"If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there." (Sterling Holloway, voice of Chesire Cat, Alice in Wonderland) That is the way George and Lennie live there lives. At first glance, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a tale of two best friends traveling the countryside looking for work. This would seem like the norm for lower class people trying to survive in the rat race of society. Yet, the story isn't merely George and Lennie's search for jobs. Rather, it is about their all out quest for the American Dream, the dream of owning their own stake of land and ending their subservience to their bosses. In order for this to happen, however, George and Lennie had to remain a team. They had to pool their resources as well as their manpower, something their apparent mutual love for each other seemed to take care of. Yet, an irrevocable rift between them sent the dream crashing down. The mistakes that Lennie makes caused George's feelings of love and understanding to change from being existent to non-existent.

Since the passing of Lennie's aunt, George felt an obligation to take care of Lennie as well as to act as his guardian. George fulfilled this

As George's feelings changed, he started vocalizing his frustrations towards Lennie. Before, George would plead with Lennie with words of love to run away. Now, George actually suggests it. George relates to Lennie that he feels that he is "holding me (George) back from the good life", and that he could get his own little stake of land if he freed himself of Lennie and his shortcomings. This is something the old George would never dream of saying. George further alienates Lennie by scolding him mercilessly after Lennie innocently told Crooks their future dreams. These comments reflected George's sentiments exactly. Lennie had become more of a nuisance than George could even handle.

Once it becomes obvious that Lennie killed Curley's wife, George knew what they had to do. There was no place for a retarded man in George's coarse, hard world. George killed Lennie for both their own goods. Neither of them could handle the constant fleeing that Lennie's condition caused them to do. Lennie was too much of a trouble for himself, and for that matter, George as well. George could not deal with the responsibility of taking care of Lennie anymore. George's loving feelings towards Lennie changed d

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Approximate Word count = 807
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)