An Unforgettable Friendship. In the words of renowned poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, When a great man dies, for years

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1 Hunt 1 Stacey Hunt Ms. Hunt ENG3U0-01 November 1, 2015 An Unforgettable Friendship In the words of renowned poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, When a great man dies, for years beyond our ken, the light he leaves behind him lies upon the paths of men. This saying is both powerful and, in some ways, prophetic especially in John Steinbeck s Of Mice and Men, a bittersweet novella on the trials and triumphs of friendship. George Milton and Lennie Small are an unlikely pair, traveling from town to town working on ranches to earn enough money to buy a home of their own. George acts most-often as Lennie s caregiver, and Lennie, with his mental disability, relies on George to guide him and, all too often, to get and keep him out of trouble. Lennie s penchant for touching and petting soft things creates serious difficulties for the pair, and ultimately leads to Lennie s death a journey that will influence George for the rest of his life. Lennie is an incredibly memorable friend, a man who is likeable, honest and trusting. These traits greatly influence Lennie s decisions and outcomes, sometimes building bridges between characters, sometimes bringing on brutality, and always leaving an unforgettable impact. First, Lennie is likeable in spite of his shortcomings. A large man, he appears as a gentle giant who loves and desperately wants to care for animals. He talks of mice and puppies and, when he and George finally put enough money away to buy a ranch of their own, to put some grass to the rabbits [and] never forget to feed them (61). Lennie loves to touch small animals, and he tries throughout the text to care for these creatures even though he kills them because he is unintentionally too rough when he strokes and cuddles them. This tendency is also ENG3U I HUNT Character Analysis Essay Exemplar 1 of 5

2 Hunt 2 underestimated by those around him, who believe he is kind in spite of his flaws. Slim, the lead rancher, says Lennie is nice and that a man don t need no sense to be a nice fella (40). Even Curley s wife tells Lennie directly, you re a kinda nice fella. Jus like a big baby (90). Both Slim and Curley s wife see Lennie as harmless, a kind, childlike figure who never intends to harm the animals he plays with, so never suspect he will hurt another human being except in selfdefence. Other characters also believe Lennie means well and has no ill-intent. This is especially true of George, who has known Lennie since childhood. Lennie is so likeable that George defends his friend and expects he will not harm anyone without cause. Sadly, however, for this reason, George does not keep a close enough eye on Lennie, which leads to escalating trouble and a test of friendship that George will never forget. Of course, Lennie is also honest, which makes him more endearing to George, too. For instance, at the beginning of the story, when George knows Lennie is hiding something in his pocket and Lennie is trying to lie about it, he soon confesses. Lennie does not want George to take the mouse away, but Lennie is incapable of lying and hands over the dead mouse after reluctantly [reaching] into his pocket (9). Even when Lennie wants to lie, he cannot, so he is trustworthy in George s eyes. This belief is further strengthened by the fact that Lennie is honest about not wanting to hurt Curley after a fight in the bunkhouse. Curley attacks Lennie for no reason, and Lennie does not want to get in trouble so does not fight back until George tells him to. When Lennie finally defends himself, he is clearly distraught as he confesses he did not want to hurt Curley and only did so because, You tol me to, George (64). This admission makes it clear that Lennie tells the truth no matter the circumstance, and this honesty and lack of intent makes it easier for people, including and perhaps especially George, to understand that Lennie readily admits to any wrongdoing and to believe Lennie has no desire to hurt others. ENG3U I HUNT Character Analysis Essay Exemplar 2 of 5

3 Hunt 3 Unfortunately, Lennie s honesty does not always provide an excuse for his behaviour, though it does help to create and maintain the strong friendship he has with George. Regardless of the trouble Lennie gets them into, George forgives him, so even when, towards the end of the book, Lennie gets into trouble even George cannot get him out of, George continues to stand by Lennie s side. Fortunately, and finally, Lennie is trusting, which makes it easy for George to connect with and ultimately save him from the ranchers out to do him harm. George admits he took advantage of this naivety when they were younger. For example, George confesses to telling Lennie to jump into a river years earlier, even though Lennie cannot swim (40). Lennie almost drowns as a result, and thanks George profusely when George rescues him, trusting George even when he should not. Even when Lennie fails to understand why Curley wants to pick on him, he turns to George for direction because he trusts George to guide him. Lennie repeatedly asks George to make Curley stop, and finally George gives Lennie permission to defend himself (63). Once again, George in some way saves Lennie, providing another example to the vulnerable man that he can trust his one and only friend. This is also why, at the end of the story, Lennie follows George s direction to run to the river to hide in the brush, trusting George will get Lennie out of trouble again. When George does arrive, Lennie is confident his friend will never leave him, saying, I know you ain t [because] you ain t that kind (103). Lennie believes he can always count on George no matter the circumstances, so while his trusting nature makes it easy for people to take advantage of him and makes him incredibly vulnerable at times, it also gives Lennie hope and allows George to perform a final act of true friendship. After unintentionally killing Curley s wife, Lennie is at risk of being brutalized by a mob of angry ranchers. It is a blessing then that Lennie trusts George so completely that he never suspects his friend will kill ENG3U I HUNT Character Analysis Essay Exemplar 3 of 5

4 Hunt 4 him in order to save him from a more violent consequence a difficult decision George makes out of compassion, and a memory that will inevitably haunt him each and every time he reflects on his friendship with Lennie. In conclusion, Lennie Small has many traits that make him a friend George Milton will never forget. Lennie is likeable thanks to his affection for animals, his innocent nature and his commitment to George. He is also honest, almost to a fault incapable of lying to his best and only friend, and acknowledging his mistakes when he makes them while at that same time clarifying that he never intends to hurt anything or anyone. Finally, he is trusting, a trait that often appears endearing yet makes him incredibly vulnerable and ultimately leads to his demise. So, in a friendship built over a lifetime, through good and bad and ending with a final act of mercy Lennie is and will remain a memorable friend, impacting George for the rest of his days and lighting the path George will now walk alone. 1,199 ENG3U I HUNT Character Analysis Essay Exemplar 4 of 5

5 Hunt 5 Works Cited Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Charles Sumner. Maine Historical Society. Web. 26 October < Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. Toronto: Penguin Group (Canada), Print. ENG3U I HUNT Character Analysis Essay Exemplar 5 of 5