Society: Is it What it Seems?

The 1937 novella, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck is about a pair of migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small. These two are seeking to make a stake and get themselves a small piece of land to call their own. In their world, it is rare to see two guys who are like brothers, who care what happens to the other one, so they are seen as something of an oddity. The main conflict in Of Mice and Men is character(s) vs. Society because George and Lennie are on the run from a community that rejects them because of a single mistake, because of a man named Curley, and ex-boxer turned farmhand who is bitter and ready to fly into action at any second, and because of Lennie’s disability.

So far, George and Lennie have escaped Weed and are in the clearing camping, when Lennie says something that set’s off George:

“You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You keep me in hot water all the time... Jus’ wanted to feel that girl’s dress - Well how the hell did she know you jus’ wanted to feel her dress? She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse. She yells and we got to hide in a irrigation ditch all day with guys lookin’ for us, and we got to sneak out in the dark and get outta the country... ” (p. 11)

Well, this shows that the main conflict in this book is character vs. society because it mentions how society has a block against trying to understand George and Lennie’s situation. Society believes that they are something of a danger, something that if messed with will (for lack of a better phrase) bite you in the ass. Society sees George and Lennie as a threat, because George is quick and smart, and Lennie, on the other hand, is large and fairly dumb. They believe that there is no way that their intentions are what they say they are. They’re seen as possible con men, judging by something the boss says later in the book. And this girl, this girl did not wait for an explanation, she just screamed and threw the boys into a pot of hot water from which they could have died trying to escape...

George and Lennie have just gotten their job and one of the stablehands’ dogs had puppies. Lennie has been given one, and stubbornly tries to have it sleep in his bed with him. After a sharp reprimand, Slim comments:

Slim had not moved. His calm eyes followed Lennie out the door. “Jesus,” he said “He’s jes’ like a kid, ain’t he.”

    “Sure he’s jes’ like a kid” (pg. 43)

This certainly shows society’s misunderstanding of Lennie’s disability. Earlier in the book, George actually has to tell a lie to get Lennie the job because society doesn’t like “Lennie’s type” He tells the boss that Lennie had been kicked in the head by a horse as a kid, and that his brain damage was not of natural causes. In some ways it makes you wonder why being kicked in the head is more acceptable than being born with a disability, and in other ways it shows people’s intolerance towards those different from them, especially those who “aren’t quite right in the head”

It’s been a while since they arrived at the farm, and Curley is lookin’ for his wife, whom he believes is sneaking around with Slim. He finds Slim, alone, applying tar to a hoof. Slim scares him for his mistake and everyone heads back to the bunk house. The guys are making fun of Curley while Lennie mulls over the prospect of their own plot:

... Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.

    Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier. “What the hell you laughin’ at?” (p. 62)

Wow, not only does this show some underlying superiority problems in Curley, this and what happens next show how the ranch hands are unable or unwilling to mess with Curely too much for fear of losing their jobs. It goes to follow that Curley attacks Lennie, and when no one moves in to help, George orders Lennie to fight back in anyway he can. Lennie crushes Curley’s hand for his trouble. The hands have to scare Curley into not telling on Lennie and getting him fired, therefore showing that society, though not exactly against them, is unwilling to help them because Curley is the boss’s son and can destroy lives with a single word.

Overall this book truly shows society’s inhibitions toward a) Lennie’s disability and b) George and Lennie’s relationship. Curley is one such person in society, rejecting Lennie and George out of hand because they look different, the community in Weeds is another example, and lastly, Lennie’s disability is the cause of much strife withing society.