George And Lennie

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 me’...‘Lady, huh? Don’t even remember who that lady was. That was your own Aunt Clara’” (9). Society frowns upon people who cannot remember things because it is a nuisance to repeat things over and over, much less massive details like family. Lennie being incapable of recalling major details of things loses him the right to even speak on his own. George, when the two men first arrive at the ranch, briefs Lennie that he is not to talk to ‘the boss,’ even when spoken to, so they will not lose their jobs before they get them. “Lennie was looking helplessly to George for instruction. ‘An’ you won’t let the big guy talk, is that it?’” (25). The boss and a few others on the ranch are taken aback at first by Lennie not talking, which leaves a bad first impression at the ranch. Society at the ranch is hard on Lennie especially because they think that he is mentally ill. Another way society is down on Lennie is his relationship with George. …show more content…
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 him. Lastly, Lennie is especially put down because of his history of making bad mistakes and getting into trouble. Lennie was infamous in his old town of employment, Weed, because of the alleged rape he committed there. “He seen this girl in a red dress. Dumb bastard like he