“Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, especially like her.”
One relationship could be between Candy and his dog. This can be seen where Candy says:
“ I been with around him so much I never notice how he stinks.”
Candy says this when the other men complain how his dog smells. However further on in the scene he agrees to let a stranger to the dog put it down. There is a great relationship between George and Lennie, of which many people on the ranch are jealous. They live a symbiotic existence, one where the each of them needs the other. Despite their relationship being based on a mutual need, the one true thing that binds Lennie and George is that they share a common dream. George feels that Lennie is his responsibility. This can be seen in the way George looks after him, by feeding him, and even looking after his work card for him. The way the dog, Candy’s best friend is killed is the same as how George’s best friend is killed. Candy only has one arm and so he isn’t sure how long he can be of use on the ranch. When he hears about Lennie and George’s “dream” he asks them to include him on their plans. He even offers them money and agrees to “make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off.” This shows that he is very keen to be in on their dream.
Crooks is the only black person in the novelette. Because of the colour of his skin, he is not allowed in the bunkhouse. This is typical of 1930’s America, as black people were thought of as inferior. Steinbeck makes us aware of his inner feelings that show us the unfairness with which he is treated and to make us understand and sympathise with his isolation. Like many of the other characters in the story, Crooks is a desperately lonely person. We first learn of this when Candy and Lennie come in to his room. He shows a dignified reluctance to allow other people into his room since he is not invited into theirs. Secretly however he is delighted to play host to them. Crooks is jealous of the close relationship between George and Lennie and seeing Lennie’s vulnerability spitefully teases him into thinking that George may not return from the town. Lennie becomes very scared and mad at Crooks. Crooks, seeing Lennie’s anger, backs off. However when he realises that Lennie is harmless, he lets him stay for some comfort. It can be seen that Crooks hasn’t really spoken to anybody for a long time and is eager for Lennie’s company when he says:
“A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody.”
This shows the great longing of Crooks to be with somebody, no matter how stupid they are.
The dream is a vehicle towards friendship because all of the characters in the novelette have dreams because their lives are hard, insecure and unrewarding. A dream gives them something to live for. However only two people get roped into Lennie and George’s dream, the two people who are permanently based on the ranch. This is probably because they have been on the ranch the longest and long to be rid of it. For Candy, the dream is a happy answer to having no family, being disabled and growing old. It is Candy who puts the dream in their grasp. When Crooks hears of Lennie’s dream, even though he is a cynic who does not believe in happy endings for a moment, is caught up in the dream of owning his own land. However as a victim of racial prejudice for many years, he does not allow himself to be caught up too much in it.
The ranch hands attitude towards any friendship, for example between George and Lennie, is one of jealousy and suspicion. This is because they all long to have a relationship with someone, however due to the circumstances they are living in, it is almost impossible. It is therefore no surprise for them to treat George and Lennie with jealousy and suspicion. The only person to understand and support their relationship is Slim. George confides in Slim, and we learn through him that George used to “play jokes” on Lennie, because “he was too dumb to take care of ‘imself.” The boss treats George with most suspicion because of his relationship with Lennie because he has not seen “one guy take so much trouble for another gut.” This shows the rareness of their relationship. Curley also soon echoes the boss’s interest in their relationship.
Lennie is very simple. He relies on George to show the way in everything. Despite this, he is not emotionally unaware. Lennie does realise that sometimes he is a burden to George, and does offer to leave him:
“I could go off in the hills there. Some place I’d find a cave.”
Also he is quick to pick up the bad atmosphere on the ranch and almost senses his own fate when he says:
“I don’t like this place, George. This ain’t a good place. I wanna get outa here.”
This is what Lennie says almost immediately after they arrive and he as been threatened by Curley. The one thing that Lennie cares about in life, other than George, is the rabbits. Apart from the rabbits that “come out of the bush to sit on the sand,” at the beginning of the story, there are actually no real rabbits in the story. They are mentioned frequently as a symbol of a better life. All that Lennie asks for is the alfalfa in a part of their better life. This dream is an escape for the both of them, including Crooks and Candy. Lennie brought the two of them together, as they had never before talked because of the racial tension. This is another friendship on the ranch.
It can therefore be seen that despite the conditions in America at that time, friendships could still develop. However it must be noted that they are only between permanent workers on the ranch, such as Candy and his dog, and Candy and Crooks. Crooks treats Lennie with hostility at first, but once he realises that he is harmless, confides in him and is glad of his company.
