In the opening dialogue, George is shouting at Lennie for drinking too much. George is looking out for Lennie, he is commanding and strict, but also caring. George has the qualities of a father towards Lennie but his immediate anger also hints at possible frustration and tension. Unlike his friend, Lennie is in a world of his own. He takes no notice of George’s warnings and continues to “dip his whole head, hat and all” under the water.
In part one we see many different sides to Lennies character, He is a huge man, gifted with incredible strength, but also deprived of any common sense or maturity. Steinneck regularly describes him in animal terms: “dabbed his big paw”; “snorting… like a horse.”
These metaphors help to give an idea of Lennies abilities and his undeveloped state of mind. He has the labouring strength of a horse, but also the kind of animal innocence, which leaves him easily influenced.
It also becomes increasingly clear that Lennie is disconnected from the real world, detached from what is going on around him. An example of this is when he and George have been travelling for several days and Lennie decides to ask, “ George? Where we goin’ George?” In many ways, Lennie is simply a child trapped inside a mans body. He is totally dependent on George, so much so that George feeds him and looks after all of his important possessions. He also admires George like a boy admires his father. He often seeks approval and imitates George’s movements:
“He imitated George exactly…. Looking over to
see whether he had it just right.”
We also see that Lennie is tactile. He has an uncontrollable urge to touch things. This urge is so powerful that he carries a dead mouse around in his pocket, “I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along.” All this further indicates that Lennie is simply ‘not all there’.
In chapter one we also learn Lennies life ambition- to tend his own rabbits! He is easily satisfied, he has no worries or burdens and goes from day to day following George’s lead. Lennies life ambition reflects on his innocence. He has no dreams of becoming rich, no desires to own land or no hopes of having a family- he only wants “different colour rabbits.”
Towards the end of the chapter Lennie shows that he is not completely stupid. He attempts a very childish form of blackmail by threatening to run off and live in a cave. Lennie aims to make George feel Guilty, it is his way of forcing George to apologise.
George stays with Lennie, partly because of pity but due more to his want of companionship. George doesn’t want to spend his time “in no bar- room” with the rest of the typical cowboys. Lennie is his escape route, he is the one thing that makes George different. Lennie keeps him occupied, keeps him dreaming and gives him some kind of purpose in life. George is fully aware that Lennie is more of a burden than anything else, but the fact is, he cannot live without him.
George shows that he is very intelligent and crafty, he knowingly arrives at the ranch after the teams have gone out, earning a full days pay for only half a days work.
He is also very realistic and cautious, George is a great planner, he doesn’t leave things untended to . An example of this is when he organizes a place for Lennie to hide in case of trouble or danger.
The relationship between George and Lennie is an interesting one, given their two different personalities and also the time they are living in. It is a very dependent relationship, both men need each other, although George seems unwilling to admit it. George’s’ attitude towards Lennie is cruel, but caring at the same time. He seems to take Lennie for granted and continually convinces himself that he is doing Lennie a favour and that Lennie is just a hindrance to him.
“I could get along so easy and so nice if
I didn’t have you on my tail…. you keep
me in hot water all the time!”
Despite the peculiar nature of their relationship, George and Lennie are satisfied with what they have- a friendship in a world filled with lonelinss.
Adam O’ Donnell
11H