Similarities Between Lennie In John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice And Men'

In the novel, of mice and men, George was faced with the daunting task of killing his best friend to prevent him from misery. The novel, Of Mice and Men, is a beautiful piece of literature that encapsulates the importance of good friends, and the novel also shows the importance of decisions. The two main characters in the novel are George and Lennie, George is a fairly intelligent and nurturing person that cares for Lennie more than anyone else does. George gives up an easy life to care for Lennie because of how much he loves Lennie despite the trouble Lennie causes him. Lennie is an extremely sympathetic and cordial person who has a peculiar fetish with petting soft things, this fetish causes trouble for Lennie and George.

This historical time period inspires writers such as John Steinbeck to write and inform others about the hardships of the 1930’s. Steinbeck centers Of Mice and Men to exhibit how life’s difficulties inhibited the American Dream. The Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and many acts of inequality made an impact on the American Dream in this time period. John Steinbeck tells about the American Dream using rhetorical devices such as parallel structures, paradox and pathos.

Partners in Crime “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.” Throughout this book Lennie and his partner in crime George encounter many problems and contradictions that shakes things up a notch. After reading John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George is justified in killing Lennie because; Lennie is a liability and he is already suffering mentally enough. George is justified in killing Lennie because he is already being punished enough mentally. One quote that explains Lennie’s confusion and mental illness is, “they was so little," he said apologetically.

George always has Lennie on his back. He has to be constantly reminding Lennie what is happening and it’s very annoying on his part that Lennie forgets all the time. In in the story, George tells Lennie what is happening and what’s the plan on where they go. “So you forgot that aweady, did you? I gottta tell you again, do I?

Shattered Dreams: A Marxist analysis Of Mice and Men According to Idowu Koyenikan, a highly recognized financial consultant and frequently quoted author, “It takes nothing to stay in poverty, but everything to break free from it”(Koyenikan). Idowu emphasizes how people can not expect to change their economic state easily without a mindset of desperation to succeed. Poverty stricken people in the United States need to feel empowered to overcome their economic struggles. Clinging to a goal provides hope, but hope only endures if the goal is attainable.

“...We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us” (John Steinbeck) think about having a flaw you couldn’t help that might affect your daily life every day of your life and how you would be treated unfairly or others around you. Well, put yourself in Lennie Smalls shoes for a day. The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is an American tragedy; Lennie is often given consequences for his unknown disability and/or moral flaw, weakness, and inability to adjust to situations. Lennie struggles in his everyday life due to his moral flaw and is taken by a trip down a long suffering path. When Aunt Clara passed away George took Lennie under his wing since Lennie wasn't very stable by himself; George and Lennie ventured off to Salinas, California where they were then chased out of town.

The Bond of Brotherhood “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.”

“‘Timshel!’’ ” This single word at the closing of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden is arguably the single most powerful word throughout the entire book. The word is timshel, a Hebrew word that when translated into English, is spoken ‘Thou Mayest’. It brings forth the theme of the book-- a man has a choice, whether to love rather than hate, or to dream rather than be sedentary.

What characters say are often contradicted in most novels. An example would be such as in Of Mice and Men when George says “he never lifted a finger against me” (pg.40) therefore showing he is harmless but it is contradicted when he hurts others unintentionally. Lennie in the beginning is petting a dead mouse which he has killed “I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead-because they was so little”(pg.10). Nearing the end of the story Lennie kills his beloved puppy “Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice”(pg.85).

“Kill him! Kill him! He deserves to die!” A crowd chants at Damien Echols who was accused of murdering three young children. When going into custody at the courthouse many people chanted and wanted him dead like those three young children.