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The main purpose of this essay is to analyze the relationship between the two main characters George and Lennie in John Steinbecks novella Of Mice and Men (1937) ...
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Uppsats, högskolenivå, 15 hp Engelska med ämnesdidaktisk inriktning English C Ämneslärarprogrammet inriktning Engelska/Svenska
Handledare: Marko Modiano Examinator: Iulian Cananau
The novella Of Mice and Men (1937) by John Steinbeck is one of the author’s most critically acclaimed as well as most notable works next to Grapes of Wrath (1940) which has won several prestigious awards, among them a Noble Prize. Both of these works are of significant value as narratives for the Great Depression and how it affected the Americans living during those times, specifically the migrant farm workers. Beside this main theme, Of Mice and Men explores several other themes and concepts such as hope, dreams and specifically – friendship. This theme is primarily investigated through the two main characters George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant farm workers traveling together between working opportunities in California in order to earn enough money to buy themselves a place of their own and “live off the fatta of the lan’”(p.17)^1. From what is told in the story, they have only stayed at each location briefly as Lennie has caused them trouble which has forced them both to leave without notice. Plot wise the climax of the story is reached when Lennie at the current farm of Soledad of which they stay at accidentally kills the wife of the farm owner’s son, resulting in the other farm workers creating a lynch mob and goes after him. It all ends with George taking care of the situation himself by killing Lennie instead of letting the mob take care of the matter.
The relationship between the two main characters is of key interest and is central to the plot as they are more often than not portrayed as two complementary characters as well as good friends. One could however debate on what ground their relationship or friendship is in reality resting upon, as well as discuss whether the two of them really are genuine friends at all. They are certainly associates or companions as they travel the Californian countryside together using each other’s qualities in order to receive comfort and work opportunities. Inarguably they to some degree also share a bond of intimacy, as they both look after each other and strive towards a common goal consisting of a better future. Additionally they also refer to each other as a duo on several occasions, indicating that they share some kind of bond between each other (p.48). From a general perspective, they would surely be considered friends, but one has to take into account that the term friend is overused and misused. A person’s idea of a good friend changes at the same time he or she meets a new one (Pahl 2000: 8), in accordance with the growth of the frame of reference. It is also possible to rank friends and put them into different categories (Spencer & Pahl 2006: 60), showing the
(^1) Quotations and page numbers from the novella will be fluently referred to in the text with the page numbers presented within parentheses. When only page numbers are presented, the quote or source is taken directly from Of Mice and Men. The specific copy used is presented in the reference list.
existence of a scale which measures the quality of the different kinds of friendship. The questions to ask in this particular case are how the relationship between George and Lennie is maintained and functions and whether their claimed friendship is genuine or not. This is however an intricate matter to deal with, as their relationship from a readers and critic’s perspective more often is assumed than critically investigated.
The purpose of this essay is to study the two main characters relationship and determine what it is and how it functions. The definition of friendship that will be put to use is the one of Aristotle which is presented in his work Nicomachean Ethics. This definition will however be complemented with other contemporary writers who have continued to develop and have adapted the theories of friendship. As the term friendship as well as the meaning of it is rather abstract, this essay will also touch the field of interpersonal relationships, a field of study branching into several social disciplines such as sociology, psychology and anthropology. The complemented definition of friendship will then be juxtaposed with the content of the novella in order to find out whether the two of them are rightfully to be regarded as friends or not. The main focus during the examining of the novella will be put on their interactions with each other, how the two of them function together as well as how they refer to each other in the absence or presence of the other. Minor characters will to some extent also be given room in order to highlight certain aspects regarding their relation which are important and of significance to the hypothesis.
The claim and statement of this text is to prove that the characters George and Lennie are not friends with each other on equal terms as George are in need of Lennie in terms of comfort, working opportunities and purpose in life. George combined with this also uses him in the pursuit of his own goals and simply includes him in his plans because they are visions that over time have become their shared dream. He also does this as he feels guilt and pity over the fact that he has used him to his advantage in the first place. The reason why their relationship works is because of the complementary effect they have upon each other, even though it is not on equal terms for both parties. Lennie’s mental disability and simple-minded nature makes him unable to live independently and instead he seeks to look up to someone whose company he is used to. In this particular case that person is George who quickly sees an opportunity to use him, and in accordance with this he also has the opportunity to give Lennie a purpose in his life which is connected to the vision and goal of his own. The problem George faces is that he is a man who dreams of independence, but is unable to create
novella as it is a common piece of literature to work with within schools and courses (Schultz & Luchen 2005: 148). The theme of friendship may be fundamental, but the question on which base their friendship rests upon is often more than not of significance as their relationship is often predefined as genuine friendship. This is in most cases done in order to show something of significance within the novella in which their friendship is not of major importance, hence the reason why this matter is not interesting to deal with in the first place. Other research that has been conducted upon Of Mice and Men often revolves around the specific historical context and focuses either on the time period in which the novella takes place, when it was released or how the circumstances affect the characters within it. Gender studies, the idea of the American Dream and loneliness – These are the themes besides friendship that are most common regarding studies of this specific novella, even though the theme of loneliness is linked to friendship. Most commonly they are all attached to the historical context bound to the late 1920’s. To some extent, studies revolving the sexuality of the characters have been made though these do not belong to the group of the most common research.
The sequential style, straightforward plot and the density of conversations taking place within the novella is the result of John Steinbeck having the idea of the story being viewed as a dramatic play rather than a shorter piece of literature, resulting in a play soon released in connection to the release of the novella. This play has been the target of several studies, as John Steinbeck thought that staged dramatizations would be more appealing to the working poor than reading a book due to their inability or unwillingness to read (Schultz & Luchen 2005: 143). The studies do more often than not take this into consideration, as most of them revolve around the subjects of the impact of class and culture within the fields of Marxism, Social Anthropology and Gender Studies. The interpersonal relationship between George and Lennie is not of key importance in these studies though, as their relationship is predefined just like in the studies made on the novella.
The biggest obstacle that is presented when dealing with an abstract concept such as friendship is that there is a lack of agreed and socially acknowledged criteria for what defines friendship in the first place (Allan 1996: 85). It is a concept that may have just as many definitions as there are friendships in existence, making it a difficult matter to discuss and process. As quoted by Cicero: “Friendship is a kaleidoscope and a complicated thing” (Lynch 2005: 111), meaning that there are many angles that have to be taken into account when
discussing the matter and that it is severely difficult to process the whole concept due to this. The most significant, recited and acclaimed work that processes the idea of friendship is also the first philosophical distinction ever publicly made on the subject. It was created and made by Aristotle and later published in one of the volumes of his extensive publication called Nicomachean Ethics – Which rich in detail, encompassing several fields within the society, it explores how men should live the best and to the fullest. When Aristotle in this sense means “the fullest”, he means that men have to be happy and content in order for this to happen. One of the volumes specifically points out the importance of friendship and discusses the matter. He defines that only things that are lovable can be loved, and these things are the good, the pleasant and the useful (Aristotle: Book II). With the idea that these three components are necessary for friendship to emerge, Aristotle splits friendship into three different categories; friendship based on utility, friendship based on pleasure and friendship based on goodness (Ibid: Book III). But those who exchange not pleasure but utility in their amour are both less truly friends and less constant. Those who are friends for the sake of utility part when the advantage is at an end; for they were lovers not of each other but of profit… (Ibid: Book IIII)
Friendship based on utility is a kind of friendship in which the needs of both parties within the relationship derive some kind of benefit from each other. This kind is very regular and common, but is also impermanent as it changes in connection and along with the circumstances. If the reason for the emerging of the friendship disappears or no longer is necessary, the friendship becomes unnecessary and dissolves in accordance with the circumstances. This kind of friendship occurs according to Aristotle in most cases among the elder, middle-aged and the young. In the elders case it is a matter of utility in order for them to function rather than to experience pleasure as a man on the end of his life already has enjoyed enough pleasure to feel content. In the other two cases it is a matter of a pursuit for a better life by befriending people that they can use to their advantage in order to reach higher levels within their specific field of interest. Significant for this kind of friendship is that they necessarily do not need to spend much time together and not even necessarily need to like each other. The association is there as long as they’re mutually useful to each other. So too with those who love for the sake of pleasure; it is not for their character that men love ready-witted people,
and in which both admires the other person’s goodness and strives to help one another towards maintaining this feeling. As Aristotle claims, goodness is an enduring thing which therefore makes it the only thing that is far more consistent than utility or pleasure, hence making this kind of friendship the one to probably last the longest. This kind of friendship also encompasses the other two, because good friends are useful to each other and want to please each other for the simple reason that they are good in nature rather than them being good for individual purposes. This kind of friendship takes time to develop, which is the reason for its rareness, but if one strives to reach this kind of friendship it will be more rewarding as well. The truest and purest form of friendship consists of more loving than being loved, which means that the two involved in this relationship need to be equal in their care for each other, meaning that they need time and intimacy together in order to be able to trust each other and know that they are worthy of each other’s love.
It is important to understand that when Aristotle explains and discusses that friendship can only occur between people of equal stature; he refers to free men and nothing else. This means that slaves, women and girls are not included into his thesis, making an interpretation within its specific context of time not very applicable to the contemporary concept of friendship of today. However, interpreting his discussion into a modern context could be interpreted as that people of the same stature regardless gender are the ones capable of being the best of friends. Outside of his thesis about the already given three kinds of friendship, Aristotle also includes a chapter describing a kind of close relationship that needs to involve inequality between the both parties in order for them to work at all – the relationship between father and son, elder and younger, man and wife as well as ruler and subject.
In all friendships implying inequality the love also should be proportional, i.e. the better should be more loved than he loves, and so should the more useful, and similarly in each of the other cases; for when the love is in proportion to the merit of the parties, then in a sense arises equality, which is certainly held to be characteristic of friendship… (Ibid: Book VII)
Aristotle does not claim that these different kinds of relationships are similar, but puts them only in the same category as they are exceptions to his theory about equality within
relationships. These kinds of relationships differ because it is generally accepted that the roles within the relationship are unequal from the beginning, based on fact that the parties have different responsibilities towards each other, regardless of the kind of friendship. For example: Children should respect and listen to their parents as they are the ones who have brought them into the world, hence making them naturally superior to their children. The same goes for the parents, who are responsible for their children and to make sure their children respect, listen and obey them. This does also mean that the superior, in this case the elder, within the relationship has to make sure to commit to their role as a parent. Only when their distinguished roles are fulfilled can this kind of relationship prosper and exist.
Several other attempts to define friendship as well as the content of what friendship consists of have also been made and some principles are constantly recurring. There is a clear definition between friends and relatives and even though one might call their cousin, sibling or parent friend, you do not have a friendship-bond with them as you have not actively chosen them. Friendships have to be established by the individual. A friend is also described as a person who you get along with and whose company you enjoy and it does not matter whether it is within your workplace or private zone. The quality of the friendship varies depending on the length of the time people have known each other and on the frequency of contact (Spencer & Pahl 2006: 72) and could also be a person which you share history with (Ibid: 59).
Many people have extended the discussions of Aristotle and based their research of friendship on this particular work. Ray Pahl is one of them, who has stated that virtuous friends, meaning friends based on goodness “Enlarge and extend each other’s moral experience” (Pahl 2000: 22). With this he means that friends are meaningful in the sense that they provide each other with scenarios and dilemmas which constantly put their own capabilities to test as well as questioning and developing their identities. By overcoming these both parties grow and by sharing experiences one gets to know each other on a deeper plane and might just as well learn something about them. The ideas of dependence and independence have a distinct connection with each other within a relationship too, as friends know how to keep the balance between relying on each other for support and identity and giving each other space to develop. Through experiences, a personal growth in maturity naturally follows (Ibid: 101). He also presents the idea that friends can take over social tasks, duties and functions from family and relatives, either consciously or unconsciously and that the meaning of friendship is not static but a process constantly changing. The idea of what it
his own personal pursuit of being accepted by others. This case specifically is not of any major importance to the plot of the story itself, but it is essential in matters of George and Lennie’s relationship as it shows and serves as a development and a turning point in George’s life, which is reflected in his actions throughout the story.
As their common history as it is presented lacks several details, it is possible that George who was acquainted with Aunt Clara knew her even better than presented and promised her to take care of Lennie once she had passed away. If this is the case, their friendship is based firstly on a promise and not on equal terms which makes the friendship non-genuine according to Aristotle (Aristole: Book III). During the interview with their new boss, George tells him that Lennie is his cousin and that he had given a promise to his aunt that he would take care of him (p.23). He also says that Lennie as a child was kicked in the head by a horse, which would explain the state he is in. Lennie quickly after the interview reacts to George’s claims, asking whether they are true or not. George answers are vague and unclear but he insists that he did not speak the truth. If that however would be a lie and George actually spoke the truth, which due to their background is not very farfetched as Lennie’s memory is weak and George would be too ashamed to speak of the matter, it would highlight the fact they are relatives and not necessarily have to be friends on equal terms, and therefore certainly not genuine friends (Ibid: Book VII).
The reader is also told about the events that happened just recently before the events of the story, which takes place in Weeds. On a similar farm to the one presented in the story, Lennie gets a hold of a girl’s dress as he is obsessed with petting things that are sweet or soft. The girl reacts with fear as she believes he is going to rape her. She screams and yells for help which causes him to panic and hold on even tighter to the dress. Finally George hits Lennie in the head which makes him release her, but at that time it is too late and the other farm workers start a lynch party to go after him resulting in them both leaving the place immediately (p.38). George’s feeling of responsibility towards Lennie is shown in this case as he leaves together with Lennie, even though he was innocent and was not guilty of any possible crime. It is his role within their relationship – To help Lennie out of trouble. George feels great frustration towards Lennie because of his inability to handle himself, projecting all of his anger onto him and blaming him for all of his problems, a sign speaking for George’s tragic nature and insecurity. The reason why is because he in reality is frustrated with his own inability to create something for himself which is proved when he blames Lennie for them almost losing a
job opportunity when it actually was he who arose suspicion rather than him (p.24). George is mesmerized by the concept of freedom, whether it is a more impermanent individual freedom which he would receive if he would wander the countryside alone, or if it is the permanent freedom one receives by becoming self-sufficient and independent. The first time the characters are introduced in the novella, George is still frustrated about the incident in Weeds and the fact that Lennie due to his disability does not even remember it upsets him even more. It all culminates when Lennie repeatedly asks for ketchup with their dinner.
Whatever we ain’t got, that’s what you want. God’amighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why, I could stay in a cat-house all night. I could eat any place I want, hotel or any place, and order any damn thing I could think of. An’ I could do all that every damn month. Get a gallon of whisky, or set in a pool-room and play cards or shoot pool.’ Lennie knelt and looked down over the fire at the angry George. And Lennie’s face was drawn with terror. ‘An’ whatta I got? George went on furiously. ‘I got you! You can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get. Jus’ keep me shovin’ all over the country all the time. An’ that ain’t the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out.’ His voice rose nearly to shout. ‘You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You keep me in hot water all the time… (p.14)
What George really tells us with this particular rant is a scenario which most likely would be his own if he didn’t have Lennie as company. He would live an easy life, but a very uninteresting and dull one. The life of a regular farm worker – a lonely life without fun which in time would make him grow mean and bitter, a life without no bigger meaning, purpose or goal than to receive the next paycheck and live for the moment (p.37). This is only George speaking in mere frustration as living a life with Lennie is a difficult and strenuous one including a lot of responsibility and patience which limits George’s freedom similar to a
attended the same school or that he is older, being enough acquainted with either Lennie or his Aunt to know about this. The age matter is important as it defines whether the two of them are equal or not. If it would be the case that George and Lennie would be of equal age, their relationship stands on a common foundation based on similar experiences and likewise, but would it be the opposite case, the defining of the roles within the relationships become more prominent and similar to the relationship between siblings, parent-child and elder-younger. There is a clear allocation of roles between the two and George is clearly the superior one within their relationship, which is proved for the first time right in the beginning of the story when they both are introduced. Lennie tails George wherever he goes, to the extent that he even tries to look like him and mimics his movement (p.8). This serves as certain proof that Lennie is greatly influenced by him and also looks up to him as his superior. George is however not the de facto leader in the sense that he controls him, which is shown throughout the plot with Lennie repeatedly doing things which George does not approve of (p.38). Their roles are being upheld through George constantly telling of Lennie when he has done something which he does not approve of by using aggressive gestures, shouting and calling him bad things such as “Crazy bastard”(p.31). This indicates two things: Either it is simply a personal trait of George who as a little guy feels the need to express and prove himself towards the much bigger Lennie, or it could be that George has gotten used to him and knows that he needs to attach a genuine feeling to his words in order for Lennie to possibly understand, as he is not capable of abstract thinking. George does however disapprove when someone else attacks Lennie the similar way he does and quickly defends him when it occurs (p.36), showing that he does care for him to some extent and feels responsibility for him.
Lennie’s role in their relationship is minor to George, which is either based on traits which derivate from his own personality or which comes along with the role he is put in. He is very weak-minded, incapable of remembering anything of importance unless it is associated with a feeling that is good, whether it is a soft dead mouse or a compliment given from George (p.22). He represses memories of things which are sad, bad or horrible, creating great frustration with George as it equals with him not learning from his mistakes. George constantly tries to remind Lennie about their past, their future and what they are supposed to do but most of the content is forgotten quickly after it is said. What George does not realize is that the feeling connected with his meaning needs to be positive in order for Lennie to even possibly comprehend it. Besides this, Lennie is also a very sensitive person who is unaware of his whereabouts. He seeks guidance from George most of the time, asking him questions
related to their whereabouts; questions which more often than not are repeated several times due to his inability to comprehend the answers, hence leading to George’s frustration. He also shows a lack of patience, by constantly keeping dead pets around him even though he is not allowed to and repeatedly asks about when he is going to tend the rabbits (p.53). Lennie’s role and behavior can be summarized as a similar one that a child has towards its parents. Besides the already stated he is also very forgetful, an outcome from Lennie being a person living in the present as he lacks any sense of time – something which George is aware of and is proven when he keeps both of their work cards, in case Lennie would lose his (p.10). Similar to a child Lennie likes to be told stories, specifically the story of their shared future as it gives him as much hope and joy as it gives George. He is extremely eager to please George as he firmly believes that his only intentions are to be good and take care of him. He just wants him to be proud and happy for him (p.11), similar to the way children want and need their parents’ approval. Lennie likes to be in the role of an inferior as it provides him with comfort and appeals to his undeveloped mind. George has no trouble with treating him like one either, as shown when he grabs him by the ear while telling him off (p.30). George is also very much aware of Lennie being just like a child in mind (p.39) and is as well aware of the advantage that comes with it. “Just Tell Lennie what to do an’ he’ll do it if it don’t take no figuring. He can’t think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders” (p.35). In this particular sequence, George shares this information with Slim, one of the more prominent farm workers at the current farm, in order to receive his trust. What he really indirectly says with this is that Lennie is easy to command as he does not know any better.
What makes Lennie stand out from all the other characters in the novella is that he is the only character that is genuinely kind and good. This is the reason why George is drawn to him and a major factor why he keeps him as company at all. As Slim points out for George: “Guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella. Seems to me sometimes it jus’ works the other way around. Take a real smart guy and he ain’t hardly ever a nice fella.” (p.37). This combined with the fact that George identifies himself with Lennie, proven when he stands up for him in defense saying that if he would be a smart and bright guy he would probably not hang around Lennie at all and would have become self-sufficient long ago (p.36). This speaks for the matter that George feels a duality within himself. He is far more intelligent than Lennie, which is logical due to Lennie’s disability and makes him part of the regular crowd, but he has also more good in him than the regular farm worker, hence putting him outside the regular crowd as well. Simultaneously he also constantly feels that he has to prove his worth in
two of them either have gone from being equal to unequal or that George’s role as Lennie’s superior has not helped at all. As George soon in his mind discovers what the consequences of this action will be he decides to not come to Lennie’s aid as he has done previously in Weeds, at least not in the same sense.
George feels that Lennie is his responsibility and that it therefore is he that should take care of him rather than anyone else, similar to a reference previously presented in the story. In this reference, Candy has an old dog which no one really likes. He smells, suffers, does no good at all and is a nuisance to everyone except Candy. Carlson, another farm worker, expresses the wish to put him down because of this; “He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?” (p.40). Candy expresses his unwillingness to do this, showing his attachment towards the dog, but Carlson goes on explaining that he could have a new better dog and that he would rather help the dog by putting him down rather than keeping him alive. Carlson signs himself up to do the task if Candy does not have the courage, and after a while Candy lets him do it. Throughout the rest of story, Candy obviously suffers from the experience of losing his old companion, but it is not because of the fact that he is dead, but rather because he is disappointed that he was not capable of putting him down himself, as he retroactively realizes that he should have been the one to shot him instead of Carlson (p.53). The same feeling goes through George; if someone has to do the dirty work in getting rid of someone whom he also has had the responsibility of, he is the only one who should and is appropriate to do it.
George does also realize the personal consequences of killing Lennie as well. Not only does he lose his company, but he kills his dream of becoming self-sufficient as it was a dream that he shared together with Lennie, and he also provided George with an identity which he needed in order to even be able to get there. In order to take care of someone else, one has to take care of oneself. With Lennie gone, George loses his identity and spirals downward with a high risk of becoming what he has strived towards not becoming; a regular farm worker without hope, dreams, purpose or goals – living each day as it comes. With Lennie gone, nothing speaks for George to try to achieve his goal of independence as he feels no need to get there, instead aiming for the day-to-day philosophy of the regular farm workers, people which who George previously has tried to distance himself from.
In the last sequence in the story, Lennie has run back to the river bank which is the place George has told him to go to if trouble would occur. George finds him there, and prepares Lennie for his death. He tells Lennie to look away and starts describing their future scenario, something which previously has soothed Lennie and in this case also gives Lennie some small hope. While doing this, George’s voice trembles while describing their vision, as he realizes it never will come true. In excitement Lennie expresses his last words: “Le’s to it now. Le’s get that place now” (p.87). George steadies his gun and thereafter shoots Lennie in the back of his neck. Soon afterwards, the rest of the farm workers appear and see what George has done, explaining that he did a good job. Slim, who knew about the relationship that George and Lennie shared explains that sometimes a man just has to do what he has to do, trying to console George. He then invites George for a drink, which marks that George has fulfilled his responsibility towards Lennie, given up their shared dream and most likely will become a regular farm worker like the others now when his identity, dream and companion are gone.
Right in the beginning of his chapter on friendship in Nicomachean Ethics , Aristotle has a passage in which he describes the importance of having a friend in the first place and how friendship to some extent works:
For what is the use of such prosperity without the opportunity of beneficence, which is exercised chiefly and in its most laudable form towards friends? Or how can prosperity be guarded and preserved without friends? The greater it is, the more exposed is it to risk. And in poverty and in other misfortunes men think friends are the only refuge. It helps the young, too, to keep from error; it aids older people by ministering to their needs and supplementing the activities that are failing from weakness; those in the prime of life it stimulates to noble actions-’two going together’-for with friends men are more able both to think and to act… (Aristotle: Book I)
This passage is almost a perfect description of the relationship between George and Lennie. As explained, the two of them do have a positive effect on each other, which is finally manifested in the vision and hope of getting a place of their own, hope which would never
