The main character of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is George Milton. George is a migrant worker who has taken on the responsibility of taking care for his friend Lennie Smalls, a strong kind man who suffers from a mild disability. Throughout the novel, George has many weaknesses, conflicts, and strengths. While George is quick tempered, he is also smart, protective, and responsible. He faces numerous conflicts, but most of them are a result of Lennie's actions. Through George, the author enables readers to examine several important aspects of life in general, such as injustice and The American Dream.
George has many weaknesses of the novel Of Mice and Men. One weakness is his temper. George often gets frustrated with Lennie and reminds Lennie how much better his life would be if Lennie were not a part of it. He sometimes is insensitive to Lennie's disability and allows his vexation to get the best of him. In the beginning of the novel, for example, he loses his patience after Lennie repeatedly asks for ketchup with his beans. "'God you're a lot of trouble' said George. 'I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn't have you in my tail'" (7). A second weakness is George's hopelessness. He does not trust that he and Lennie will ever escape their lives as migrant workers. Even though he recites the dream of owning a ranch for Lennie, George does not believe in the reality of this dream. It is only when Candy, a ranch swamper, offers to contribute money that George finally allows himself to believe that the dream might actually happen. .
A third weakness George experiences is loneliness. After George shoots Lennie at the end of the novel, he is left all alone. He no longer had his best friend and traveling companion. Even Carlson senses George's sadness. When Slim arrives and finds Lennie's dead body, he confronts George and the two walk together up the road. Carlson then tells Curley, "Now what the hell ha suppose is eatin' them two guys" (107).
