Literary Analysis: of Mice and Men

Have you ever once in your life felt lost? Throughout our lives, we come across many journeys that will leave us feeling very unwanted, have low hopes, or cause us to feel at some points very depressed. All of this only seems to stop when we travel/are with another human soul. In the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie both very different in height and shape, are both two wandering souls with nowhere to go but also very alike in spirit. It is in their relationship that you can really see companionship expressed. In the story, Of Mice and Men, two men struggle to accomplish their dreams of owning a ranch and living on it together. Though they are both different personality-wise, they can get through anything that life puts in their way such as living together, traveling together, etc. Their friendship is shown throughout this story but is especially seen in their plan to own their own farm and live on it together.

In the first part of this story, George explains how important Lennie really is to him and that without his help he would overall be nothing. Even though George is upset with Lennie along with his remarks stating how easy life might be without Lennie, he still believes that even though they have no family to go back to, they still have each other to look out for. 'Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family, they don't belong any place...with us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.'(Steinbeck 14) George finishes his sentence but Lennie proceeds with, 'An' why? Because..because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why.'(Steinbeck 14) This shows the reader that even when George and Lennie are upset with one another they still really care about each other even though they might doubt each other at certain times.

Later on in the story, Lennie accidentally murders Curley's wife. To avenge his wife, Curly sends out a lynch mob to go and attack/kill Lennie. Instead of having Curley's mob kill and destroy Lennie, George makes a quick decision to spare Lennie's life. Towards the beginning of the story, George says to Lennie that if he gets caught in trouble or a situation that he can't get out of, 'come right here an' hide in this brush.'(Steinbeck 15) After the news of the killing, to George's surprise Lennie 'appears out of the brush'(Steinbeck 100), the same spot where George had told Lennie to hide in case anything bad happened. The one aspect that really pops out in Lennie and George's relationship is the fact that Lennie doesn't listen to commands given by anyone else except for George. When George sees Lennie ' daydreaming' he is forced to act very fast for the lynch mob is crawling closer and closer. As George raises the gun to Lennie's head and sparing his life, he can dream about the future he would have had with Lennie on the farm one last time.

Works cited

1. Steinbeck, J. (1937). Of mice and men. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
2. This is the primary source for the essay, and it provides important information about the relationship between George and Lennie, as well as the events that transpire in the story.
3. Bryant, L. (2019). Friendship and Companionship in Of Mice and Men. GradesFixer. Retrieved from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/friendship-and-companionship-in-of-mice-and-men/
4. This article explores the theme of friendship and companionship in Of Mice and Men and provides insights into how this theme is presented in the story.
5. Alphonse, M. (2018). The Importance of Friendship in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@mikaelalphonse/the-importance-of-friendship-in-of-mice-and-men-by-john-steinbeck-3908fcb2e19c
6. This article discusses the importance of friendship in Of Mice and Men, and how the relationship between George and Lennie exemplifies this theme.
7. Mayhew, E. (2019). Loneliness and Isolation in Of Mice and Men. GradesFixer. Retrieved from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/loneliness-and-isolation-in-of-mice-and-men/
8. This article explores the theme of loneliness and isolation in Of Mice and Men, which is a central aspect of the story.
9. Goodwin, T. (2016). Male Friendship in Of Mice and Men. The Artifice. Retrieved from https://the-artifice.com/male-friendship-in-of-mice-and-men/
10. This article discusses the theme of male friendship in Of Mice and Men, and how this theme is presented in the story.
11. Wilson, K. (2017). The Theme of Powerlessness in Of Mice and Men. ThoughtCo. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/of-mice-and-men-themes-373376
12. This article explores the theme of powerlessness in Of Mice and Men, which is reflected in the struggles of the characters and their inability to achieve their dreams.
13. Kubal, M. (2019). The Concept of the American Dream in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@melanikubal/the-concept-of-the-american-dream-in-of-mice-and-men-by-john-steinbeck-2407a055a194
14. This article discusses the theme of the American Dream in Of Mice and Men and how it is portrayed in the story.
15. Steinbeck, J. (1962). The Short Novels of John Steinbeck. New York, NY: Viking Press.
16. This is a collection of John Steinbeck's short novels, which includes Of Mice and Men. It provides a broader understanding of Steinbeck's literary style and themes.
17. Hattenhauer, D. (2005). John Steinbeck: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. New York, NY: Facts On File.
18. This book provides a comprehensive overview of John Steinbeck's life and work, including analysis of Of Mice and Men.
19. Bloom, H. (2007). John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism.
20. This book provides critical analysis of Of Mice and Men, exploring its themes, characters, and literary style.