How Is Lennie A Complex Character In Of Mice And Men

Have you ever accidentally killed someone? In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Lennie, a main character, struggles to contain his emotions and carries them out in a way no sane person would. His temper and strength often lead him to situations where he commits illegal or immoral acts. While a normal person would likely see the faults in their actions, Lennie can hardly ever see what he has done wrong and why the consequences should apply to him. It’s obvious that Lennie has a disability that keeps him from thinking like a “normal” person would. He is oblivious to the harshness of humanity, especially his own. It is evident early into the book that Lennie is particularly strong. Someone that is fond of Lennie might label him as a gentle giant, who enjoys the simple things in life, like soft dresses or hair. They do not realize how quick his temper is and how easily he can hurt or damage …show more content…
George encourages his delusions by telling Lennie how they'll have their own land. He tells him this bedtime story that many men have hoped for but have never been able to grasp. And George does this out of his selfishness. He wants to believe it too, to believe he can live a life better than he has. John Steinbeck included this to illustrate how naive we, and Lennie, can be, how oblivious we are to the truths we won’t admit. Without Lennie, George would live a boring life. A life that all other working men live. Lennie is in all main conflicts, and quite frankly, he is the reason for them. The only reason they want the piece of land is because Lennie isn’t exactly normal, and for that time period would be put away somewhere or lynched. He is the driving force for the whole book. Overall, the book is quite uneventful, without Lennie it be completely unreadable, with no rising action or climax. When Lennie kills Curley's Wife, there is finally something to keep you turning