...Would you be saving your friend by pulling the trigger on them, or would you be saving yourself? The story begins as two friends, George and Lennie, move to a ranch after their previous town turns on them. Money is tight, but the two men have a dream of buying a house together. Just as they start getting settled, they meet an anger-driven man by the name of Curley. Curley and his wife end up interfering with George and Lennie's dream, and George is left with the biggest decision he has ever had to make. Should he kill Lennie after what he did, or let Curley kill him? Lennie is not a bright person, but he is terrifically strong. That was his downfall. A similar situation actually happened earlier in the book that George had to account for. And what if George decided not to kill Lennie and they ran off like last time?...
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...QUESTIONS 1) How does Steinbeck use the setting in chapter 5 to create atmosphere and build tension. Find quotes from his descriptions of the barn and the events outside it. The way he create tensions is bye curlers wife saying that “imp doing no harm” the reason why this creates tension is because she tryst to bring lenis grad down so that he will talk to her and to use him to her advantage 2) Curley’s wife’s death is predictable. Which past events in the novel have suggested that it might happen? Yes because lennie previous mishap led him to grabbing a girls arm and not letting go because he was scared 3) What do we learn about Curley’s wife’s past and current life in this chapter? We learn that she has been offered jobs in the movies were as know her opportunities have ended and she is now stuck with the life of a farmer’s wife. Not being allowed to speak to another men and not allowed to go out. 4) How does Lennie’s reaction to the death of the pup and Curley’s wife show just how childlike he is? Because he was shouting at the bodies “why did you have to do that, now George is not going to let me tend to rabbits” the reason why this makes him childish is because he is talking to a dead body about how naughty they have been. 5) Why does Candy ‘lie down in the hay and cover his eyes’ at the end of the chapter? Find evidence for his feelings from earlier on in the chapter and note these quotations down. The reasons why he is laying face...
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...of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the physician convicted of second-degree murder for helping 130 terminally-ill patients commit suicide, had to decide whether or not he was justified in assisting the death of these patients. After reading Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the readers have a chance to take a side on relatively the same issue of whether or not mercy killings are justified. The novel is about Lennie Small, a huge, mentally impaired man, and George Milton, a friend that looks after Lennie, searching for work in California during the Great Depression. Towards the end of the novel, Lennie enrages Curley by accidentally killing his wife, and George is left with the decision of whether or not to kill Lennie himself. George decides to shoot him solely out of love for his friend, but this killing initiates a debate in which the readers can take sides about his righteousness. Some people believe that George is justified in killing Lennie and should have done it, while others would argue that George should not have done it and should be held accountable for murder. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George Milton should have shot Lennie Small because George is his friend and knows what is best for Lennie, and he knows that if Lennie lives, he will suffer. Other people may believe that George should not have shot Lennie and should therefore be punished because Lennie has mental issues and his killing of Curley’s wife is a complete accident. Because of his mental disability, Lennie...
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...Even though Lennie does not have the mental capacity to understand it, he poses a danger to those around him. Lennie is unable to decipher right from wrong, hence why he doesn’t understand his own strength hurts others whether it may be an accident or not. One example being the puppy which Lennie cared for. To Lennie, the puppy was “soft and nice”, until the puppy showed aggression to Lennie and he hit it too hard causing it to die. Lennie often retaliates to “aggressive” behavior throughout the novel, such as the mice he tends to as a child. When they show aggression to Lennie, he “pinched their heads”. Lennie’s actions may be accidental, such as the murder of Curley’s wife. However, when he kills her, he notices he’s “done a real bad thing”. Lennie’s choice to hide her body is essential because if anybody found out that he killed Curley’s wife, the consequence would result in his own death. George prevents more trouble for other men on the farm by killing Lennie because he would have been killed anyways. After the fatal death of Curley’s wife, Lennie’s death and there were only 2 ways: the men’s way or George’s way. George and Lennie’s relationship shows a strong correlation to Candy and his dog’s relationship. Candy...
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...friend George during the time of the Great Depression, although it makes them more deviate. They share a dream about owning their own land with their own farm. Moreover, Curley’s wife realizes that there is a specific discrepancy between Lennie and the rest of the ranchers. The difference is Lennie’s behavior and thoughts. It causes problems escalating from a dead mouse to a dead woman. His behavior is similar to those with autism. Thus, Lennie Small portrays signs of autism based on his inept social interactions, obsessive interests, and difficulties communicating. The articles “Autism” by Carol Turkington and Albert Tzeel, “Autism”, and “Nursing Standard: Autism” provide information about autism. To begin, Lennie Small has trouble socializing. Turkington and Tzeel assert, “the primary feature of autism is impaired social interaction”...
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...Of Mice and Morals In modern day society psychologists and psychiatrists have investigated murders. They ask questions about why they would do it and they also look into the minds of these people. A common question is, was it right? Do they have a reason to justify for their actions? Was is morally right? In some cases, it is. In the Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, the story follows the adventure of two men named George and Lennie. There were many events that led up to George killing Lennie. It was humane for George to kill Lennie for the benefit of his own life, the life of others and for life to be of a better quality. George killed Lennie for the benefit of Lennie’s life. George took charge and did what he had to before anyone else could get to him. Lennie gets in trouble a lot, from getting kicked out of weeds for feeling a young woman's dress to killing Curley's wife at the climax of the story. Which does...
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...relationship between the protagonists, George and Lennie. The novel centers these characters who are two childhood friends who travel around together looking for work and face many struggles due to Lennie’s disabilities. Steinbeck initially presents the reader with a clear image of the central characters, who are complete opposites. George is told to be “small and quick” with a thin figure. He is seen as being short-tempered but a loving and devoted friend. He always makes Lennie’s protection his primary purpose despite sometimes coming off impatient towards Lennie. Lennie on the other hand, is very large with ‘sloping shoulders’ which leads the author to compare him to “the way a bear drags his paws”. Lennie is a very strong man with a child’s mind and this is the main problem that George and Lennie face in the novel. I think that Lennie is the least dynamic character as he is very flat and undergoes no significant changes in the novel and appears in the end exactly the same as when we first meet him. At the start of the novel we can clearly see that the author seems to have set Lennie up for disaster. These very different qualities of the characters George and Lennie show the peculiarity of their friendship. From the outset, Steinbeck sets the tone of George and Lennie’s relationship through George’s first words; “Lennie for God’s sake’s don’t drink so much. You gonna be sick like you was last night.” Straight away we can clearly see that George is like a parental figure towards...
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...Unfortunately, Lennie suffers from an unnamed mental illness, which warps his judgement on the austerity of his actions. Throughout the novel, Lennie fights with Curley and breaks his hand, accidentally kills mice, a puppy, and Curley’s wife. Lennie never intends to hurt anyone, and feels compunction after he causes trouble as shown in his monologue after he kills his puppy, “‘Why do you got to get killed?… Now maybe George ain't gonna let me tend no rabbits, if he fin’s out you got killed’” (Steinbeck 85). This quote displays Lennie’s inability to truly understand the extent of his actions, and presents Lennie’s intentions as not harmful. While Lennie causes accidental chaos, Slim possesses similar violent tendencies; however, unlike Lennie, he displays it intentionally. Slim’s dog gives birth, and to ensure no malnutrition he nonchalantly states, “‘Nine of ‘em. I drowned four of ‘em right off. She couldn't feed that many’” (Steinbeck 35). Like Lennie, his intentions were not malicious; however, he drowns these puppies without any emotion. His emotionlessness attributes itself to the ongoing desensitization occurring throughout the United...
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...with George and Lennie: George and Lennie? Well what hell of a pair. When they first arrived on the ranch, it was weird seeing that two guys would travel round together, that’s uncalled of out here. But after analysing the situation, I realised that they needed each other and their friendship is what many of the people here would admire and perhaps be jealous of. Who am I to judge? George confined me about the troubles he had with Lennie and with the major problems they dealt with in Weed. It was hard to hear about such a terrible occurrence. I felt deep sympathy for George but I knew that Lennie meant no harm. I can tell a bad guy from a mile off. Still, I was to become quite weary of Lennie. His strength was his biggest weakness. He seemed to be unable to control it. But still, the poor guy wanted a pup, so I gave him one of my lasses mutts so that he could have a distraction. I knew he would kill it but the guy just wanted to pet its fur, what harm was that to a runt? We saw Lennie’s full power when he crushed Curley’s hand in the bunkhouse. I’ve never seen something like it! George told Lennie to get him and by god did he ruin that son of a bitch’s hand. He had it comin’ to him, purposely aggravating the poor fella. Lennie knew it was wrong to hurt the guy but stupid Curley carried on until it was inevitable. Even though Lennie was the one who hurt Curley I felt most sympathy for him, that why I told Curley to not tell no one about it as I wanted to protect George and...
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...demonstration of love George had for Lennie. The first instant that George demonstrated that he cared for Lennie was when he asked Lennie to give him the mouse he had pulled out of the river. When Lennie gave George the mouse he began to cry so George said “Aw, Lennie!” “George put his hand on Lennie’s shoulder” (Of Mice and Men). “I ain’t taking it away just for meanness” (Of Mice and Men). “That mouse ain’t fresh, Lennie; and beside, you’ve broke it petting it” (Of Mice and Men). Here George demonstrated he cared about Lennie’s feelings. He wanted Lennie to understand that he was not taking the mouse from him just because he didn’t want him to have it; it was because it was died and he could get sick. George showed compassion toward Lennie when George places his hand on Lennie’s should as a way to comfort Lennie because the mouse was taken away from him. Another instant when George demonstrated he cared about Lennie was when Lennie got in trouble for the first time in Weed. Lennie said “jus’ wanted to feel that girl’s dress---jus’ wanted to pet it like it was a mouse---Well, how the hell did she know you jus’ wanted to feel her dress?” (Of Mice and Men). Because Lennie grab this girl’s dress and wouldn’t let go he got accused of raping this girl. Since, no one was going to believe Lennie didn’t do anything bad to this girl but only grabbing the dress both Lennie and George had to escape from Weed before they would kill Lennie. Here George again demonstrates how...
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...the relationship between George and Lennie. The friendship that George and Lennie share forms the core of the novel, and although Steinbeck idealizes and perhaps exaggerates it, he never questions its sincerity. From Lennie’s perspective, George is the most important person in his life, his guardian and only friend. Every time he does anything that he knows is wrong, his first thought is of George’s disapproval. He doesn’t defend himself from Curley because of George’s stern instruction for him to stay out of trouble, and when he mistakenly kills his puppy and then Curley’s wife, his only thought is how to quell George’s anger. He has a childlike faith that George will always be there for him, a faith that seems justified, given their long history together. George, on the other hand, thinks of Lennie as a constant source of frustration. He has assumed responsibility for Lennie’s welfare and has, several times, been forced to run because of trouble Lennie has inadvertently caused. Life with Lennie is not easy. However, despite George’s frequent bouts of anger and frustration, and his long speeches about how much easier life would be without Lennie, George is clearly devoted to his friend. He flees from town to town not to escape the trouble Lennie has caused, but to protect Lennie from its consequences. The men are 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...
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...John Steinbeck, George and Lennie are friends who look after each other. Lennie is mentally handicapped, and sometimes gets into trouble because of his strength. George does everything he can to keep Lennie safe, but this is a heavy burden placed on his shoulders. When Lennie makes a fatal mistake, George makes a choice that will haunt him forever: to kill his best friend. His choice to mercy-kill his own friend, rather than seeing him put into a jail or insane asylum, was the only possible choice. One event that influenced him was the death of Candy’s dog. While in the bunkhouse, Carlson convinces Candy that the dog, who is too old to do any work, would be better off dead. Even Slim agrees that the dog’s suffering would end if he was put down. Since Slim is looked upon as the leader, Candy has no choice but to let go of his dog. After the dog is dead Candy says to George, “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (Steinbeck, 61). This is a foreshadowing of Lennie’s impending death, and of how George chooses to mercy-kill Lennie later in the book....
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...happiness led them not to happiness, but to their deaths. In The Great Gatsby Nick Carroway, our narrator, follows Jay Gatsby’s search through happiness. Jay Gatsby’s whole happiness revolves around one person, Daisy Buchanan, and one concept; "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can" (116). Throughout the novel Jay continually searches to regain the connection between him and...
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...like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' in our jack jus' because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us." - Steinbeck idealizes male friendships, suggesting that they are the most dignified and satisfying way to overcome the loneliness that overtakes the world. Shows the closeness of Lennie & George. · "...and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws." – metaphor, bear like, animal imagery – Metaphor, makes Lennie’s bear-like qualities clear (strong), only described this way because of his looks his personality is the opposite. · “Slowly, like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball back to its master” – Lennie is described as a dog that is small but seen to be vicious. The dog is not in charge and should obey his master and that is what Lennie is treated like. · “Live off the fatta the lan!”- George and Lennie’s dream is to have a small farm to live off. Makes us...
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...Mice and Men, two men, George and Lennie, are kicked off of a farm and need to find new work, but, George is always covering for the trouble that Lennie causes unintentionally, causing George’s life to be harder than it needs to be. This leads into the idea that Steinbeck shows throughout the story, which is companionship is detrimental and will cause problems. Steinbeck uses characterization, archetypes, and motifs throughout the story to prove the detriment of companionship. Throughout the story, Steinbeck shows the detriment of companionship through the use of character development. The first place that the reader can find an example of this is through Lennie holding George back and not letting him reach...
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