Lennie's Strength: Blessing or Curse?

The Great Depression was a difficult time for all Americans. The economy was terrible, no one was making any money, and people were forced to live on the streets or work for food. That is exactly what George and Lennie did in Of Mice and Men. Set in the 1930's during the Depression, Of Mice and Men deals with many moral themes such as loneliness, violence, racism, and friendship.


In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck illustrates the possibilities that life has and its effects on Lennie and George. It shows a view of two outsiders struggling to understand their own unique places in the world and to cope with their own blessings and curses. Steinbeck suggests humans have the natural potential to seek happiness although the potential can be fatal or harmful.


This essay is not to just focus on differentiating what are Lennie’s pros and cons, good points and bad ones, blessings or curses, but it is to actually ask ourselves, is Lennie’s greatest pro, his strength, his weakness?  


Although Lennie is not potentially smart, Lennie has the potential to be a hard worker; however, Lennie's strength did not work with him and the result was fatal. Lennie is an extremely large man who had the strength of a bull.





With the use of his strength, he was a great worker but did not understand how strong he was. George explains Lennie's strength by "that big bastard can put up more grain alone than most pairs can". Through his size and his enormous amount of strength, Lennie could out work the other men of the ranch by himself. By using Lennie's strength he became a great worker who knew nothing more than to work. Lennie uses his abilities to work hard, but does not understand how strong he is. Without George, Lennie does not understand what to do. Lennie, who gets frightened and uses his strength to hold on to objects, is just like a child. He will do whatever George tells him to: "Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his...