In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice And Men, Lennie Small is a character with a disability that affects his mental state. He has the mentality of a young child and is incapable of taking care of himself. This puts him at a disadvantage in the harsh world he lives in. Despite his limitations, Lennie has some admirable qualities. He is loyal to those he cares about and is gentle and kind.
However, Lennie’s disability also makes him vulnerable to exploitation. He can be easily manipulated by others and often does not understand the consequences of his actions. This leads to situations where Lennie gets into trouble or causes harm to others without intending to do so. In spite of his challenges, Lennie ultimately wants to do the right thing and finds happiness in simple things. His disability makes it difficult for him to achieve this, but he never gives up trying.
George Kaufman, based on a short story by John Steinbeck, converted the book into a play and had it perform 207 times. This production was given the New York Drama Critics Award. There have been two film versions of the novel. One was made in 1940, while another debuted in 1992. The novel’s theme was a tragic narrative about two itinerants seeking to establish their own little farm. Lennie Small and George Milton were the main characters. Slim and Carlson were two of George Milton’s ranch hands.
Curley’s wife was the only woman on the ranch. She was a flirt and always in search of a man. Crooks was the black stable buck. Candy was an old swamper who had worked on ranches all his life. Of these characters, Lennie is the most interesting and complex.
Lennie Small is gentle, naive, and childlike. He has a mental disability that renders him incapable of understanding complex ideas or taking care of himself independently. As a result, George has to be both friend and protector to Lennie. Lennie relies on George for everything and looks up to him as a father figure.
Lennie also has a tremendous amount of strength, which he sometimes uses destructively. For example, Lennie kills mice because he enjoys the feel of their fur in his hands. Curley’s wife is also killed by Lennie when she confronts him about his relationship with George.
Lennie’s simplicity and lack of guile make him both hugely endearing and somewhat pitiable. He is completely honest and incapable of deceit. He also has a great capacity for love and loyalty, which are shown in his relationships with George, Candy, and Crooks.
Despite his mental disability, Lennie is not ignorant or unintelligent. He has a deep understanding of the natural world and knows more about plants and animals than anyone else on the ranch. In many ways, Lennie represents the best qualities of humanity: innocence, love, and loyalty. However, his mental disability also makes him a liability and a source of danger to those around him.
The outcasts of the book were Candy and Crooks. Curley was The Boss’ son, which appeared to be the novel’s antagonist. Because she was thought to bring disorder, Curley’s wife was a sad figure who was constantly avoided by everyone on the farm, with the exception of her spouse because he believed that she spread trouble. Finally, there was Whit, who had a minor role in the story. The novel began in front of San Luis Obispo Falls. For now, everything appears to be quiet; then two men emerged from the path. He is little and quick with dark features and restless eyes and sharp features.
The second man was larger, shambling, and awkward. This was Lennie. George, the smaller man, is Lennie’s caretaker and best friend. Lennie was a character with a mental disability that caused him to have difficulties understanding complex tasks and conversations. He relied on George to help him make sense of the world around him.
Because Lennie was unable to live on his own, he posed a threat to society if left unsupervised. This is why it was so important for George to always be by his side. Lennie had an innocent mind which made it easy for people to take advantage of him. Curley’s Wife was one such person. She would flirt with Lennie in order to get what she wanted, despite the fact that he was unable to understand her advances.
Lennie was also a victim of his own strength. He often did not realize the extent of his power and would unintentionally hurt people when he became excited or frustrated. For example, Lennie would crush mice in his hands because he enjoyed the feeling of their bones breaking. This led to him being feared by many of the characters in the novel. Despite his shortcomings, Lennie was a kind-hearted soul who simply wanted to be loved and accepted. He found comfort in spending time with George and listening to his stories.
George was a loyal friend to Lennie and constantly looked out for his well-being. He protected Lennie from Curley’s Wife and others who would take advantage of him. George also served as a father figure to Lennie, teaching him how to behave in society. Although it was sometimes difficult, George always stuck by Lennie’s side.
Candy was an old man who worked on the farm. He had lost his hand in an accident and was no longer able to do physical labor. Because of this, he was not as valuable to the farm and was often treated poorly by the other workers. Candy felt isolated and alone, but he found companionship in George and Lennie. He offered to help them with their dream of owning their own farm and promised to give them part of his savings.
Crooks was a black stable hand who lived by himself in the barn. He was segregated from the rest of the workers and was not allowed to socialize with them. Crooks was bitter and angry about his situation, but he eventually befriends Lennie. He is the only character in the novel who does not judge Lennie for his mental disability.
The Boss was the owner of the farm where George and Lennie worked. He was a demanding man who expected his employees to work long hours for little pay. Curley was The Boss’s son and he acted as if he were superior to everyone on the farm. Curley’s Wife was a woman who married Curley solely because she wanted to escape her unhappy home life.