Lennie Small

Lennie Small

1. Physical Apperance

   • Huge/Large/Big
     • Depicted as animalistic
       • "A huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders
       • "...he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws"
         • Similes and references towards animals emphasise and reiterate his animalistic demeanour
     • Strong
       • "Strong as a bull"

2. Personality

   • Childlike
     • Forgetful
     • "I like to pet nice things with my fingers, soft things"
       • Petting soft things give him a sense of security; when the rest of the world gets complicated and scary, petting soft things helps Lennie feel safe.
         • In petting dead mice, Lennie is doing something that makes him feel safe. Society as a whole would disapprove of what he is doing, but Lennie sees nothing wrong in his actions. When they have their farm, as George tells him at the end, Lennie will not need to be scared of bad things any more, and he can tend the rabbits and pet them.
     • "He heard Lennie's whimpering cry and wheeled about. 'Blubbering like a baby!"
   • Innocent
     • Forgetful
       • "Jesus Christ Lennie! You can't remember nothing that happens,"
       • "Say it over to yourself, Lennie, so you wont forget"
   • Limited Inteligence
     • Lennie's strength combined with his lack of intelligence and conscience make him dangerous, and he needs George to keep him out of trouble.
   • Gentle. and Kind; wouldn't delibiratly hurt anybody

3. Relationship with other characters

   • George
     • Dependant; Very close relationship
       • centered around the ideology that "friends are all you need" despite how their relationship comes across
         • Lennie could be compared with a dog; loyal to George
           • “they had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other.”
       • George is a sort of father-figure; gets him out of trouble
         • Lennie depends of George to get him out of trouble
           • “’Lennie!’ he said sharply ‘Lennie for Gods’ sakes don’t drink so much [...] You gonna be sick like you was last night.’”
           • "Lennie—if you jus' happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush… Hide in the brush till I come for you."
         • “Then [George] replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees, and embraced them. Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly.”
         • "Lennie was looking helplessly to George for instruction"
     • Symbolic of the harshness of the 1920's
   • Curley's Wife
   • Curley
     • Dispute and diagrements
       • Curley see George as a threat due to his size
   • Candy
     • Friendship develops over the course of the novel
       • Intends on having a farm with him
   • Crooks
     • Oblivious to rasism
       • Treats him as equals

4. Audience's Response

   • Likeable character
   • Sympathise for him

5. THe Amercican Dream in regards to Lennie Small

   • He shares a dream with George to own a piece of land.
     • Lennie's special job would be to tend the rabbits.
       • "Living of the fat of the land"
       • "The rabbits we're gonna get, and i get to tend 'em cut grass an' give em water, 'an like that"
     • Ultimately reflects freedom
     • Always believes it will happen
       • Oblivious; emphasises his childlike demeanour
       • "It aint no lie"
     • Depicts George and Lennie's Relationship
       • Audience enjoy the happiness they share in contrast to the rest of the novel