By referring to their words and actions in Section One of John's Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, describe George and Lennie's characters and the nature of their friendship.

        Nevertheless, as the book progresses we see that we can’t truly say that Lennie is an animal. We learn that he is mentally slow and so acts very childlike at times. Acting mostly on instinct and impulse instead of reason. Due to his innocence and naïve quality he cannot really be trusted with important things as he tends to forget and gets distracted easily. The more important items such as work cards are left in George’s care. To him George is someone to look up too and often imitates his actions, being more of a protector and parental figure to Lennie. Though he doesn’t intend too he has a tendency to get in trouble mainly because of his obsession for soft texture. He starts off innocently simple wanting to touch the martial or fur however when he is forced to let go he simply clings on out of fear and that often makes the situation worse such as when George recalls the story of weed: “Well, how the hell did she know you just wanted to feel her dress? She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse. She yells and we got to hide in a irrigation ditch all day with guys looking for us”.

        Despite Lennie’s habit of getting in trouble George doesn’t abandon him even though at times he wants too. Ever since the one person who used to take care of him died, being his Aunt Clara, George took it upon himself to take care of Lennie. He knew he wouldn’t be able to survive without him and even though he wishes to give up on Lennie sometimes he knows he would never do it. He knows very well what he’s giving up: “God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.”, however he knows that he needs Lennie just as much as Lennie needs him. Being a ranch worker it’s often a transient life and to him Lennie is the constant feature in his life. The one thing he can always count on to be there. He always has to be cautious and alert in fear that Lennie might do something and constantly has to plan ahead just in case things happen but it’s a life that he chose and even though he might not seem it at times he wouldn’t have backed down on it.

        Both him and Lennie, like many other ranch workers in those times, were in search of the American dream. However, they have their own special version. To them it signifies independence from employers and poverty but also freedom from the worry and anxiety of Lennie getting in trouble. Though George is realistic and doubts that the dream of owning their own land would ever come true Lennie gives him that hope that maybe it can happen after all. They are each other’s motivation and inspiration. Lennie keeps opening George’s mind to the dream by constantly asking him to recall it and George keeps Lennie believing through what he says and how he says it.

        Their friendship is considered strange to most people as workers in those times usually travel alone but together they are able to fight off the prejudice of the world and most importantly loneliness. They may seem like complete opposites but in reality they are merely two parts that fit together to create one composite whole.