Comparison Of Power In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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The constant greedy, unscrupulous search for power has consistently plagued humanity since the dawn of time. From the harsher examples of Napoleon and Hitler, who sought to conquer and destroy, to Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, who sought to gain power if only to give it to other people, both the traditional real-life heroes and villains hunted for mere scraps of influence to wield. The concept of sheer and absolute power has always been well articulated, but forever remained just out of reach, even for the most determined of humans. This is due to the fact that power is something intrinsically within a person, and the true measure of power how they use it. While the idea seems simple at first glance, there are multiple types of powers, with a …show more content…
However, his intrinsic power does not come from his rapid mood swings, but from something much simpler-the fact that he is the son of the boss of the farm. People listen not out of respect, out of love, or even out of habit. Curley has power because he could, for all intents and purposes, ruin his colleagues financially if they cross him. An even more vitally important aspect of power is whether or not people react to it or not. For if someone has power, but it is never acknowledged or recognized, do they really have the ability to exert their authority? However, due to Curley’s overly hostile acts towards even the simplest of misdemeanors, people are fearful of him, even as they mask it with humor. ““His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists...His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious...Lennie squirmed under the look and shifted his feet nervously…”I hate that kinda bastard” he said… “Don’t take no chance. He always wins”” (Steinbeck, p. 25 & 29). Upon meeting George and Lennie, Curley did not greet …show more content…
This is demonstrated best not in the persona of Slim, as some might think, but in George, a man who had been taking care of Lennie for a long time, with practically no personal gain. ““God a’mighty, if I was alone, I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work an’ no trouble...An’ whatta I got,” George went on furiously. “I got you!” “No-look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie”” (Steinbeck, p. 11 & 13). Lennie, due to his disability, was, in the pre-Great Depression era, a dead weight for George. His penchant for soft things and inability to properly read social cues had cost George multiple jobs, and any chance at a regular lifestyle. While this many have driven anyone away, such as Curley, George chose instead to stay with his friend, and help Lennie with his problems instead of running away. Strangely enough, this perseverance that George has towards Lennie is not just george wishing to have a clear conscience. It is genuine care. Lennie is, as was described multiple time throughout the story, a very burly and large man. On his own, he could probably safely defend himself against mobs. Additionally, Lennie has offered multiple times to simply leave George to his own life. But George refuses, and attempts to restore Lennie’s feelings back to their original form. This shows severe compassion on the part of George, and also demonstrates
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