Of Mice And Men Empathy Analysis

Empathy When someone says the word empathy most people think about feeling something someone else is feeling. The word, however, means so much more. Merriam Webster defines empathy as “The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.” The definition explains that you are feeling what someone is feeling in a way that you can relate too because you either felt that way or somehow similarly. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck some characters display and show empathy more than others. Of Mice and Men is about two men looking for work. They both find work at this barnhouse. At the barnhouse, they meet colorful characters with different personality types. Some are more harsh than others, some are more controlling, and few display emotions of sadness, loneliness, and emptiness. Specifically in the book, some characters manifest and express compassion more than others, such as Slim and Crooks who display empathy throughout the book while Carlson …show more content…
He observes and listens to the other characters and isn’t quick to assume or judge. One example of this is when he tries empathizing with George once we found out that Lennie had died, “Slim came directly to George and sat down beside him, sat very close to him. ‘Never you mind,’ said Slim. ‘A guy got to sometimes’” (Steinbeck, 107). He cares about George, and not just about ‘how he did it’, according to Carlson. He tries helping George feel better because of what he had to do. Slim word’s are picked carefully. Saying that George had to is a way of displaying empathy. Slim tries making George feel better after the tragedy that had occurred. He didn’t ask him how it happened, but rather tried making him feel better by telling him that he had to do it. Slim is empathetic and cares about other characters which is