George tells Lennie that drinking in such a manner is not the normal and not the right way to drink. Lennie then decides to imitate George in order to be “right” in the following quote. “Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly. He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, looked over to George to see whether he had it just right. He pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes, the way George’s hat was.” (4) This passage shows how much influence George has on Lennie's behavior, he is not only just Lennie's friend, but also a role model and almost a parental figure to him. Lennie imitates him because he cannot comprehend what is “right” or wrong but he does understand that George has the mental ability to distinguish between the two. The relationship between the two of them is further unearthed by Steinbeck a few pages later; he did this by using dialog in short outburst that overcame George one evening. George reveals his feelings for Lennie when he says, "Well, we ain't got any," George exploded. "Whatever we ain't got, that's what you want. God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why, I could stay in a cathouse all night. I could eat any place …show more content…
The most present and important of those methods is characterization using dialect and diction. Even though the book is only 107 pages, there are simply hidden messages within the dialog between Lennie and George showing the amazing strength of their friendship. The almost parental nature of George’s relationship with Lennie is ultimately what leads to the resolution of conflicts throughout the novel. Without this relationship present there would not be a