The two main characters, George and Lennie are shown to be two very contrasting characters, despite both having solitary personalities. Lennie is shown as very simple, whereas George is shown as the brains of the pair. We are given numerous examples of Lennie being simple, for example, when they arrive at the ranch and George says to Curley, “He ain’t no cuckoo, he’s dumb as hell.” This instantly shows us George’s opinion of Lennie. The descriptions of Lennie are mostly negative ones. George speaks to him as though he is a child. He has to repeat things such as “if you get in trouble I want you to come right here and hide in the brush” and “hide in the brush can you remember that?” He often adopts a very patronising tone, and treats Lennie as though he is stupid. There are varying descriptions of George throughout the novel, although they all seem to have one common theme. They all demonstrate his superior intelligence over Lennie. Also at the end of the novel, George’s quick thinking saves Lennie from being killed by Curley. The two characters are very opposite but they stick together. Their friendship is an usual one, with the pair seemingly having nothing in common, although the bond between the two characters works, because they would both be very lonely without one another. However, despite being close friends, we see that both characters do experience loneliness. Examples of this are apparent when George goes out of his way to say to Lennie “he could go into a cat house and blow his 50 bucks.” They both would be lonely without each other and they’re both in the same boat, looking for money and work. Their friendship is the only constant in their lives it seems. Both have a dream, and although it involves the same place, they both value different qualities of this dream place. George cares more about stopping work and relaxing, having his own home, being individual and not having to rely on other people. We know this because he says “OK, someday we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and some cows and pigs.” Lennie, on the other hand, goes on to say “And live off the fatta the lan’ an’ have rabbits.” This shows how Lennie and George have opposing views of how their ideal life will pan out. All Lennie seems to value is tending the rabbits, and being close to nature. This is shown constantly through the novel. It begins early when George and Lennie are walking to the ranch and Lennie is petting the dead mouse. We are shown clearly that Lennie’s priorities lie with tending the animals. By the end of the novel, George and Lennie are far from their dream. In the back of their minds I think they knew that it would never happen and at the end of the novel they are brought back down to reality. It was always going to be just a dream for them, and in the novel this is similar for the other characters. The chances of them actually accomplishing their dreams are very slim.
. . . . . . corrected up to here!!!
During the novel, Curley’s wife plays a major part. She has a significant part to play even the thought we never know her name! Although she isn’t included maybe as much as the other characters, she still is has a huge part to play. She is shown as being manipulative and easy. She had dreams of becoming an actress, but failed to achieve this due to her marriage with Curley. She was described by Candy as flirtatious towards all of the male workers on the ranch. There are lots of derogatory terms used for her in the book, here are just a few of them: “ She’s a rat trap” , “ tart” , “ I bet she even gives the stable buck the eye” or “jail Bait”. So there are many derogatory terms for Curley’s wife. She is shown as being very flirtatious. We know this instantly when we first see her. She is introduced ; “ A girl was standing in the doorway looking in. She had roughed lips and wide spaced eyes, Heavily made up, her fingernails were red “ and then she says “I’m lookin’ for Curley”, But she knows curley isn’t in the bunk house she just came up to see George & Lennie. So instantly we see she’s flirty and already wants to see what the new guys are like. Also what she is wearing is key to her character as well. She is always shown as wearing red. Red is a dominant colour which represents a sexual nature, and she’s always wearing it! Also things like her makeup and her hair. The way in which her body language is described in the book also shows what she’s like. When she’s first shown she is acting in a sexual way, for example, “ She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame and her body was thrown forward” so before we even introduced to her she is eyeing up the boys. She behaves in this way because just like everyone on the ranch, she is lonely. Although she is married to Curley, she is still very lonely. We know she doesn’t like Curley because she says to Lennie, “ I don’t like Curley, He ain’t a nice fella”, or “ I never talk to nobody I get awful lonely”,. So she doesn’t really have any real relationship with anyone. So she is looking for a friend almost, and in order to do this she feels she must do it in a flirtatious way to get the guys attention. She, just like all the other men on the ranch has her dreams. She explains her dreams in the final chapter: “ Coulda been in the movies an’ had nice clothes- all them nice clothes like they wear. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels an’ had pitchers took of me. When they previews I coulda went to them and it wouldn’t cost me a cent because I was in the pitcher” , so she explains her dream. But in reality it was never going to happen. But she still has her dream because it gives her something to live for almost. She is just another character in the novel which has a dream that is never going to happen! Her dream is spoilt just like all the other characters at the end when she gets killed by Lennie.
Loneliness is key in the novel and during the chapters we see more loneliness as we are introduced to the other characters. I’m going to start off with one of the loneliest characters in the book, Crooks. He is the most lonely because he is black. Back in those times people that were black simply didn’t have rights! Crooks is separated from the white people on the ranch and he lives in his own room. He is possibly the wisest character on the ranch because he sees everything going on around him and he has time to take it all in. His dreams are to be a normal part of society like the other guys. But because he’s black it’s never going to happen. So in reality it will never happen, just like all the other characters with their dreams. Also when Crooks hears about George and Lennie’s dream he wants in. He likes the idea of having his own place again, because he had his own place when he was younger. But the problem was he could never socialize with the white kids. So it’s kind off repaying him for the days he missed. Having a place with George and Lennie appeals to Crooks’s. Crook’s is possibly the loneliest character in the novel. So to give him something to work for and to live for he has the vision of fitting in with the white guys, this dream motivates him and keeps him going. Exactly the same as the other characters on the ranch. Crook’s is very similar to the other dreamers! Another extremely lonely character in the novel is candy. He is another wise character in the novel. He is lonely because he simply has no power or authority in the novel. He has his dog which he loves and that is the only friend he had until it got shot. We know he loves his dog because when the guys suggest to shoot it candy is very reluctant to shoot it , he says “The old man squirmed uncomfortably” and “ well , hell! I had him so long. Since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him. You wouldn’t think it to look at him now , but he was the best sheep dog I ever seen!”, this shows he is very reluctant to let it get shot and he tries to dig his way out of it being done. It also shows he is very fond of the dog and it shows his weakness to the other guys. His dog is his only friend and once it’s gone he will be very lonely. But because he simply has no power or authority over the other guys, he cannot make the decision! So candy is a very solitary character. Yet another character that is lonely is Curley. He is shown as being a tough guy. He doesn’t show he is lonely because he is a tough guy. But deep down Curley must be extremely lonely. He demands so much respect of everyone and the guys don’t give it to him. When he is introduced he is shown as being very aggressive and demanding from the start , Steinbeck says “ His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists” then Curley steps closer to the guys and says “ You the new guys my old man was waiting for ?” and George talks and then immediately Curley comes in with an aggressive comment , “ let the big guy talk” this shows that Curley is demanding and is always out to get what he wants. Because he is so demanding and aggressive to the men, he is the least liked on the ranch! All the men try to stay away from Curley. Because of his needs, this is why he is so lonely, none of the other guys want to socialize with him and they don’t want anything to do with him because of his character. So because no one wants anything to do with him, not even his wife! He is also extremely lonely. His dreams are similar to Crook’s dreams. He wants to be able to socialize with the other guys and just fit in. But in reality because of the way he is. It will never happen, he will always be the hated man on the ranch! So all these characters have their dreams but the story is the same for every single one of them. The dreams will always be dreams and they will never become reality.
Loneliness and dreams makes the story. Without it the novel wouldn’t be successful. But it works because of the time it was set. The 1930’s were a lonely time and all the characters find this out. By the end of the novel all the characters have grown in terms of learning a lesson but they are all worse off in the novel because of people dying and other factors. Also all their dreams get ruined and all the characters see the true reality and they see that the chances off their dreams are very slim but I think that that won’t stop them from dreaming about what they want. Because of the time their dreams would be almost impossible. None of the characters will ever achieve the so called “American dream”
Will Pinnell SLH