Of Mice And Men Essay

In Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men one of the most important themes is friendship. The friendship between George and Lennie is unique in that they both fill a void and ultimately bring joy to each other. George relies on Lennie; he needs him for emotional comfort and support. Lennie too not only relies but depends on George for guidance in day to day life. Even though their needs for each other are different it cannot be said that one needs the other more. Both need each other equally. What they gain from their friendship is invaluable.
Steinbeck suggests that human beings are at their best when they have someone to aspire towards for guidance and protection. With George as a friend Lennie is at his best. He has a child like mind but nevertheless he is at his best. It is clear that without George by his side Lennie would have no clue of what to do or how to go about making   logical decisions; we see this when George asserts the point “ Jesus Christ Lennie! You can’t remember nothing that happens, but you remember ever’ word I say.” So we can see that without George’s guidance Lennie would not have the intellectual ability to make his own decisions, thus Lennie’s need for George’s guidance.
We see in the novel that Lennie cannot even bare the idea of not having George in his life. Lennie knows himself that he needs George in his life. Lennie realises that he needs George’s guidance and organisation to live his life and has a fear of losing that external help. Just after Lennie accidently kills Curley’s wife he runs down to “the safe place” and hides in the brush. In this time his conscience appears to him in the form of a bunny and repeatedly tells him “He gona leave ya all alone”. At hearing this Lennie flares into a fearful panic and tries to convince himself it’s not true, “He ain’t, I tell ya he ain’t!” This in itself shows that even Lennie knows he needs George in his life.
Loneliness is responsible for a great deal of human suffering. George very well...