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Significance of George and Lennies relationship
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George and Lennie Relationship essayAs Migrant workers in the 1930s the relationship between George and Lennie is one of a kind.
Typically, migrant workers were very isolated and lonely, this is because they are constantly
travelling with no real home. George and Lennie share the dream of buying a house together and
working the land. Their friendship enables them to cultivate a sense of belonging. Even though they
are close friends there is a leader - follower relationship between them. George could also be viewed
as a parental figure towards Lennie.
George and Lennie have a Leader- follower relationship. Steinbeck portrays when he says, ‘they
walked in single file’ and ‘one stays behind the other’ this shows George is the dominant one in their
relationship and Lennie always follows in his footsteps. This portrays Lennie as irresponsible and
incapable of looking after himself. George often speaks for Lennie when first introducing themselves
to the boss he asks Lennie ‘what’s your name’ George immediately answers for him saying ‘his
names Lennie Small’. Lennie is dependent on George to make sure he stays out of trouble and
doesn’t say the wrong thing to anyone. After reading the build-up to this scene in the novel the
reader would understand why George has to do this for Lennie. Right from the beginning the writer
wants the reader to know that out of the two George is the leader and Lennie follows him and is
dependent on him.
George also acts as a parental figure for Lennie. George carries Lennie’s work card for him This is
because George knows that if he gives it to him Lennie will lose it. ‘Think ide let you carry your own
work card?’ The use of a rhetorical question shows Georges frustration towards Lennie’s small
mental capacity. George is constantly looking after Lennie. George has to look after Lennie’s
personal belongings for him as if he were a child. As a reader of the novel Lennie is seen to have
learning difficulties and the mindset of a child and George is portrayed as a father figure for him, you
get the impression that George is Lennie’s only family and vice versa. Steinbeck does this to show
their close relationship with each other and that it’s not just that they are friends, but they are also
each other’s family.
George and Lennie share a dream of buying a house together and working the land around it. This
concept of the American Dream is mentioned thought the novel and Lennie loves the idea of having
‘rabbits’ and George promises him ‘red and blue and green rabbits’. As people it is obvious that they
are completely different Lennie is described as ‘huge’ and ‘shapeless of face’ whereas George is
described as small and thin with ‘slender arms’ and ‘restless eyes’ two people with such different
minds and looks share the same dream and want it so bad no matter how far away it is for them.
Each time George retells the dream to Lennie his tone reflects on how close they are to the dream.
In the first chapter George has seemingly lost hope and ‘ain’t got time no more’ whereas in chapter
three Candy proposes that he could use his savings to help buy the house this overwhelms George
‘Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her’ as a reader you can relate to his excitement of going from
something unachievable to suddenly realising something is a possibility. Steinbeck would have
wanted the reader to feel the same happiness that George is at that moment of the book.
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