George And Lennie's Relationship As George example essay topic

841 words
Would you consider your father to be a good friend? This question illustrates George and Lennie's relationship as George takes care of Lennie like a father would. Yet, George and Lennie's father and son relationship is only on the surface though. On the inside they are really good friends considering they always try to make each other happy.

In the book Lennie is obviously not able to take care of himself because of his child-like matter of thinking. He still offers a great friendship to George. Everything Lennie does rev loves around George also benefits from Lennie's work ability and protection. so this gives them a balanced relationship. However, it isn't all just about a balanced relationship to be good friends. You need to care about each other and no one shows this caring for one another more then George and Lennie. They have been through the worst of times and still kept going.

Most of all they trust each other because they know how much they need each other. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows that even though George always supports Lennie, they show compassion for each other throughout the book. George and Lennie have a balanced relationship. George gets Lennie the jobs but Lennie is a hard worker so he helped George get the job also. This proves that Lennie can't just lay back and let George get Lennie work but Lennie has to work his way into the jobs. Furthermore, Lennie gives George protection if he needs it because he's so strong so he intimates people.

Not too many people would then want to mess with the fast talking George if they need to get through Lennie first. Additionally, Lennie gives George hope. George mentioned to Lennie that, "we got a future, we got someone to talk to that gives a damn about us". Without Lennie George would blow all his money on one day but, with Lennie George thinks of a future farm. Neither George or Lennie benefit more from the relationship, they both get something out of it as do most friends. Lennie and George have been through the worst of times.

One of the first events in the book depicts how Lennie touched a girl the wrong way and both of them needed to run away. If they weren't real friends George would just run away for his own safety but, he sticks with Lennie and risks his own life. Even if sometimes he doesn't show it on the outside George really cares a great deal for his buddy. When finally they had some stability on their job issues, Lennie meets Curly who absolutely hates tall and dump people. Lennie fits exactly into Curly's criteria of people he strongly dislikes.

After finding these things out it made George and Lennie work extra hard to try to stay out of people's ways. This meant that instead of getting in trouble right away Lennie and George worked to try and satisfy each others goals. The most important event in the whole novel was when George had to struggle with his emotions on what was right for Lennie. Lennie just committed a horrific feat in which he killed Curly's wife on accident. He then remembered to go where George told him and waited for his punishment. Some foreshadowing after, George came to the decision that killing Lennie while he was happy and thinking of rabbits was better then having Curly kill him.

He also had no other choices because they couldn't run and maybe if they didn't kill Lennie they would just put him in a mental house which would be no good for him. Even Slim said, "You hadda, George. I swear you hadda" (107). George having to kill Lennie for his own sake and face guilt for the rest of his life was a sign of a great friendship. Lennie caused a lot of trouble to George but, he wouldn't give up on him until he finally didn't have any other options. Lennie help, trust and will stand up for each other whenever nessecary.

George reminds Lennie about things even if George sometimes gets frustrated. George will get mad at his friend just like any friends would do. Then he will calm down and explain the things to Lennie. Lennie trusts George that he will never abandon him even when Crooks told hime that George will leave him. Lennie will stand up for George when someone says something bad.

When people say that Lennie is crazy, George just says he's not that smart but is a hell of a good worker and a nice guy with some mental problems. George and Lennie will stand I [ for each other no matter what and only true friends would do this.