Friendship in Of Mice And Men Essay

In Steinbecks novel Of Mice and Men one of the most important themes is friendship. The friendship between George and Lennie is unique in that they both fill a void and ultimately bring joy to each other. George relies on Lennie; he needs him for emotional comfort and support. Lennie too not only relies but depends on George for guidance in day to day life. Even though their needs for each other are different it cannot be said that one needs the other more. Both need each other equally. What they gain from their friendship is invaluable.

Steinbeck suggests that human beings are at their best when they have someone to aspire towards for guidance and protection. With George as a friend Lennie is at his best. He has a child like mind but nevertheless he is at his best. It is clear that without George by his side Lennie would have no clue of what to do or how to go about making logical decisions; we see this when George asserts the point Jesus Christ Lennie! You cant remember nothing that happens, but you remember ever word I say. So we can see that without Georges guidance Lennie would not have the intellectual ability to make his own decisions, thus Lennies need for Georges guidance.

We see in the novel that Lennie cannot even bare the idea of not having George in his life. Lennie knows himself that he needs George in his life. Lennie realises that he needs Georges guidance and organisation to live his life and has a fear of losing that external help. Just after Lennie accidently kills Curleys wife he runs down to the safe place and hides in the brush. In this time his conscience appears to him in the form of a bunny and repeatedly tells him He gona leave ya all alone. At hearing this Lennie flares into a fearful panic and tries to convince himself its not true, He aint, I tell ya he aint! This in itself shows that even Lennie knows he needs George in his life.

Loneliness is responsible for a great deal of human suffering. George very well understands this point, thus his major need for Lennie. George, unlike Lennie has the matured mind to understand the uniqueness of their relationship. Even though these two men live on the margins of society they still enjoy the major comfort of knowing that they have each other no matter what. George knows that without Lennie he would be a suffering lonely man. When Lennie dies Georges nightmares come true and his dream of the farm dies. At this point we see just how much George needed Lennie and just how powerful and beautiful their friendship was. As George liked to say Guys like us got no fambly. They aint got nobody in the worl that gives a hoot in hell bout em. But not us, because I got you and you got me. Furthermore, in that speech George slurs the word fambly as he is crying. This emotion indicates Georges realisation that he is about to lose Lennie forever. It is clear that George needs Lennie for that emotional support to keep him going and to maintain his morale.

Life for George would be far more beneficial without the burden of having to worry about Lennie. When Lennie does something wrong George yells at him highlighting the benefits life would have without Lennie in it If I was alone I could live so easily, I could get a job and not have no mess. And when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks an go to a cat house. Yet George stays with Lennie even though nothing is stopping him from leaving and enjoying those talked about benefits. This ultimately shows the emotional need George has for Lennie.

It is clear that the need George and Lennie have for each other is equally important. Although different, each fills the void they have and helps them be better people and live more fulfilled lives. Lennie needs George for guidance and protection while George needs Lennie for emotional comfort. A bond like theirs should never be broken.