In John Steinbeck's novel, 'Of Mice and Men', a character who strongly draws my interest as a reader, is George, a man whose qualities, actions and circumstances, attracts my admiration, compassion, and sympathy.
George is quick witted and intelligent, in Slim's words, "a smart little guy", although George thinks otherwise as he points out: "If i was even a little bit smart, I'd have my own little place, an' I'd be bringing in my own crops, 'stead of doin' all the work and not getting what comes up outa the ground." There are two main reasons as to why George is a ranch hand. One; he cannot afford to buy his own ranch, and the second reason is because of George's companion, Lennie, who is a retard; a big man with a mind of a child. George looks after Lennie, and the only way they can stay together is wandering around the ranches, as a long stay in any one area simply increases the chances of Lennie doing something wrong.
George is a very kind and softhearted person. Although sometimes, the reader recognises the anger and sharpness in him, as when he says to Lennie, "When i think of the swell time i could have without you, i go nuts. I never get no peace." But this is not a reflection of his real temperament, but the result of the way he is forced to live, and the tensions that inevitably come with having to look after Lennie and get him out of trouble. His relationship with Lennie matures him, originally George played cruel tricks on Lennie, but stopped when he realised how childish and unthinking this was.
Undoubtedly, George has come to like Lennie, and feels a sense of duty and responsibility towards him. But there is more to their partnership then this. Lennie needs George, and would be lost without him, but it is equally true that George needs Lennie. The companionship with Lennie is what stave off the horrors of loneliness, and also gives George a sense of being different, not like all the thousands of ranch-hands, as Slim comments, "I hardly never seen two guys travel together.
