Comparing John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Pages: 2

Steinbeck immediately shows the vast difference between George and Lennie in the descriptions of the men through adjectives. By using opposites such as 'small' and 'large' to describe the men, Steinbeck makes a huge contrast between their appearances alluding to the fact that their personalities also differ in such an extreme way.
Steinbeck makes Lennie's inferiority clear by describing him as a 'follower' and saying that Lennie walks behind George as if he is lesser than him. It may also convey that Lennie feels that he is inferior to George so must walk behind him to make sure that he is not doing anything wrong and to copy George.
To describe their friendship Steinbeck has George look out for Lennie. George says to Lennie, "You gonna be sick like you was last night," indicating concern for Lennie's well being and health as he doesn't want Lennie to get ill again.
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Lennie is much more childlike and cumbersome as he 'flung himself down' to drink from the water and then plays with the water as he 'dabbled his big paw in the water and wriggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes. George, on the other hand, is much more cautious and gentle than Lennie. George thinks through what he is drinking when he says, "I ain't sure it's good water," thinking that it may not be safe to drinks whereas Lennie just immediately started drinking the water not stopping to think if it may be dirty or