George’s Other Side
During the 1930s in the United States of America, men often felt they had to project an image of machismo. At this time, men with feelings were not generally highly valued. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the protagonist, George Milton, often exhibits a tough persona while working on the ranch, but his rough shell does not completely obscure his soft and compassionate inside. Three events in Of Mice and Men explicitly show George’s kinder side: when he recites to Lennie the dream by the pool, when he allows Candy to be a part of the dream, and when George makes sure that some stranger does not shoot his best friend. Analyzing these moments reveals more about this hapless, yet heroic, character.
At the beginning of the novel, Lennie and George camp by a river a little ways from the ranch where they are heading to work. While George is cooking beans for him and Lennie to eat for dinner, Lennie announces he wished he could eat the beans with some ketchup. George becomes infuriated because there is no way he can afford unnecessary condiments, so he vents his rage directly back at Lennie. Eventually, George’s yelling becomes more about Lennie’s incompetence and how much easier George’s life would be. After, because George felt terrible, Lennie guilts George into recounting the dream again. …show more content…
No one should have to kill their best friend themselves. Earlier, Carlson shot Candy’s dog, Candy had fallen into a depressed state only excited when George let him join the dream. Just before the rest of the ranch hands returned to the bunk, Candy gave George some crucial advice. “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (p. 61) However, if Curley gotten Lennie, a prolonged and painful death awaited him. No matter how cruel George may seem for killing his friend, he killed Lennie out of compassion, not
During the 1930s in the United States of America, men often felt they had to project an image of machismo. At this time, men with feelings were not generally highly valued. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the protagonist, George Milton, often exhibits a tough persona while working on the ranch, but his rough shell does not completely obscure his soft and compassionate inside. Three events in Of Mice and Men explicitly show George’s kinder side: when he recites to Lennie the dream by the pool, when he allows Candy to be a part of the dream, and when George makes sure that some stranger does not shoot his best friend. Analyzing these moments reveals more about this hapless, yet heroic, character.
At the beginning of the novel, Lennie and George camp by a river a little ways from the ranch where they are heading to work. While George is cooking beans for him and Lennie to eat for dinner, Lennie announces he wished he could eat the beans with some ketchup. George becomes infuriated because there is no way he can afford unnecessary condiments, so he vents his rage directly back at Lennie. Eventually, George’s yelling becomes more about Lennie’s incompetence and how much easier George’s life would be. After, because George felt terrible, Lennie guilts George into recounting the dream again. …show more content…
No one should have to kill their best friend themselves. Earlier, Carlson shot Candy’s dog, Candy had fallen into a depressed state only excited when George let him join the dream. Just before the rest of the ranch hands returned to the bunk, Candy gave George some crucial advice. “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (p. 61) However, if Curley gotten Lennie, a prolonged and painful death awaited him. No matter how cruel George may seem for killing his friend, he killed Lennie out of compassion, not