Lennie is the child of the novel, as George says to Lennie “Blubberin’ like a baby!” ”A big guy like you.” He is playful just like a small child as mentioned in the opening section of the novel “Lennie dabbled his paw in the water and wiggled his fingers” (Pg. 3). He is described as walking “ the way a bear drags his paws.”(Pg. 2) This gives the impression that Lennie is animal-like, very strong and very innocent. “I like beans with ketchup” (Pg. 8), Lennie is very fussy just like a child, he says this but is fully aware that none is available to them in the middle of the brush. He is clumsy “ a few beans slipped out of the side of Lennie’s mouth” (Pg. 15) George acts as a father figure “George gestured with his spoon” (Pg. 15)
“He’s jes’ like a kid” (Pg. 45) said slim, “Lennie ain’t mean” (Pg. 45) Lennie’s strength is underestimated by the other characters this is because they see Lennie for his childish ways, but do not see his inner strength. For example Curley sees Lennie as a big guy but his strength is overridden with his childish actions, Curley is mistaken and later regrets picking a fight with Lennie because Lennie reveals his true strength. Lennie is innocent, however he is still capable of great violence he lacks the ability to physically control himself when he is violent, he is unable to make decisions for himself and relies on George for action. For example, only on George’s say so did Lennie fight back to Curley but when George demanded that he should let go of Curley’s hand Lennie was unable to control himself. Lennie has an innocent nature but his actions are the cause of major consequences for both animals and humans. For example, the incident in Weed. Lennie doesn’t intend to harm anyone, he is just unable to control his innocent actions. Lennie relies on George to lookout for him, to prevent such incidents from occurring again. He also needs him to reach their future American Dream
Lennie is useless in the few tasks that are given to him. “Lennie came crashing back through the Brush. He carried one small willow stick” (Pg. 8). This was obviously not enough to start a fire, George was angry with this. Lennie is very forgetful and has a bad memory he says “Where we goin’ George”(Pg. 4) even though George has told him so many times before.
When things do go wrong for Lennie, he speaks in an apologetic manner. He wants George to know that he is sorry for what he has done, he asks ‘I can still tend the rabbits, George?’ (Pg. 69) he wants to make sure he if can still tend the rabbits on their future and now realistic farm. When Lennie went back to the brush after he had accidentally killed Curly’s wife, it’s as if his conscience was telling him off in a persona of a rabbit and his Aunt Clara. He realized that he had made a mistake, but Lennie was not aware that his dream with George was over and could never become a reality.
George angry at lennie for not enough wood as he has given up all his chances of success in life for Lennie and he cannot do a simple task to make up for it. He feels let down after all George has given up for him. Lennie doesn’t realise this.
Lennie Small: A gigantic mentally disabled man, Lennie is simplistic and docile. He obsesses over simple sensory pleasures, particularly those that are tactile. He finds great joy in touching soft things, whether a cotton dress or a soft puppy. Although Lennie is inherently innocent, he is still capable of great violence, for he lacks the capacity to physically control himself and has a great protective instinct. Lennie is fixated on the dream of having a small piece of land with George, but can only remember one aspect of this dream. His obsession is having a small rabbit hutch where he can tend rabbits, but cannot grasp the entirety of George's plan. Lennie is almost entirely incapable of making decisions by himself and realizes on George for action. About hand SAY SO
Lennie: George's companion, the source of the novel's conflict. Lennie, enormous, ungainly, and mentally slow, is George's polar opposite both mentally and physically. Lennie's ignorance and innocence and helplessness, his childish actions, such as his desire to pet soft things, contrast his physical bulk, making him likeable to readers. Although devoid of cruel intentions, Lennie's stupidity and carelessness cause him to unwittingly harm animals and people, which creates trouble for both him and George. Lennie is tirelessly devoted to George and delights in hearing him tell of the dream of having a farm, but he does not desire the dream of the American worker in the same way that George does. His understanding of George's dream is more childish and he grows excited at the possibility of tending the future rabbits, most likely because it will afford him a chance to pet their soft hides as much as he wishes. Nevertheless, a dream is a dream, different for everyone, and George and Lennie share the similar attribute of desiring what they haven't got. Lennie, however, is helpless to attain his dream, and remains a static character throughout, relying on George to fuel is hope and save him from trouble.
