Relationship between Lennie and George in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Essay by VanitaA, June 2005

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Lennie and George are considerably different from the other ranch workers mainly unlike the workers who are all shown to be lonely, George and Lennie have each other. They relay on each other and their dreams together. There is a bond of trust and friendship between the two main characters which is tragically highlighted in the closing lines of the novel.

The novel 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck is set in the early 1930's following the collapse of the New York wall street market known as the depression years.

In this time there was heavy unemployment; migrant workers from all over America came to California where the novel is set in the Salinas valley in search of prospects of work. The ranch itself is a microcosm of the life for migrant workers in that time, their insecurities are shown through the characters such as Curley, Candy, Curley's wife and also the life of Black people through Crooks.

All the characters are lonely except for Lennie and George who have each other and this is shown through their hopes and dreams.

Lennie and Georges history together opens up when George talks to Slim a character that everyone respects, even Curley. George openly speaks to Slim about the incident when George tells Lennie to jump into the river jokingly, but to everyone's surprise Lennie jumps in without questioning George not realising he cannot swim and almost drowns if George didn't rescue him, even then Lennie thanks George for saving him even though it was George who told him to do it in the first place. At this point George's fear is shown at Leannie's inability to comprehend logical and illogical things, George realises at that moment that if he is not careful Lennie could do the wrong thing again. George's...