Of Mice and Men Group

Question:

mmatuny
mmatuny
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Were George's thoughts influenced because he was responsible for Lennie & why were some characters respected while others weren't?

Please give me some quotes for those.  The only quote I have for George having responsibility is “I want you to stay with me Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself. No, you stay with me. Your Aunt Clara wouldn’t like you running off by yourself, even if she is dead.”

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Posted by mmatuny on Thursday March 12, 2009 at 6:38 PM and tagged with george, lennie, of mice and men, respect, responsibility.

Answers:

  1. dneshan
    dneshan Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    George’s thoughts and actions are definitely influenced due to the fact that he is the sole person responsible for Lennie.  It is clear in the novel that George wants so much more from his life but because he has this constant burden of having to take care of Lennie and be responsible for what he says and does he can not reach what he believes his full potential to be.  George says and alludes many times in the novel to the fact that Lennie holds him back.  George has to protect Lennie, and therefore, he must be careful of everything that he says and does.   The characters who are respected in the novel are those that are in charge and have power or those who have been around the farm for a long while and have, therefore, acquired a great deal of knowledge about life.  Those who are not respected seem to be those who have deformities (Crooks) and who just don’t seem to fit in (Lennie, Crooks, and Curley’s wife). 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/ofmice

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    Posted by dneshan on Friday March 13, 2009 at 5:21 AM