The Loyalest Friend In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The Loyalest Friend

All humans are genetically born different nobody’s the same. Some are born with blue eyes, brown hair, and others are born with disabilities. In John Steinbeck’s novel, Mice and Men, readers meet George Milton a man who is a father figure to Lennie Smalls a mentally challenged man. The author allows readers to see the different sides of George, from being understanding and compassionate to being furious with Lennie due to his actions. Throughout everything George chooses to make Lennie his responsibility and does his best to keep him out of trouble making him one of the best book characters. The novel is a real eye opener because it shows readers not only what disabled people go through, but what the caretaker goes through
Lennie likes touching soft things and when he sees a girl wearing a soft dress he can’t help himself but to touch the dress and gets accused of attempted rape. “Jus’ wanted to feel that girl’s dress - jus’ wanted to pet like it was a mouse” (Steinbeck 7). Since Lennie is mentally challenged he doesn’t always make good decisions, in a way he doesn’t have common sense. This causes him to get himself in a lot of trouble and takes down George with him. Instead of ditching Lennie when he’s accused of attempted rape George being the loyal friend he is, helps Lennie run away from authorities because he know that Lennie doesn’t know any better. George could easily take the easy way out and turn in Lennie, he could finally be free and do whatever he wants without having to worry about him but he knows better and sticks by his side. If that’s not loyalty then what is? Besides being a loyal friend George also has a rare quality that not a lot of people have, patience. When Lennie starts talking about petting mouses or rabbits multiply times a day there's no denying that it gets annoying. “An’ have rabbits, go on George tell about what we’re gonna have it the garden and about the rabbits in the cages… Tell about that George” (Steinbeck 9). Many people wouldn’t be able to deal with special people like Lennie and would have them locked in a psychiatric hospital where they’d be experimented on but George would rather put up with Lennie’s annoying stories then have him locked up. Just imagine having a friend who only talks about how soft mouses and rabbits are 24/7, it's not easy to have patience. Sure George has his moments were he can’t take anymore of Lennie’s stories but it's understandable. There is only so much a person could take before they explode. Lennie accidently murders Curley’s