Describe the relationships in "Of mice and men".

by yaser10 (student)

In 1936, John Steinbeck wrote the book of mice and men. Founded on Steinbeck’s first hand ranch involvement in the depression days and his knowledge on migrant workers. In the novel of mice and men Steinbeck portrays the two protagonists, George Milton being small and quick, “dark of face with restless eyes and sharp strong features”, and Lennie Small being Georges complete opposite, a “huge strong man shapeless of face with large pale eyes and wide sloping shoulders”. They are trying to get a new job on a ranch, as the two talks it becomes clear that Lennie is mentally incapable and speaks with a child’s terminology.
While we see that George is loyal and dedicated in his bond with Lennie. As we read on in the novel we see that Lennie is George’s weakness; George takes complete accountability for Lennies actions. George has vowed to Lennies Aunt Clara that he will look after Lennie even though George continuously complains about having to take care of Lennie still their friendship gives George someone with whom he can share his dreams .

The first chapter sharply establishes the relationship between the two primary characters (second paragraph, page 4) opens with the sentence: "They had walked single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other". Immediately, Steinbeck describes the core of George and Lennie's relationship through this quote about the men: that this relationship had a hierarchy; it was a leader-and-follower association, with one fellow guiding the other. The entire book revolves and rotates around this concept (George being Lennie's carer as Lennie cannot lead himself and needs help ), so it is suitable that Steinbeck chooses this idea this conception to be the cornerstone and pivot point of the reader's understanding and knowledge of their relationship. But almost immediately after Steinbeck try to cover up this hierarchy by describing the type of cloths that the two men were wearing “both in denim work cloths”. I think that is him trying to not give away a lot about the mysterious relationship of the two characters right away.

George reprimands and gets angry with Lennie for his actions and behaviour, while Lennie strives and struggles to please George. We see this in the scene by the pool where Lennie imitates and copies George's every move. “Then [George] replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees, and embraced them. Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly.” Their relationship can be immediately compared to a father-son relationship. (Because lennie copies George like a young child would, and George scolds lennie as a father might.)

The arguments concerning the two characters expose and uncover a huge ...

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The arguments concerning the two characters expose and uncover a huge deal about each of them. George is wary and controlled; he formulates a plan for every situation and condition then acts to prevent and avoid any unwanted occurrences. His careful planning and the way he thinks ahead of time comes from past experience; Steinbeck hints that Lennie has placed George into so many unwarranted, hazardous situations that he must now consider every possible tragedy and catastrophe that might befall.

"Well, look Lennie - if you jus' happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush"

Nonetheless George is boundlessly trying to be certain that Lennie likes him and doesn't resent him. This is exposed after George takes away Lennie's mouse and promises to get him a puppy when he can. They overheard Slim talking about his dog having puppies and George quickly said to Lennie, "Yeah! I heard him Lennie. I'll ask him. “George wants to make sure that Lennie won't be annoyed with him, so he keeps his promises.

Lennie feels superior and special because of his association to George. He frequently motivates George to tell him again and again how they are unlike other people. "'With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. [...] If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.' Lennie broke in. 'But not us! An' why? Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why.'" Lennie continuously enjoys being reassured that George will always stay with him, through thick and thin.

Another relationship in Of Mice and Men is that amongst Candy and his dog. Candy's dog is old and symbolizes, represents the typical timeworn worker who is unable to keep up with the job and younger ranch labours. Carlson said, "He ain't no good to you, Candy. An' he ain't no good to himself. Why'n't you shoot him, Candy? “Candy doesn't think this is a good idea, but once Slim agrees with Carlson, Candy remorsefully consents. Later in the novel, when Candy is chatting to George, he regrets not doing it himself. "I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog. " Candy was very connected to his dog, and decided, in retrospect, that letting Carlson shoot it was a wrong that he had done. He figured that since he had such a strong connection to his beloved dog, it would have been more logical and reasonable if he shot it himself. This relationship between candy and his old dog is foreshadowing Lennies future and that’s because candy and his dog are like George and Lennie and this is Steinbeck way telling the audience the undeniable fate of Lennie.

Curley and his wife also had an important and significant relationship to the novel. Candy said, "you seen that glove on his left hand? [...] Well, that glove's fulla Vaseline. [...] Curley says he's keepin' that hand soft for his wife. “She has "the eye," as Candy puts it, for most of the other employees on the ranch. Curley repetitively seems to be looking for her and is always suspicious of everyone. His wife usually comes into the bunk house, claiming that she just wants to chat. Everybody wants her to leave, because none of them want any trouble with Curley.

Curley can’t be in any kind of relationship with anyone. George warns Lennie not to even talk to him. "You keep away from Curley, Lennie. [...] Don't let him pull you in - but - if the son-of-a-bitch socks you - let 'im have it. “Curley came into the bunkhouse looking for his wife at one point in the novel, and Lennie was smiling at something, but Curley thought he was laughing at him. He started picking a fight, and Lennie just let Curley hit him, until he heard George tell him to fight back. Lennie then goes on to crush Curley's hand on his own.

All the relationships in of mice and men are a representation of the dark world that the American people had to live in at that time this is further shown to us by the name of the city that the two protagonists went to “soldad” which in Spanish means loneliness. Moreover the relationship between candy and his dog, curly and his wife and George and Lennie all have one thing in common and that it is the survival of the fittest. And Steinbeck also utilise nature and the surrounding environment to portray this idea thought the novel one of the great examples is the water snake that in the begging of the book is well and drifting though the water and in the end of the novel is eaten by a heran. One can say the water snake is not only symbolism of the dead era that the author lived in but it is also foreshadowing the inevitable death at the end of the novel and that being the death of lennie.

By yaser almoussawi