Lennie Small

From the moment we learn why Lennie and George are on the road (Lennie’s dress-petting incident in Weed), we realize that Lennie’s combination of small thinking and big body is bad news. Lennie doesn’t know his own strength, but he’s also unable to gauge other people’s (or animals’) weaknesses. Lennie is best described as childlike; he embodies the best characteristics of a childish mentality – innocence, exuberance, and earnest love and trust – but he also embodies the worst – unchecked anger, irresponsibility, and an inability to connect his actions to their consequences.

Throughout the text, our feelings for Lennie vacillate almost as wildly as his actions. He inspires our sympathy when we learn how simply and earnestly he wants to take care of the rabbits. But, when he’s out of control, Lennie can be scary. (Think about when he menacingly threatens Crooks.) Because Lennie is so quick to get emotional, so unable to be rational, and so physically large, his feelings and lack of thought are bound to get him into trouble. Still, his innocence and helplessness (set off by his large physical stature) make him a particularly endearing character. Lennie’s clearly a champ at winning hearts (he won over Candy and Crook), but it’s unclear whether their friendship means very much to Lennie. The big guy seems mostly obsessed with George. And the dream farm.

Lennie’s character also raises myriad questions, like how he conceives of his relationship with George, and whether the dream farm is a real life goal for Lennie or simply an opportunity to have rabbits all his own. Further, Lennie’s comfort with (or obliviousness to) death is odd, as introduced by the first scene with the dead mouse in pocket. That’s a hint that we should be curious about Lennie’s relationship with death – it’s unclear whether "life" in the abstract sense is really that important to Lennie, or if friendship, comfort, and things to pet trump more life-and-death considerations. (Would Lennie find a life without those things satisfying at all?) That brings us to Lennie’s way of loving, which is a little too hard and a little too long for anyone to handle. And, as a result, several mice, a puppy, and one woman pay the price.