George and Lennie are each other's keepers in their own ways, using each other's strengths to cover their own weaknesses, in John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men. This is displayed through the “brains and brawn” relationship between the two as George helps Lennie mentally, and Lennie helps George physically which brings them close together so that they are not lonely, though they are such an unlikely pair.
George has to help Lennie with things that involve the intellectual process because he has some kind of unspecified mental disability that renders him incapable of even medium level thinking. For example, in the first few pages of the novel while George is attempting to talk with Lennie about the ranch that they are traveling to, Lennie's …show more content…
Lennie is a very tall and strongly built man while George is rather short and weak compared to him. This is proven when they report for their first day of work in the field. Slim and George are watching in awe as Lennie “bucks barley.” “I never seen such a worker. He damn near killed his partner buckin’ barley. There ain’t nobody can keep up with him. I never seen such a strong guy.” (Steinbeck 39) George on the other hand is rather small. Lennie uses his strength to help George anyway he can as he is extremely compassionate towards him. One example of his compassion for George can be found early in the story. “‘But I wouldn’t eat none, George. I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it.’” (Steinbeck 12) Though Lennie’s proposition of giving all of the imaginary ketchup to Lennie seems rather insignificant to the plot, it is actually evidence to Lennie’s large heart. It can be argued that Lennie’s last name, Smalls, is irony due to his large heart and body. Hence, Lennie can be seen as the “brawns in the relationship as he is extremely physically strong and does a lot of the hard manual labor on the ranch for …show more content…
Loneliness is a theme in the story that is well portrayed in the subsequent quote from George when he was explaining to Lennie why they had to stay together. “‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. . . . With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' in our jack jus' because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.’” (Steinbeck 13) This quote was spoken by George after Lennie began to doubt that George really wanted him and offered to leave him alone. “‘If you don' want me I can go off in the hills an' find a cave. I can go away any time.’
‘No—look! I was jus' foolin', Lennie. 'Cause I want you to stay with me.’” (Steinbeck 13) These show that George really doesn’t want to be alone and does like Lennie despite his apparent hatred for him at times. Therefore loneliness is a theme that acts as a centripetal force between the
George has to help Lennie with things that involve the intellectual process because he has some kind of unspecified mental disability that renders him incapable of even medium level thinking. For example, in the first few pages of the novel while George is attempting to talk with Lennie about the ranch that they are traveling to, Lennie's …show more content…
Lennie is a very tall and strongly built man while George is rather short and weak compared to him. This is proven when they report for their first day of work in the field. Slim and George are watching in awe as Lennie “bucks barley.” “I never seen such a worker. He damn near killed his partner buckin’ barley. There ain’t nobody can keep up with him. I never seen such a strong guy.” (Steinbeck 39) George on the other hand is rather small. Lennie uses his strength to help George anyway he can as he is extremely compassionate towards him. One example of his compassion for George can be found early in the story. “‘But I wouldn’t eat none, George. I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it.’” (Steinbeck 12) Though Lennie’s proposition of giving all of the imaginary ketchup to Lennie seems rather insignificant to the plot, it is actually evidence to Lennie’s large heart. It can be argued that Lennie’s last name, Smalls, is irony due to his large heart and body. Hence, Lennie can be seen as the “brawns in the relationship as he is extremely physically strong and does a lot of the hard manual labor on the ranch for …show more content…
Loneliness is a theme in the story that is well portrayed in the subsequent quote from George when he was explaining to Lennie why they had to stay together. “‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. . . . With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' in our jack jus' because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.’” (Steinbeck 13) This quote was spoken by George after Lennie began to doubt that George really wanted him and offered to leave him alone. “‘If you don' want me I can go off in the hills an' find a cave. I can go away any time.’
‘No—look! I was jus' foolin', Lennie. 'Cause I want you to stay with me.’” (Steinbeck 13) These show that George really doesn’t want to be alone and does like Lennie despite his apparent hatred for him at times. Therefore loneliness is a theme that acts as a centripetal force between the