Of Mice and Men
Re-read the end of Chapter One, from: 'George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before.' to the end. What does this tell us about the relationship between George and Lennie and why is it important to the novel?
Answer:
In this novel Steinbeck present two ranch workers who dream of owning their own land. Many men in the 1930’s travelled around America in search of work. These men were often lonely, with no companionship. It is this migrant lifestyle which highlights the significance of the relationship between Lennie and George, which is perceived as a rarity amongst other characters.
George claims that ranch workers are ‘the loneliest guys in the world’. This is a result of the great depression in the 1930’s; men would travel alone to places such as California in search of work at a ranch. However, George and Lennie stay together, as Lennie says ‘I got you…and you got me’. This suggests their friendship gives them comfort and companionship, something which other ranch workers lack. Their relationship is perceived as surprising by their fellow workers, later on in the story. This emphasises its exclusivity.
