The Power of Friendship in The Novel of Mice of Men

Friendship is like a religion to some people if it is broken then they break, in the novel Of Mice Of Men friendship is a big part of the novel. In the novel, friendship is brought up many times throughout the novel the presence of friendship brings people closer, shows how much care for the person and a significant plot twist in the novel shows how friendship can turn. The absence and presence of friendship influences on the different characters in the novel. In the novel friendship costs Lennie his life, friendship brings kindness to George’s heart, the presence of friendship can change the way someone may act towards strangers and toward their own friends, which will be discussed in this essay.

George and Lennie face many obstacles and challenges throughout the novel Of Mice Of Men, together. Lennie irritates George throughout the novel but George never uses his hands to shut Lennie up, this is because of how forgetful Lennie gets. Lennie has a disability though that does not change George and Lennie’s friendship, George doesn’t care about the way how Lennie’s mind id set or how he talks George looks at Lennie’s heart. George and Lennie care about each other, their friendship has grown from a simple friendship to a brotherhood. When friendship is present in the novel, George and Lennie don’t act the same to their other “friends” as they do to each other. When George goes into town with slim Lennie is left alone with Crooks and Candy, they are all kind to each other but it is not the same as how George and Lennie treat each other. George must make a decision which is a decision which can dramatically change what happens in the future, George is pressured to kill Lennie because he knew Curley would torture him for killing his wife. George makes the decision to kill him because he doesn’t want Lennie to be tortured by Curley. Another sample of this is when Candy is faced with a decision to kill a life long friend he has had.

Candy had a dog that he has since the dog was a pup Candy has had many memories with the dog and their friendship has grown ever since. Candy does not treat this dog as a dog, but he treats the dog like it is his brother. The dog is so old that it has no teeth, is blind, and smells very bad, though Candy puts that all aside and cares for the dog for whom he is not for how he looks or smells like. Candy would also eat with his dog, many people say, “shoot that old dog” he would reply, “I have had this dog since he was a pup.” Candy is also faced with a life-changing decision to kill his dog so it will not have to suffer anymore. Candy decides to let Carlson shoot his dog so his dog will not have to suffer anymore. After his dog is killed the absence of his friend is gone, and he is not used to the disappearance of his long friend. Candy regrets letting a “stranger” kill his life long friend and wishes that he could have done it. In this paragraph Candy and his dog and George and Lennie demonstrate the true meaning about friendship.

George and Candy have faced will decision many people will never think they will have to make. They chose to end the sufferings of their friends and have made a decision that will change the future. They both show how much they care for the people they love and that they don’t want them to leave their side if they don’t have to. George and Candy make a hard to decide to kill the person/dog because they know if they don’t kill them they will suffer from health or from another person that will torture him till his last breath. This decision truly shows how their loyalty is to one another with the presence or absence of each other. To make a decision like this is very challenging though they knew if it is the better they will always make that choice.

To conclude, the presence of friendship truly changes someone and how they act. When George is with Lennie he acts differently than when he is with him because they have built a bond. When Candy is with his dog he is joyful because he has had the dog since he was a pup, this shows when his dog dies he feels like he has lost a part of him. The absence and presence of friendship influences on the different characters in the novel. In the novel friendship costs Lennie his life, friendship brings kindness to George’s heart, the presence of friendship can change the way someone may act towards strangers and toward their own friends. The absence of their friends has traumatized them, they were the ones to make the decision to kill them, so they do not have to see them tortured till their last breath.

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