Disabilities In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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People should not let those with disabilities hold back others around them from their potential. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck conveys that people with disabilities limit what those around them are capable of doing. This is shown by George having to take care of Lennie. During the Great Depression, there was not the proper medical care for those with disabilities. Steinbeck characterizes Lennie as being a character who can not be independent and relies on George and in result George is mostly impacted from what Lennie's actions.
Through Steinbeck's characterization, George is forced to start a new life and relocate to Lennie’s reckless behavior and because of this George is frustrated towards Lennie. After Lennie wrongly puts his hands up a women’s shirt George and Lennie are then run out of the town of Weed. George tells Lennie “ I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl” (7). George says this to show that his …show more content…
When George finds out he gets frustrated at Lennie and yells “ Give it here!” and “What you want of a dead mouse anyways?”(6). This is illustrating that George is needing to take charge of Lennie by demanding instructions and being strict to him. Lennie’s childish characteristics does not allow for him to think about what he does. Later is the story George state's “ Sure he jes ‘like a kid. There ain't no more harm in him than a kid neither except he’s stronger.” Lennie’s disabilities do not let him think rationally before he acts. His disabilities prohibit him from thinking the same way a man his age would normally. Even though he looks normal on the outside, as a result of his mental retardation he does not act the way most people except based on his age and physical
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