As a reader, I would sympathise most with Lennie throughout the whole novel. I would particularly say this because he is presented as a character who is very innocent and has not undergone any mental development as his behaviour is set out to be very childish. He is blindly devoted to George and is not aware of his incredible physical strength, which sets out to be a great disaster for him. Lennie’s dependence on George and his utter childish behaviour full of innocence make us feel sympathetic towards him throughout the whole novel. Lennie likes to pet soft things hardly, unaware of the fact that he could actually kill them. He even kills a mouse and a pup without even realising that he has actually killed them while petting them so hard. This shows us the signs of increasing danger of Lennie getting in big trouble. Eventually he does what George feared as he kills Curley’s wife accidentally as he is unaware of his physical strength. These particular events make us most sympathise towards him, as he does not cause these troubles intentionally, instead he is totally innocent as does not even know what he has done and filled with guilt.
Steinbeck makes us sympathise with Lennie, as he is not aware of his own strengths and his utter helplessness in the face of the events that unfold fills a reader with total grievance and mercy towards Lennie. Lennie is totally defenceless and he cannot avoid the dangers presented by Curley, Curley’s wife, or the world at large. His innocence, on one side, makes him a good person whereas on the other side, his innocence only seems to ensure his inevitable destruction.
Steinbeck puts all his efforts in the novel to ensure that there is a great impact on the reader of the emotions that he is trying to convey through the text. Writer sets up Lennie as a character, for great tragedy and disaster in the novel. Text in the novel shows Lennie as a childish character who is totally dependent on George, as he says, “Yeah, George, when we go in to see the boss, I ain’t gonna say nothing. Jus’ gonna stan’ there.” “He heard Lennie’s whimpering cry and wheeled about. Blubberin’ like a baby?,” shows Lennie’s typical childish behaviour. Writer tries to convey Lennie’s innocence and his necessity of George to make the reader feel sympathy for him. This is evident in the text as writer writes, “Lennie’s eyes were frightened. I don’t want no trouble. Don’t let him sock me, George.” Steinbeck chooses a series of events, which gets Lennie in trouble without him choosing to do all those intentionally. Lennie during a fight with Curley is expressed as a passive and helpless character and is also filled with guilt when he hurts Curley while trying to save him. This shows his enormous innocence. The writer presents the scene at the end in a very effective way that it strongly gets reader to feel sorry for Lennie who is killed by his best friend, George, so that he does not get in trouble or do bad things anymore.
