Lennie In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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In the renowned novel by Nobel Laureate John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, the author writes about an important theme regarding human essence: that one should be defined not by his intelligence, power, age, handicap, background, or other outwardly nature, but by his or her kindness and empathy. Steinbeck illustrates this using the backdrop of the Great Depression in the farmland of California, where a story of two ranchers takes place. Lennie, a large, powerful man with a mental disability, is extremely kind and empathetic to all people regardless of their semblance. Even with his strength and large size, he is shown as humble and often selfless. For example, even when Curley, the ranch boss’s son, picked a fight with Lennie (which Lennie won), Lennie complained that he…show more content…
Yet even in the face of this discrimination, Crooks is able to be a good person with a strong character, regardless of the bitterness he had developed by isolation and fear. This change from bitterness to kindness and true display of character is shown in his conversations with Lennie and Candy. In his conversation with Lennie, at first he is resentful, cold, and almost apathetic, causing anger in Lennie until Crooks spills out with his grief and loneliness, confessing his true emotions (which he was never allowed to do with anyone else). “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black… A guy needs somebody to be near him… I didn’t mean to scare you,” (page 71) Crooks apologizes and divulges his innermost feelings to Lennie. A similar pattern occurs when he speaks with Candy. At first he tells Candy to forget his dream farmland until gradually he opens. “If you guys would want a hand… why I’d come an’ lend a hand,” (page 75). He reverts to apathy once more, however, when Curley’s wife threatens to lynch
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