Summary:
Analyzes John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men. Discusses the need for companionship demonstrated by the novel's characters. Demonstrates how this need governs their thoughts and actions.
The need for companionship is one thing all humans have in common. By referring to at least three characters in the novel, show how this need governs their thoughts and actions.
"'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya,' he cried, 'I tell ya a guy gets too lonely, an' he gets sick.'"(Crooks page 77, Of Mice and Men.) Companionship is a key element in John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men. The novel is based on two migrant workers, during the Depression. The two men travel around with each other, looking for work, but we soon learn that both of these characters, George and Lennie are two very different people for Lennie is mentally disabled, he has the mind of a five year old. The two men are unique from everyone else in the book, because they have each other. Their companionship distinguishes the loneliness around them, the loneliness of the outcast black man, Crooks, the loneliness of an old cripple, Candy and the loneliness of a trouble maker, Curley's wife. Very human desires to have a friend who will always be there for them, during the good and the bad and in the days of the Depression, this is something very few found.
"'Ain't many guys travel around together.'"(Slim page 36) This is what Slim tells George when he finds out that he and Lennie travel around with each other. George and Lennies is the only friendship on the ranch and they are in search for the American dream, to own their own piece of land and to live of it. Although there are times in the book when George becomes annoyed with Lennie and his innocence he also displays tolerance, pride and protectiveness, as a parent would over their own child. George is motivated to stay with Lennie because of his own guilt and the fact that he doesn't want to end up like every on else on the ranch, alone. George knows that life without Lennie would be so much easier on himself and sometimes he wants the independence of not have to keep his eye on a grown man who has the mind of a child. By killing Lennie, George is really protecting Lennie and himself. George was protecting himself because even though Lennie never threatened George directly, his actions endangered the life of George, who took responsibility for him. If it hadn't been George who had killed Lennie, it would have been Curley and George knew that Curleys way would have been far more brutal so George was protecting Lennie, he knew that it was not Lennie himself that killed Curley's wife, but Lennies' innocence and only a true friend could have done what George did.
Candy is an old one-handed man, who is the first to befriend George and Lennie. From the beginning we find that Candy's best friend is his old blind dog. During the book Candy relents and allows Carlson to shot his best friend, to get it out of its misery. Candy seems to be distraught about the loss of his pet, even the thought of another pup doesn't cheer him up, but when Candy hears George and Lennie talking about their dream of owning a piece of land he offers all of the money he has and his insignificant services to be in on the dream, his substantial sum of money makes it impossible for George to refuse his offer. Candy clings to this new hope for the future and has something to live for he now has a dream and also two companions whom he can spend the rest of his days with. When Lennie kills Curley's wife the dream of a home and a friendship is shattered, Candy becomes full of anguish.
Crooks is the only coloured man in Of Mice and Men. He lives away from the others in a harness room, a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn. Crooks is a proud but bitter man and clearly the most intelligent character. Crooks is a very angry man, especially towards the other men, the main reason is his race and he feels isolated. When Lennie wanders into Crooks room in a misguided endeavor to make friends he immediately tells Lennie that he should go but when Crooks realizes that Lennie has no bad intentions he relents and allows him to stay. Crooks attempts to make Lennie realize his isolation from the other workers, he freely admits it. Crooks like so many other black people had to live in their own isolation for years and were not allowed to associate with white people. When Lennie begins to talk to Crooks, Crooks finds that Lennie doesn't see him as a coloured person but as just another worker on the ranch.
Curleys wife is the only woman in the book and Steinbeck as not given her a name and just refers to her as, Curleys wife. The men on the ranch generally consider her as a tramp. Curley's wife confesses to Lennie her dislike for her husband because he is angry all of the time. She also confesses that she is lonely and just wants someone to talk to. Like George and Lennie, she once had a dream of becoming an actress and living in Hollywood, but it was unrealistic leaving her married to an angry man that she dislikes, being viewed as a trouble maker by all and living on a ranch with no friends.
Every human needs a companion, a friend or acquaintance to share his or her thoughts and feelings with, that's what makes us all human. Unfortunately some of us are unable to have this desire that we all dream for, and especially during the depression friends were very scarce. Of Mice and Men shows the ups and downs of friendship, the good times as well has the bad and the limits a friend will go to, to save their friend from anguish.
By Chanel
This is the complete article, containing 1,008 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).
