Of Mice and Men. Although Lennie's character does not change throughout the novel, his foolish and unintentionally tragic actions are what drive the plot. 's' : ''}}. Jus’ milk the cow and sling some grain to the chickens an’ go to her.‘” Where George has sharp features and definite lines, Lennie is "shapeless." Lennie's character is, indeed, quite unique. Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering. The fact that he said it ‘eagerly’ which shows a childlike innocence. This still doesn't help us figure out why Lennie gets a friend like George. . Strong hands and a thin, bony nose. This is the event which leads to him going into the brush where eventually he gets killed. What Lennie doesn't quite understand is that Lennie provides a need. Whenever he finds a mouse, he usually ends up accidentally killing it by petting it too hard. Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and—”. Maybe you wouldn't kill it. We wouldn’t ask nobody if we could. The final piece of dialogue in the novel, this quotation uttered by Carlson to Curley illustrates the two men’s lack of awareness regarding the dreadful events that have just unfolded. . Lennie said softly, “We could live off the fatta the lan’ .” “Sure” said George. *Mentally disabled – The mind of a child. He is a main, but static, character of the novel, who does not change over the course of the story. Of Mice and Men – Character Quotes. Lennie leaned eagerly towards his, “Le’s go, George. He has a dog-like loyalty to George and only knows if his actions are right or wrong based on George's reaction, much like a dog would with its master. The Character of Lennie in Of Mice and Men In my opinion, Lennie Small is the most interesting character in Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men. “He’s my… cousin.”. When we first meet him, he has a dead mouse in his pocket that he is petting with his thumb. I was jus’ playin’ with him ... an’ he made like he’s gonna bite me ... an’ I made like I was gonna smack him ... an’ ... an’ I done it. In a way it is a fulfilment of a wish that he wants George to come and make it better. He thinks it is a symbiotic relationship but to the reader it seems as if only George is looking after Lennie. George Milton, his friend who he travels and finds work with, tells him, 'Trouble with mice is you always kill 'em…. Even though he is so big and strong; this is how tender and afraid he was. “It ain’t no lie. © copyright 2003-2021 Study.com. Nearly every scene in which Lennie appears confirms these are his only characteristics. Lennie's personality is like that of a child. He is a very large and strong man. Steinbeck does a very good job describing and characterizing Lennie's personality. “The first man was small and quick… with sharp, strong features.”. Lennie frequently thinks of and talks about these rabbits, often asking George to tell him again about them. George calls to Lennie, "I was just foolin' Lennie. It may not be very fair or just for someone like Lennie to pound on a little guy like Curley—but it’s also not fair of Curley to provoke Lennie, knowing that Lennie’s going to … His personality, actions, and motivations remain the same at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. He knew he was going to get into trouble at some point because people are not going to be nice or something is going to get out of hand. Working Scholars® Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. He shook her then, and he was angry with her and her body flopped like a fish Lennie had broken her neck. Use quotes when needed and page numbers. Character Description; Lennie: Lennie is the friend of George. It was said that curly is a "handyman". curley is a small but a fearsome guy. Types of Hybrid Learning Models During Covid-19, Creating Routines & Schedules for Your Child's Pandemic Learning Experience, How to Make the Hybrid Learning Model Effective for Your Child, Distance Learning Considerations for English Language Learner (ELL) Students, Chinese New Year Dragon Facts: Lesson for Kids, Correcting Errors in Statements of Activities for Not-For-Profit Entities. Summarises the American dream and how people wanted to own work for themselves and be their own bosses. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Lennie Small is the secondary protagonist in Of Mice and Men. “Tend rabbits,” it said scornfully. Lennie is described as a bear. Unlike most main characters in novels, who develop and grow over the course of the story, Lennie is a static character. When Slim, one of the workers at the ranch, gives Lennie a puppy to look after, he spends most of his time in the barn petting it. When he strokes the mice and kills it shows how he has very little control over his power and his actions. Lennie. Towards the end of the book, Lennie makes the same mistake when petting Curley's wife's hair -- he accidentally pulls it, panics when the girl screams, and inadvertently breaks her neck and kills her. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, tells the story of two migrant farm workers in California.By exploring themes such as the nature of dreams, the relationship between strength and weakness, and the conflict between man and nature, the novella paints a compelling and often dark portrait of Great Depression-era American life. (At Crooks). Desperation for George when the Crooks is teasing him. Le’s get outta here. . This character is based on Lennie Small, a similarly simple and endearing character from Of Mice and Men. Read More: George: George is the friend of Lennie. His main goal in life is to end up tending rabbits. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Also showing us why he gets on Curley’s nerves so much. An error occurred trying to load this video. "Give it here, said George" (Steinbeck 3)indicting that George always has to look out for lennie. George has promised him that when they have money to buy their own place, they will get rabbits for Lennie to tend. The following "Of Mice and Men" quotes represent some of the most significant elements of the novel, including the themes of nature, strength, and dreams. “You crazy bastard. Of Mice and Men character profiles. Animalistic attitude towards his power and his simplicity. Why is Lennie so reluctant to talk to Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men? The “two guys” referenced are Slim and George who at the novel’s end glumly … “If I was alone I could live so easy.”. He has kind of slumped into a deep sleep. - Definition, Methodology & Examples, Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi: Biography, Operas & Facts, How to Pass the Life & Health Insurance Exam, Wisconsin Science Standards for Kindergarten, Tech and Engineering - Questions & Answers, Health and Medicine - Questions & Answers. And you could pet it harder.'. What Steinbeck is trying to tell us here is that there was some kind of comfort in this for Lennie and that George has done the right thing. Each of these characters played a major role in the development of the story and they were mainly either flat or round characters. When he strokes the mice and kills it shows how he has very little control over his power and his actions. Lennie 's hallucination is a figurative expression of what Steinbeck himself stated Lennie represents; that is,"the inarticulate and powerful yearning of all men." | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} “I wisht George was here. “ An’ live off the fatta the lan’ ,” Lennie shouted. Sociology 110: Cultural Studies & Diversity in the U.S. George Milton is one of the protagonists in Of Mice and Men. However we must not forget how important the friendship is to George. Go on, George! flashcard sets, {{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | He makes plans about getting a small farm. - Description & Quotes, Who is Candy in Of Mice and Men? How I get to tend the rabbits”. Of mice and men written by author John Steinbeck in 1937 is a story of two displaced migrant ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small who in search of new job opportunities move from place to place in California during The Great Depression. A … He doesn’t understand that Crooks’ place is private and this shows how he doesn’t really know what he is doing without George. He is excited that he can pet it harder without hurting it, but eventually ends up petting it too hard and killing it. Lennie's hands are referred to as 'paws', and he is often depicted as a dog. Although Lennie is among the principal characters in Of Mice and Men, he is perhaps the least dynamic. A small, wiry, and wily … Looks after Lennie. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Lennie's character in Steinbeck's ''Of Mice and Men''? All the time somethin' like that--all the time.' He doesn’t understand the social stigmas between the whites and the blacks. Although he frequently speaks of how much better his life would be without his Slim understands Curley's fear of ridicule, and he uses that fear to help George and Lennie. John … Steinbeck describes Lennie using animal-like characteristics. The use of the adjective ‘fascinated’ tells us he has a minor obsession growing. He lumbers like a bear and has the strength of a bear, but his actions are often described like those of a dog. Create your account, 6 chapters | Showing how important George is to him to ease the pain. This is after Aunt Clara has had a go at him and the rabbits that he has been wanting to tend throughout the novella are now going against him. Character Physical Appearance Personality & Behavior George Milton Small & quick. | 2 In Of Mice and Men, why does Lennie like little mice, puppies, and rabbits? He says, 'She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse. All rights reserved. 'Cause I want you with me" (Steinbeck 12). “An’ have rabbits. Earn Transferable Credit & Get your Degree. In fact, it seems like Lennie shouldn't have many friends at all—even George thinks he's a little annoying. Read More: Curley: Curley is the boss's son. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. TK Waters has a bachelor's degree in literature and religious studies and a master's degree in religious studies and teaches Hebrew Bible at Western Kentucky University. It tells us that Lennie has some insight into what was going to happen. Start studying Of Mice and Men - Character Quotes. That'd be better than mice. His childlike disposition, fallible short-term memory, and fascination with stroking and petting soft things are markers of the ways in which his strong exterior conceals a side of Lennie … Simply put, he loves to pet soft things, is blindly devoted to George and their vision of the farm, and … Scream for George. Steinbeck describes this scene, writing, 'Slowly, like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again. Powered by WordPress. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. *Needs to be pacified in order to function. I … He was so little, said Lennie. Furthermore it is an echo of George’s voice which shows how much of an influence he is on Lennie. “His eyes were full of wonder. We’re gonna do it. He thinks it is a symbiotic relationship but to the reader it seems as if only George is looking after Lennie. What does George imply happened in Weed with the girl in Of Mice and Men? What excuse does George give for Lennie's retardation in Of Mice and Men? “Drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse”. He is a huge, lumbering man whose bearlike appearance masks a sweet, gentle disposition. This lesson describes the character of Lennie Small from ''Of Mice and Men'', including his animal-like, yet innocent nature, through the use of quotes and examples from the book. The best quotes from of mice and men by john steinbeck organized by theme including book location and character with an explanation to help you understand. This shows how hard Lennie is on himself. Gonna get a little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’.” author. Explain the connection between Lennie's mouse and what happened in Weed in Of Mice and Men. Gonna get a little place an’ live on the fatta … In Steinbeck's novella the writer uses irony when he gives one of his main characters the last name Small. In Southern states, Jim Crow laws bolstered racial segregation and groups such as the Ku Klux Klan were extremely active. it is a very touching and fitting because he jars and then settles ‘slowly’ which shows it was not painful death. Crooks is a black man, but at the time the novel was written, blacks were referred to as "niggers", meant as a white insult. Steinbeck portrays loneliness and isolation, though many of the characters. Steinbeck writes, '…he walked heavily, dragging his feet the way a bear drags its paws,' and '(he) drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse.' Lennie travels with his friend George, and their relationship is often portrayed like that of a dog and its master. Eleventh Amendment: Quiz & Worksheet for Kids, Bat Adaptation: Quiz & Worksheet for Kids, Flashcards - Real Estate Marketing Basics, Flashcards - Promotional Marketing in Real Estate, Middle School Science Worksheets and Printables, Praxis Mathematics - Content Knowledge (5161): Practice & Study Guide, Smarter Balanced Assessments - Math Grade 8: Test Prep & Practice, DSST General Anthropology: Study Guide & Test Prep, Cambridge Pre-U Mathematics - Short Course: Practice & Study Guide, Quiz & Worksheet - Characteristics of an Informative Essay, Quiz & Worksheet - Functions of the Thalamus, Quiz & Worksheet - Characteristics of Traditional Economies, What is Positive Economics? Read More: Curley's wife: Curley's wife seeks attention and affection from men, leading to her death. flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? "Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you" In Of Mice and Men, why does Lennie leave Curley's wife's body in the barn but takes the puppy with him when he leaves to go to the river? First chance I get I'll give you a pup. In Of Mice and Men, does George's analysis of Lennie's attack on the girl in Weed seem probable? At the beginning of the novel, he and George are forced to flee from their previous job because, as we later find out, Lennie was accused of raping a girl. Lennie has an unnamed mental disability—according to George, this is the result of an accident as a child, though this is likely untrue. However we must not forget how important the friendship is to George. he doesn’t have the intellect to do things the right way. ” (2. 93) Candy may not be too smart, but he’s smart enough to get it: Curley’s gaming the system. “Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you”. This shows how he might not have received affection in his childhood and this is some kind of maternal instinct. A gentle and kind character, he has never learnt how to control his strong body and does not understand his own physical strength. His favorite thing to do is pet soft things.
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