Imagine hitchhiking or walking across the United States to find work but can never keep employment. Lennie has it rough in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Criticized for being obtuse, he travels around the U.S. with George, his competent guardian who struggles to keep a job so he can feed himself and Lennie and fund his longing desire to have land of his own. Neither of the two can stay employed because Lennie makes mistakes that he cannot control as well as others, especially at their new jobs at a ranch in California. Lennie is the most damaged character in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men by society due to his mental handicap, relationship with George, and his notorious history of bad things. One way Lennie suffers from societal scrutiny is because of his mental handicap. In the story, George and Lennie both travel together, and Lennie has a problem remembering things; he would even forget entire family members. “‘I remember a lady used to give [mice] to
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He and George are not like others that travel the United States looking for odd jobs, they have each other. “‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest people in the world’...‘[but] I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you’” (13-14). This is not necessarily taken the best way among the other ranchers. They think it is weird the two travel with each other, which in turn puts social pressure on the pair, especially Lennie. One of the most renowned people on the farm is Slim, a skinner. He has never seen any other pair of folks travelling around together like George and Lennie do. “You guys travel around together?” (34). This really illustrates how all of the men at the ranch were confused about the pair’s situation. This confusion lead to mild discrimination to the two. The men on the ranch apply pressure to Lennie by not including him and George right away and discriminating before really getting to know
He and George are not like others that travel the United States looking for odd jobs, they have each other. “‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest people in the world’...‘[but] I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you’” (13-14). This is not necessarily taken the best way among the other ranchers. They think it is weird the two travel with each other, which in turn puts social pressure on the pair, especially Lennie. One of the most renowned people on the farm is Slim, a skinner. He has never seen any other pair of folks travelling around together like George and Lennie do. “You guys travel around together?” (34). This really illustrates how all of the men at the ranch were confused about the pair’s situation. This confusion lead to mild discrimination to the two. The men on the ranch apply pressure to Lennie by not including him and George right away and discriminating before really getting to know