Of Mice and Men is really about Lennie and George’s journey and relationship with each other, and how they really need each other in their lives. Lennie is very dependent on George. George is one of his only friends and a very important person in his life. George guides Lennie through his life like a father would to his son. The first thought when Lennie is doing something wrong or bad is George because he knows that George wouldn’t want him to being in it.
Throughout the course of the novel Of Mice and Men, George shows his heroism as he strives to protect his friend Lennie. While George might be short-tempered and impatient, he is a loving and devoted friend whose frequent protests against life with Lennie never weaken his commitment to protecting his friend. George’s first words, a firm warning to Lennie not to drink so much water at the stream because Lennie could get sick, set the tone of their relationship. As the story progresses, George’s sense of responsibility begins to deepen as he realizes that he holds Lennie’s fate, and ultimately his life, in his hands. During his conversation with Slim when George admits that he once abused Lennie for his own amusement, readers see that George is capable of change and growth.
As the book progresses we come to learn that Lennie wouldn’t be able to live without George due to the constant reminder of things and the need to be reminded to stay out of trouble. George is also harsh, mean and very stern towards Lennie, however, it is also very evident that George never left Lennie despite his life would have mean much easier without him. When Lennie and George arrive in the brush, we straight away gather that there is a leader, follower relationship that occurs between the two. However as we read further we get to understand the relationship between the two and how much of an impact George has on Lennie and even the other way around. It becomes clear that Lennie is very childlike and needs constant supervision.
Once he has worked through this painful healing process, Trueblood regains his ability to sing. With his soul cleansed and his spirit renewed, Trueblood returns to his family, seeks their forgiveness, and works to make the best of their tragic situation. After carefully considering his options and weighing the consequences, Trueblood refuses to allow his wife and daughter to obtain abortions, concluding that killing two innocent babies would only compound his sin. Thus, Trueblood demonstrates that his first priority is caring for his family, not seeking the approval of a judgmental community. Trueblood is also a shrewd man who understands the workings of the white power structure, manipulating it to his advantage.
Even though Lennie really bothers George at some points, he is a wonderfully loving and devoted friend and would never actually leave Lennie. He also seems to have a very short temper. He is always protecting Lennie. He lies to his boss at one point to make sure that Lennie got the job. Together, these two men have wonderful dreams.
An unachievable dream, and a never-ending self-succeeding heart infatuated Willy. This dream, which he so dearly cherished, was his motivation to keep pushing, and fighting against the biased acts of society against him. My father was a man to look up to as a child; Happy did the same. Willy was a man people put their trust in; he was honest, and hard working. A man that had to sell himself to be successful, meaning he always knew what was the best for him.
Doodle’s brother and Joe compare because Doodle and Simon both depend on these boys for things. They both help to mentor, push, and help Doodle and Simon to do their best. Simon had an impeccable faith in all and in God. Doodle had faith in his brother and himself towards the end of his life. Both boys have pride in themselves because they both are pushing themselves for the better, and they believe vanity is utterly unimportant.
This is why the relationship is seen as very rare because of the dependency and how they were uncommonly united by their shared dream of a better life on a farm, where they can “live off the fatta the lan” as Lennie puts it. George articulates this vision by repeatedly telling the ‘story’ of the future farm to his companion; Lennie who believes unquestioningly in their dream and his faith enables George to imagine the possibility of this dream becoming reality. However, George’s belief in it depends upon Lennie, for as soon as Lennie dies, George’s hopes for a brighter future
Everyman realizes that the goods he has loved his whole life do nothing but hinder his eternal happiness. His reliance on people and goods has left Everyman's soul in a precarious condition. The shepherds’ lives are similar to Everyman's, because they too devote their time to worldly concerns. By fixating on their material well being, they follow the same path as Everyman, the path away from salvation. At the beginning of The Second Shepherds' Play all three shepherds, Coll, Gib, and Daw, seek to relieve their pain by complaining.
A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. Due to his mild mental disability, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and traveling companion, for guidance and protection. The two men share a vision of a farm that they will own together, a vision that Lennie believes in wholeheartedly. Gentle and kind, Lennie nevertheless does not understand his own strength. His love of petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses, and people’s hair, leads to disaster.