Themes in Of Mice and Men

Friendship friendship between L&G is strained, paternal relationship "For god's sake Lennie don't drink so much" G is occasionally resentful of duty "I could get along so easy if I didn't have you" Both are protective of each other: "Ain't nobody gon hurt George" "I ain't gonna let em hurt Lennie" They are each other's only companions: "I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you" Loneliness G is lonely - duty towards Lennie "I could live so easy and maybe have a girl" "Guys like us are the loneliest guys in the world", George kills Lennie - kills his only companion Curley's Wife: "I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely sometimes" Crooks: "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody", "a guy needs somebody to be near him" Candy: "got no relatives or nothing", his dog is shot, no companion The American Dream Lennie&George: "live off the fatta the lan", "pet rabbits", "cream is so god damn thick you got to cut it with a knife" Candy: joins in on L&G's dream, finally useful: "s'pose I went in with you guys", "it'll be our own place" Curley's Wife: "a guy told me he could put me in the pitchers" "i coulda made somethin of myself" "coulda had nice clothes. coulda sat in them big hotels" Crooks: "chicken ranch" "strawberry/alfalfa patch". hopeful: "if you guys would want a hand to work for nothing", cynical, realist: "forget it" "nobody gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land" Power Slim: "moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen", "prince of the ranch", "opinions were law", "all talk stopped when he spoke", "gravity in his manner", "Godlike eyes", to Curley: "you lay offa me", "Carlson stepped back to let Slim precede him" - respected, authority George: always precedes Lennie, "give it to me", kills Lennie Lennie: physical strength: "strong as a bull", "Curley's hand was lost in Lennie's paw" Curley's Wife: entrances Lennie: "she's purty", only has authority over Crooks: "I could get you strung up a tree so quick it ain't even funny"

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