We learnt at the beginning, Lennie’s love for petting soft things put the lives of him and George at danger. This was when Lennie tried to feel a girl’s dress, but then he panicked and he uses his strength unintentionally (to protect himself); this gives an animal imagery of Lennie. At this point George is reassuring Lennie by telling him the future they will have he repeated his words “rhythmically, this gives us the impression that Lennie has heard this story before, and is comforted by it.
Steinbeck presents the relationship between George and Lennie with a great sense of comradely, which contrasts with the common view in the novella: that ranch hands are ‘the loneliest guys in the world.’ George and Lennie feel that they are not lonely because they have each other: “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you” the quote suggest that they need each other to look after one and another the relationship works both ways; within their relationship they are able to depend on each other. This relationship reveals the loneliness within other characters within the story. A parallel develops between Candy’s loneliness and the comfort that he gets from his dog and the relationship between George and Lennie. Whereas Candy becomes lonely when he loses his only companion: his dog. The event of Candy’s dog being shot foreshadow the event of Lennie being shot because the same gun is used and the same place is shot; the back of the head. Relationship between George and Lennie contrasts the quotation, this quotation show George and Lennie comradely.
The theme of reassurance continues throughout the novella. George tells Lennie about the dream to own a farm, a house and the livestock they will have one day. When George assures Lennie about their dream they will one day have George’s voice “becomes deeper” and his tone is described as “rhythmically” this portrays George as a serious and meaningful person because the depth in his voice describes how much he is dedicated to fulfil his dream. The rhythm in his tone shows a fatherly side to him and how he is determined to comfort Lennie.
It is important for the reader to acknowledge one of the main part of this novella, was Lennie’s petting and how it was a struggle for George because he knew that this caused him a lot of predicaments. Due to Lennie’s failure to follow and remember instructions that George asks him to do,“ So you forgot that awready, did you?” it leads to Lennie unintentionally killing Curley’s wife. He uses his strength inadvertently to protect himself.
We se that this cause a strain on the relationship “If I was alone I could live so easy.” This quote foreshadows what is going to happen in the end, when he is left alone his life will be similar. George specifically tells Lennie that he is not “gonna say a word” when they are going to the ranch to meet the new boss. Here we see George acting paternal to Lennie. Lennie is a burden on George we see the frustration on George’s trust on the relationship. George’s priority is for Lennie to have a secure job; this reinforces the idea of George being a father to Lennie. However this is the first time where we see Lennie putting George’s instructions into actions.
The ending is the novel is symbolic because it ends on a sunset. Sunset occurs when a day is complete and Lennie dies when the sun is setting it could symbolise that is life is complete, and they have reached the end of their relationship. Overall we have understood that George and Lennie’s relationship was not perfect, but it was stable. However just because Lennie dies does not necessary mean that their relationship is finished and that George will be like candy-lonely. It could be the start of something new.