …show more content…
In this scene, George and Lennie have just arrived at their new place of work, a ranch, and are confronted in the bunkhouse by their new boss. George has warned Lennie not to say a word, but Lennie forgets, causing the boss to ask him a direct question, something Lennie cannot answer. George talks down the boss by explaining that Lennie isn’t too bright, but he can work. He lies that he is Lennie’s cousin when the boss asks why George cares so much about him. The boss even remarks, “I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy 4.” When the boss has been satisfied by George’s explanations, and leaves the bunkhouse, George’s other side rears its head. He berates Lennie for not keeping quiet, going so far as to say that if he was really a relative of Lennie’s, he’d probably shoot himself. Skipping ahead a few pages, the book introduces Slim, another ranch hand, and the most respected man on the ranch. He strikes up a conversation with George, and, when he hears how George and Lennie travel together, he remarks, “Ain’t many guys travel together,” to which George responds, “It’s a lot nicer to go around with a guy you know.” By this statement, George appears to reveal that he might not hate being tied to Lennie as much as it might appear otherwise. This discussion is continued a few pages later. George and Slim are returning to the bunkhouse after a hard days’ work hauling grain bags. The two get …show more content…
Lennie enters the bunkhouse; secretly carrying in his shirt, the newborn puppy that Slim had kindly given him (though Slim had warned him not to carry the puppy around). George immediately knows what his partner is up to, and sharply tells him to take the puppy back to the barn. Lennie reluctantly pulls out his little pup and leaves the bunkhouse to return him to his mother, and George and Slim briefly renew their conversation. The two men discuss how Lennie behaves more like a young child then a man, and George, surprisingly, does not add any comment about how his partner’s behavior is a bother to him. Instead, George ends the discussion by remarking how Lennie will probably go out and sleep in the barn with his new friend. Despite what might have been said in the earlier discussion between George and Slim, it becomes clear how much George does truly care about Lennie. How much George cares is demonstrated in the final scene of the book. Lennie is hiding in the bushes near the stream where he and George had camped at the beginning of the story. He has just accidentally killed someone by breaking their neck unintentionally. Following George’s orders, he is hiding in the bushes and waiting for George to come. George does come, having separated from the lynch mob that has formed to track down and likely hang Lennie. George tells Lennie to look across the stream, away from him, and