Lennie: Of Mice and Men

             In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the author illustrates Lennie through a series of incidents and interactions with other characters in the novel. The writer describes several of Lennie's characteristics, such as his huge physical stature or child-like demeanor, but focuses primarily on Lennie's mental handicap, and his awkward behavior as a result of this shortcoming. Lennie, one of the two protagonists, is essentially portrayed as being forgetful, accident-prone, and obedient.
             Lennie appears to have the mind of a six-year-old; as a result, he is forgetful and often needs has to be reminded of things. During their trek to Soledad, Lennie asks his friend "where are we going, George? (4)" George reminds Lennie of the "bad things [Lennie] [had] done in Weed, (7)" and how the men there had hunted them throughout the county. Suddenly, a light of understanding appears on Lennie's, and he exploded triumphantly "I remember that now. (5)" Lennie's triumphal reaction in recalling the events that caused him and George to flee from Weed indicates his forgetfulness. Before reaching the ranch in Soledad, George instructs Lennie to "just stand there and not say [anything] (6)" if the boss asks him questions. However, upon arriving on the ranch Lennie forgets George's instructions and talks to the boss, but immediately he realizes his mistake and "drops his head in shame at having forgotten. (22)"
             In the novel, Lennie is not only forgetful, but also accident-prone. After being introduced and "questioned" by the boss, George turns to Lennie and says "so you weren't gonna say a word. Damn near lost us the job, and I got to talk [the boss] out of it. (23)" The trouble Lennie causes upon first arriving at the ranch portrays him as an individual who is accident-prone. In the city of Weed, Lennie curiously feels the "r
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Lennie: Of Mice and Men. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 00:44, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/8397.html