L'amitié entre George et Lennie (en anglais)

George and Lennie’s Relationship

John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’, written in 1937, is set in California during the Great Depression. It is the tale of two polar opposites, George Milton and Lennie Small. The book starts with them arriving at a farm, near Soledad. As the story goes on, the love between the couple is exposed, despite their many, many differences.

They both depend on each other. George and Lennie almost act like siblings “I got you to look after me -, and you got me to look after you” p. 103, “I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.” p. 104

George needs Lennie because Lennie is strong and makes it easier to get jobs. Since they are a pair the owner trust them more: “Ain’t many guys travel together”, he mused. “I don’t know why…” p. 36. They are also both extremely lonely and in desperate need of company. “I want you to stay with me here.” p. 102

Lennie needs George because he is too innocent to survive alone in the real world. “"Tha's good," he said. "You drink some, George. You take a good big drink." He smiled happily.”p. 5

George being the wiser, protective older brother and Lennie being the naïve, little brother. As a younger sibling would do, Lennie copies George’s actions to appear more mature, or simply more like George: “Then he (George) replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees, and embraced them. Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly.” p. 5

Although both George and Lennie need each other and behave in a brotherly manner towards each other, there is a clear contast between the two.

Focusing purely on a physical aspect, the pair already have so many differences. George is quite a small man, with sharp features and slender arms, while Lennie is a “huge” man with a “shapeless” face. Steinbeck distinctivily separates the two from the start by saying: “behind him walked his opposite.” p. 4

George and Lennie are also complete opposites when it comes to their intelligence. Lennie is very gullible and to be honest dumb. Whereas, George is a cunning, witty and sometimes quite a skeptic man.

Lennie's personality is like that of a child. He is innocent and mentally handicapped with no ability to understand abstract concepts like death. He has no conscience to define his actions in terms of guilt. Lennie only defines them in terms of consequences: "George is going to give me hell" p. 99 or "George won't let me tend the rabbits." p. 100. He is devoted to George like a dog is devoted to its master, and he tries to follow George's commands.

As a matter of fact, this contrast is so explicit and pronounced that some may ask why George is helping Lennie so much—why go through all that trouble?

Maybe it is because George feels it is his duty to take care of him. Maybe it is because George loves Lennie unconditionnally, the same way a father loves his son.

Lennie, on the one hand, does not just love George, he idolises him. Lennie adores George so much, he would do anything if it meant that George would benefit from it. “ I’ll fin’ a cave an’ I’ll live there so I won’t be no more trouble to George.” p. 100

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