Character Sketch: Lennie (Of Mice and Men)
“A huge man, shapeless of face with large pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders: and he walked a little the way a bear would, heavily dragging his feet as he did so.” This is how John Steinbeck decided to tastefully describe the physical attributes of one of his most memorable characters, Lennie. However, it isn’t Lennie’s ‘teddy-bear’ appearance that has lived in people’s memories for decades. Rather it’s his persistent, trusting, dreamy, loyal, absent-minded, and almost insane personality, which hasn’t ceased to exist.
Lennie and George’s loyalty and friendship is something that can forever be used as an example. As Lennie himself states in the book he trusts George more than anyone else. It’s this very trust that lets Lennie believe there is a reason to work and live everyday. Lennie believes that George will help him make his dream come true and till his death he puts all his trust and loyalty into George.
Lennie portrays a man who has a dream, which he refuses to give up. Every moment of his day Lennie dreams of his perfect home, where there are rabbits which he can feed and a place where it’s just him and George. His belief of this asylum almost drives him to the point of insanity. His persistence never ended and his dream is one which can be shared.
Two of Lennie’s most significant characteristics are his absent-mindedness and his forgetfulness. Never does George explain something only once, but rather everything must be explained to Lennie three or four times. Even then the majority of the time Lennie fails to remember what George has said to him and lands them both into trouble. Lennie always tries to remember but sadly he always seems to fail to remember.
Though Lennie’s traits are both innocent a likable they ultimately bring him to his death. Lennie’s childish and dreamy personality led him to a state of happiness, belief and insanity. However his loyalty and very real personality will always be remembered.
March 10, 2004
