Lennie Small a very complex character. The description of this character is very precise, and so is his personality. Many of the other characters in the book react to Lennie in very different ways; some liking and some disliking him. The location and the time period of the novel both play important roles in the characterization of Lennie Small in the book Of Mice and Men.
The location and the time period of the novel both play key roles in the development of Lennie Smalls character. The novel takes place some time during the Great Depression. During this time, there was very little money available in the United States of America. This made education very low. People were not as smart as they are today. Lennie was one of those uneducated people. Another thing that contributed to Lennies personality and other characteristics was the location of the story. It took place in the south. There were no large cities; only small towns and lone ranches. The slang and vocabulary of the people in the south at this time were extremely hard to understand. Lennies mental condition made his vocabulary limited and hard to understand. But, it also effected his intelligence.
Lennie Small has an extremely accurate character description. His intelligence for one is described thoroughly. Lennies intelligence is extremely low. The way that he acts in the story, almost suggests that he has a mental retardation. His thoughts are of those of a young childs. For example, Lennie tried to sneak a young puppy into his bunk while everyone was around. He walked in through the door with his arms hidden with the puppy and his denim shirt draped over his shoulders as if it was a cape (Steinbeck 47). A person with a normal amount of intelligence at his age would have known that his little plan would not have worked. Also, when Curley was attacking and beating up Lennie, all that he did was stand there with his hands over his face screaming in terror; crying out like a frightened child, unable to think about what to do. It was not until George told him to fight back, that he did (69). This shows that Lennie cannot make his own decisions without the assistance of George. Also, that he mostly only does what George tells him to do. In a way that a child follows orders from his parents. Not only can he not make decisions on his own, but his memory is dysfunctional as well.
Lennies memory is short termed. He cannot remember most things from long ago. An example of his short termed memory was when he said, I remember a lady used to give em to me-ever one she got (10). Lennie was referring to his Aunt Clara who used to take care of him. The things that she used to give him were mice. He was unable to remember her. Also, George told Lennie not to say anything to their new boss when they were to first meet him. But, Lennie later went on to say in front of the boss, Strong as a bull (24). Lennie later confessed to George that he had forgotten not to say anything and that he was sorry. That was an example of how short termed Lennies memory was. The very little that Lennie actually remembered was the rabbits (15,62,100,ect). He was so fascinated with tending to the rabbits is also an example of how he has the characteristics of a small child. Lennie also only paid attention to the things that deeply interested him.
His attention span was short. He was either thinking about the pups (puppies) or the rabbits, or petting and holding the young pups. Whenever a situation came up that did not interest Lennie, he would talk about the rabbits and how he was going to be able to tend to them. For example, Curleys wife was talking about how she could have been an actress; and all Lennie does to respond to what she was talking about was to tell how he could hide the dead puppy which he had just killed by accident and still be able to tend to the rabbits because he thought that George would never find out about his irresponsibility (97,98). This is a good example of how uninterested he was of other things that did not effect him. Lennie Smalls language was extremely simplified in a way that he almost talked in broken English. One main reason for this is because of the time period and the location of the story. The story takes place in a time period probably close to the depression, if not during it, down in southern United States. The majority of the characters including Lennie, spoke with broken English. An example of this is when Lennie says, Cause I can jus as well go away, George, an live in a cave (18). When it should have been said, Because I could just as well go off and live in a cave, George. Another phrase stated by Lennie was, Shes purty( 35). Instead of She is pretty. Lennies mental capacity is also a factor in his vocabulary and speech. Lennie had a very distinguished appearance. He was a very tall and muscular man. Lennies His face was basically shapeless. Pale and large were his eyes. Also, his shoulders were both wide and sloping (2). He also had a very distinguished walk. Lennie walked very differently than George. He took short strides and drug his feet along. His arms layed motionless at his sides as he hung them there while he walked. Whereas George did the complete opposite (2). The personality of Lennie Small was a very good one. He was friendly to everyone. Lennie also loved animals; just like a young innocent child. There was only one point in the book where Lennie showed true hatred. That was when George was describing the place that they were going to get and he mentioned how Lennie was going to have to keep the cats away from the rabbits so that they would not injure or even kill the rabbits. Lennie said, You jus let em try to get the rabbits. Ill break their God damn necks IllIll smash em with a stick. (64). But, the only reason that he got upset was because he did not want anything to happen to the rabbits that he thought and dreamed about everyday. He did not understand that it was wrong to kill the cats if they got too close to the rabbits. That is another example of how he has the characteristics of a young child. Some of the characters liked these character traits that Lennie possessed, and some of them did not.
The other characters in the story had many different reactions and thoughts about Lennie. Some of those were positive and some were negative. The people that had the distinct thoughts and actions were George Milton, Crooks, Curleys wife, and Curley.
George Milton stuck up for Lennie because he knew that Lennie did not know enough to live and make decisions on his own without make large mistakes. In fact, George made many of Lennies Decisions for him. An example is when Curley was beating up Lennie and George yelled out, Get em Lennie (69). It was not until that moment where Lennie fought back. Overall, George knew that Lennie was very slow, but he cared about him also. That was how George felt about Lennie; Crooks opinion was kind of the same. Crooks, the crippled African American had a straight out, basic opinion of Lennie. He thought that Lennie was a retarded person with the dream to get his own place. Crooks said to Lennie, Youre nuts. and Youre as crazy as a wedge. (76). That shows his basic thoughts about Lennie. But, it is shown that Crooks enjoyed Lennies company, by Crooks not throwing him out of his room. Basically, if Lennie and George had stuck around longer, Crooks and Lennie probably would have stated on good terms and might have even become friends. Which is very different from Lennie and Curleys relationship.
The character Curley hated Lennie. Curley was the ranch owners son. He hated Lennie because Lennie was big and he was small. Curly felt that he had to act macho and strong and fight Lennie. He took the first good chance that he saw. It happened when Lennie was giggling while thinking about getting his own place. Curley fought him, but lost because of Lennies great strength (69). Curleys wife did not fell the same way though.
Curleys wife liked Lennie. She knew that she could talk to him about anything; from trouble with Curley, to how she could have been an actress. She knew that Lennie was a nice fellow. She also thought that he was nuts. For example, she said, Youre nuts. , and But youre a nice fella. Jus like a big baby. (99). This showed that she felt allright around him.
Lennie Small was an interesting and realistic character. His description was thorough. His personality was different from all of the other characters in the novel. Also, the other characters had a variety of opinions about him; both good and bad. Lennie was described both in depth and in detail.
Lennie Small a very complex character. The description of this character is very precise, and so is his personality. Many of the other characters in the book react to Lennie in very different ways; some liking and some disliking him. The location and the time period of the novel both play important roles in the characterization of Lennie Small in the book Of Mice and Men.
The location and the time period of the novel both play key roles in the development of Lennie Smalls character. The novel takes place some time during the Great Depression. During this time, there was very little money available in the United States of America. This made education very low. People were not as smart as they are today. Lennie was one of those uneducated people. Another thing that contributed to Lennies personality and other characteristics was the location of the story. It took place in the south. There were no large cities; only small towns and lone ranches. The slang and vocabulary of the people in the south at this time were extremely hard to understand. Lennies mental condition made his vocabulary limited and hard to understand. But, it also effected his intelligence.
Lennie Small has an extremely accurate character description. His intelligence for one is described thoroughly. Lennies intelligence is extremely low. The way that he acts in the story, almost suggests that he has a mental retardation. His thoughts are of those of a young childs. For example, Lennie tried to sneak a young puppy into his bunk while everyone was around. He walked in through the door with his arms hidden with the puppy and his denim shirt draped over his shoulders as if it was a cape (Steinbeck 47). A person with a normal amount of intelligence at his age would have known that his little plan would not have worked. Also, when Curley was attacking and beating up Lennie, all that he did was stand there with his hands over his face screaming in terror; crying out like a frightened child, unable to think about what to do. It was not until George told him to fight back, that he did (69). This shows that Lennie cannot make his own decisions without the assistance of George. Also, that he mostly only does what George tells him to do. In a way that a child follows orders from his parents. Not only can he not make decisions on his own, but his memory is dysfunctional as well.
Lennies memory is short termed. He cannot remember most things from long ago. An example of his short termed memory was when he said, I remember a lady used to give em to me-ever one she got (10). Lennie was referring to his Aunt Clara who used to take care of him. The things that she used to give him were mice. He was unable to remember her. Also, George told Lennie not to say anything to their new boss when they were to first meet him. But, Lennie later went on to say in front of the boss, Strong as a bull (24). Lennie later confessed to George that he had forgotten not to say anything and that he was sorry. That was an example of how short termed Lennies memory was. The very little that Lennie actually remembered was the rabbits (15,62,100,ect). He was so fascinated with tending to the rabbits is also an example of how he has the characteristics of a small child. Lennie also only paid attention to the things that deeply interested him.
His attention span was short. He was either thinking about the pups (puppies) or the rabbits, or petting and holding the young pups. Whenever a situation came up that did not interest Lennie, he would talk about the rabbits and how he was going to be able to tend to them. For example, Curleys wife was talking about how she could have been an actress; and all Lennie does to respond to what she was talking about was to tell how he could hide the dead puppy which he had just killed by accident and still be able to tend to the rabbits because he thought that George would never find out about his irresponsibility (97,98). This is a good example of how uninterested he was of other things that did not effect him. Lennie Smalls language was extremely simplified in a way that he almost talked in broken English. One main reason for this is because of the time period and the location of the story. The story takes place in a time period probably close to the depression, if not during it, down in southern United States. The majority of the characters including Lennie, spoke with broken English. An example of this is when Lennie says, Cause I can jus as well go away, George, an live in a cave (18). When it should have been said, Because I could just as well go off and live in a cave, George. Another phrase stated by Lennie was, Shes purty( 35). Instead of She is pretty. Lennies mental capacity is also a factor in his vocabulary and speech. Lennie had a very distinguished appearance. He was a very tall and muscular man. Lennies His face was basically shapeless. Pale and large were his eyes. Also, his shoulders were both wide and sloping (2). He also had a very distinguished walk. Lennie walked very differently than George. He took short strides and drug his feet along. His arms layed motionless at his sides as he hung them there while he walked. Whereas George did the complete opposite (2). The personality of Lennie Small was a very good one. He was friendly to everyone. Lennie also loved animals; just like a young innocent child. There was only one point in the book where Lennie showed true hatred. That was when George was describing the place that they were going to get and he mentioned how Lennie was going to have to keep the cats away from the rabbits so that they would not injure or even kill the rabbits. Lennie said, You jus let em try to get the rabbits. Ill break their God damn necks IllIll smash em with a stick. (64). But, the only reason that he got upset was because he did not want anything to happen to the rabbits that he thought and dreamed about everyday. He did not understand that it was wrong to kill the cats if they got too close to the rabbits. That is another example of how he has the characteristics of a young child. Some of the characters liked these character traits that Lennie possessed, and some of them did not.
The other characters in the story had many different reactions and thoughts about Lennie. Some of those were positive and some were negative. The people that had the distinct thoughts and actions were George Milton, Crooks, Curleys wife, and Curley.
George Milton stuck up for Lennie because he knew that Lennie did not know enough to live and make decisions on his own without make large mistakes. In fact, George made many of Lennies Decisions for him. An example is when Curley was beating up Lennie and George yelled out, Get em Lennie (69). It was not until that moment where Lennie fought back. Overall, George knew that Lennie was very slow, but he cared about him also. That was how George felt about Lennie; Crooks opinion was kind of the same. Crooks, the crippled African American had a straight out, basic opinion of Lennie. He thought that Lennie was a retarded person with the dream to get his own place. Crooks said to Lennie, Youre nuts. and Youre as crazy as a wedge. (76). That shows his basic thoughts about Lennie. But, it is shown that Crooks enjoyed Lennies company, by Crooks not throwing him out of his room. Basically, if Lennie and George had stuck around longer, Crooks and Lennie probably would have stated on good terms and might have even become friends. Which is very different from Lennie and Curleys relationship.
The character Curley hated Lennie. Curley was the ranch owners son. He hated Lennie because Lennie was big and he was small. Curly felt that he had to act macho and strong and fight Lennie. He took the first good chance that he saw. It happened when Lennie was giggling while thinking about getting his own place. Curley fought him, but lost because of Lennies great strength (69). Curleys wife did not fell the same way though.
Curleys wife liked Lennie. She knew that she could talk to him about anything; from trouble with Curley, to how she could have been an actress. She knew that Lennie was a nice fellow. She also thought that he was nuts. For example, she said, Youre nuts. , and But youre a nice fella. Jus like a big baby. (99). This showed that she felt allright around him.
Lennie Small was an interesting and realistic character. His description was thorough. His personality was different from all of the other characters in the novel. Also, the other characters had a variety of opinions about him; both good and bad. Lennie was described both in depth and in detail.
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