Of Mice and Men Essay

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Mice and Men

John Steinbeck's of Mice and Men:

Loneliness, friendship, and the American Dream

'Living off of the fat of the land -- together.' From the first chapter of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men onward, there is foreshadowing of the tragedy that will eventually take the life of Lenny, the simple-minded protagonist of the short novel through Steinbeck's underlining the themes of loneliness, friendship, and the inability of the main characters to ever enjoy the American Dream. The first chapter illustrates how the friends George and Lenny are bonded together in loneliness. Their dream of fulfilling the 'American Dream' of gaining their own farm someday seems futile, even when they are most hopeful. Although they are physical opposites, they wear the same clothes, and walk the same lonely road together until the end of the novel.

Loneliness is what bonds Lenny and George. That explains George's protective view of Lenny. George is willing, despite his frustration, to deal with Lenny's mental incapacity, even though it has gotten him 'run out' of jobs previously, and George states that if he didn't have to take care of Lenny he could find himself a girl. However, more than conventional 'catting' with women, George clearly needs someone to make him feel worthwhile: "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.

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They got no fambly. They don't belong no place." Lenny's loneliness is manifested in his yearning for something warm and soft to pet. Ominously, foreshadowing the death of Curly's wife, Lenny talks about how his Aunt Clara used to give him mice to pet, which he used to accidently crush to death because of his great strength.

Despite the great difficulties Lenny presents for George, George is clearly willing to sacrifice a great deal for his friend. He gets him a job, carefully instructing Lenny not to speak so his disability will be concealed. George fantasizes about the ease of his life without Lenny: "God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I….....

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