Of Mice and Men

In John Stienbecks novel “Of Mice and Men” Two middle aged men named Lennie and George are migrant workers traveling together. The encounter countless problems with workers on the farm, each other, and even themselves. Lennie has a mental illness that attracts trouble for them everywhere they go. George and Lennie’s goal was go earn enough money to start up their own farm, but their plans are complicated by many roadblocks.

The central conflict in Of Mice and Men is character vs. self. Lennie’s mental illness keeps him from fully interacting with people and understanding right from wrong, causing trouble for himself and everyone around him.

Lennie causes mischief for George all the time. George acts as a babysitter, 24/7. Trouble follows Lennie everywhere and his mental illness acts like a second personality that is on autopilot. Lennie forgets most of the things George tells him. When George tells Lennie not to tell anyone about their plan to buy a piece of land, Lennie is so excited about tending the rabbits, that he tells Crooks all about it. Another time is when George has to always take animals like mice away from Lennie. Lennie doesn't remember half the things he's done, so its like he wakes up from a dream every time he's done something bad.

”Voices were approaching from outside. George said, Don’t tell nobody about it. jus’ us three an’ nobody else.” Is what George told Lennie and Candy after telling them about their plan to buy a piece of land. “Lennie said quietly, “ “It ain’t a no lie. We’re gonna do it.Gonna get a little place an’ live on the fatta the lan.” That was Lennie telling Crooks about their plan about starting up a farm, the thing George specifically told Lennie NOT to do.

Lennie also has this obsession with petting soft things, which leads him to his death at the end of the story. Lennie has killed countless animals just by petting them. His mental illness tells him that he needs to pet something all the time to keep calm and feel good. I think by petting something soft his brain calms down and causes Lennie to feel comforted. Lennie needs to pet something so that he doesn't freak, just like a baby needs a pacifier when he/she is about to cry. Lennie starts out with petting mice, he kills it because he’s too strong, then he gets a pup, he kills it because it was too small.

                  “When I’m doin’ my hair sometimes I jus’ set an’ stroke it ‘cause it’s so soft.” “ She took Lennie’s hand and put it on her head. Feel right aroun’ there an’ see how soft it is. Lennie’s big fingers fell to stroking her hair. Lennie said, Oh! That’s nice, and he stroked harder. Oh, that’s nice. “Look out, not, you’ll muss it. And then she cried angrily you stop it now, you’ll muss it all up. She jerked her head sideways and Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on.Let go,s he cried. You let go! Lennie was as in a panic. His face contoured. She screamed then, and Lennie’s other hand closed over her mouth and nose. Please don’t he begged. She struggled violently under his hands. Her feet battered on the hay ad she withered to be free; and Lennie began to cry with fright. He shook her then, and he was angry with her. Don’t you go yellin’, he said. And then he shook her and hr body flopped like a fish. And then she was still for Lennie had broken her neck.”

Near the end of the story Curley’s wife tells Linnie to feel her hair. He touches her hair and his mental illness wants to keep touching it because hes never felt anything as soft. Curley's wife then tell him to stop, but Lennie pulls her hair, she starts to scream and Lennie starts to freak, he covers her mouth with his giant hand suffocating her, then he accidentally snaps her neck by shaking her killing her instantly.  This obsession with petting soft things  ultimately leads to his own death.

At the end of the story Lennie hallucinates. This was his real inner personality taking control and telling his illness that it really messed up. Lennie's mental illness was a second personality that was a little kid and bullied the real Lennie. When he hallucinates the real Lennie argues with his mental illness and reflects on all the bad things hes done. When he finally sees George he wakes up from his hallucination, Lennie's mental illness takes control. He then tells George to give him hell.

“Lennie said, “Geroge.” “Yeah?” Ain’t you gonna give me hell. sure like you always done before. Like, if I di’nt have you I’d take my fifty bucks. “Jesus Christ Lennie! you Can’t remember nothin that happens but you remember ever’ word I say. After George goes through his usual lecture Lennie says “And I get to tend the rabbits.” “an’ you get to tend the rabbits.” Lennie giggled with happiness.

His mental illness probably thinks that when George gives him hell, it is his consequence and that everything will be better once he is punished. When this happens Lennie is basically forgiving himself because he took his punishment and now there is nothing wrong.

In conclusion Lennie mental illness creates lots of unnecessary problems for the people around him, but mostly hiself. If his mental illness was not present then all the trouble would be gone and everything might have gone according to plan. George, Lennie, and Candy would have their farm and everything would be alright, but that's only if Lennie didn’t have his mental illiness.