Similarities Between John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Second there are the near constant threats and verbal abuse that are a link between the movie and the novella. Though the novella begins with an established relationship between George and Lennie, the movie begins with Charlie and Raymond being perfect strangers. In fact, while at the mental institution Charlie asks Suzanna who the crazy person sitting in his car is. For a long time Charlie exhibits abusive behaviour towards Raymond, shouting and degrading Raymond when he is angry and using him for personal gain. Once when he is particularly angry, Charlie tells Raymond to “stop acting like a fucking retard.” (Bass) We never see George’s behaviour extend that far, because he has known Lennie for much longer, however he too is at fault. George…show more content…
In this way George can make sure that Lennie becomes afraid of being left alone and will listen to what he has to say. Charlie uses a slightly different, though still similar, tactic. Rather than manipulative and threatening words, Charlie screams and cusses at Raymond until either Raymond stops or Charlie gives up. Raymond never hints with facial features or even says that he may be upset, he can not help his actions anymore than Lennie can. Charlie can not understand Raymond’s mind, he has no prior experience working with someone who has a mental disability and he is certainly not patient. Exasperated and impatient Charlie says that “[Raymond] is killing [him].”…show more content…
Therefore a derived element from both works is the idealized view of brotherly bonds. The plots of both the novella and the movie are very much dependent on the idea that connection shared between two people who are brothers or are like brothers will be stronger than any opposing force. Whether the characters are polar opposites, have different goals, or hardly know each other does not matter. Whereas George and Lennie are not brothers, though probably the only friend the other has, Charlie and Raymond are actual blood brothers, however they hardly know each other. These differences do not matter as both couples share an equally strong bond by the end of the novella and movie. Granted, George has to kill Lennie and Charlie has to let Raymond go, but it is the strong bonds they share that allow these actions to occur. Someone who is not as close to Lennie as George is probably would not have killed him quickly and mercifully, they would have joined Curley’s lynch mob. Similarly, someone who does not love Raymond as much as Charlie does would have taken the bribe and sold Raymond out right then. But by the end of both the novella and movie it is no longer just about what George and Charlie need, they are the caretakers and therefore must think of what is best for their companion. At the beginning of the movie Charlie tells Raymond “[they are] brothers, and [they are] gonna have
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