Of Mice and Men Essay

Rehat Sekhon
Mrs. Phillips
English 9H
12 November 2013

The Friendship of George and Lennie

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to loose your best friend? In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, friendship is an important theme. The friendship of George and Lennie is especially displayed. George and Lennie are best friends and are traveling together. They have known each other for a long time. George knew Lennie’s Aunt Clara before she died. After Lennie’s Aunt Clara died George became Lennie’s caretaker. The friendship of George and Lennie is displayed by Steinbeck throughout book and displays the advantages and disadvantages along the way. There are many advantages in the friendship of George and Lennie. One of these is how Lennie thinks that George is the most important person in the world. To Lennie George’s happiness is more important than his own. Lennie is willing to put his life in danger just because George told him to do something dangerous. “One day a bunch of guys was standin’ around up on Sacramento River. I was feelin’ pretty smart. I turns to Lennie and says, ‘Jump in.’ An’ he jumps.” (Steinbeck 41). This displays that Lennie will do whatever George tells him to do. It doesn’t matter if it will put his life at risk, Lennie will do it. George is Lennie’s caretaker. He always takes care of him and gets him out of trouble. So, Lennie has this thought that no matter what George will always be there with him. When he does something wrong Lennie instantly thinks of what George’s reaction will be. On Sunday afternoon when Lennie accidentally kills his pup, he thinks of how mad George would be at him and how he wouldn’t be able to tend to the rabbits. Nobody else really talks to, Lennie so this is why Lennie thinks that George is everything. George on the other hand, thinks that Lennie is the cause of all of his problems. George thinks that if he didn’t have Lennie to deal with then he would have been actual able to hold down a job. God a’ mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.” (Steinbeck 18). Lennie causes so much trouble for George. Because of Lennie, George has had to constantly run from town to town. He can never hold down a job because Lennie constantly gets him into trouble. “Well, that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in the irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day. Got on’y our heads sticking out from the side of e ditch. An’ that night we scrammed outta there.” (Steinbeck 42-43). This tells us how much trouble Lennie can cause for George. George could have left Lennie at anytime. He didn’t leave Lennie though. George is really loyal to Lennie. Even though there are many advantages in a friendship, friendships have there disadvantages as well. One of these disadvantages in the friendship of George and Lennie

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