Introduction
The value of loyalty manifests itself as an unbreakable, if at times heartbreaking, bond between two friends in John Steinbeck's classic 1937 novella Of Mice and Men. As migrant ranch workers George Milton and Lennie Small navigate a world defined by transience and isolation, their steadfast commitment to each other represents a rare sense of purpose. Through the lens of loyalty as a moral absolute, Steinbeck elevates a profound yet commonplace friendship into the stuff of allegory. Though the tragic contours of life conspire to test their bond, George and Lennie’s fidelity speaks to the redemptive power of human connection in an indifferent universe. This essay explores the manifestations, meaning, and tragic cost of loyalty as the fundamental value system for the disenfranchised dreamers in Of Mice and Men.
Loyalty in the Context of the Great Depression
Of Mice and Men takes place in California's Salinas Valley during the Great Depression. This period was marked by scarce job opportunities and harsh working conditions for itinerant laborers. Within this precarious context, Steinbeck suggests that loyalty—as evidenced by the bond between the novel's protagonists—took on a heightened moral significance. The friendship between the novel's protagonists provides a model of purpose and meaning in contrast to the alienation and exploitation around migrant workers. Beyond the specific historical setting, Steinbeck believed that demographic dislocation and loneliness represented permanent features of the human condition. As such, the loyalty displayed between George and Lennie has a timeless, universal appeal. Though crushed by tragic circumstance, their bond affirms certain core human values.
The Unwavering Loyalty of George
The loyalty George demonstrates towards Lennie provides the emotional core of Of Mice and Men. Despite Lennie's intellectual limitations, George looks after him and reassures him of their shared dream of owning a farm one day. After the two men arrive at the ranch, George tells Lennie, "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world....With us it ain't like that. We got a future" (Steinbeck 13). This devotion persists even when Lennie inadvertently endangers them, as when George scolds him for touching a woman's dress but then reassures Lennie, "I ain't mad. I ain't mad" (Steinbeck 40). The depth of George's commitment highlights how their bond serves as a bulwark against isolation.
Lennie's Childlike Trust and Profound Loyalty
While George's sacrifice and fidelity form the emotional center of the work, Lennie's childlike trust and dependence on George also model profound loyalty. Although Lennie fails to understand the complexity of their circumstances, he centers his entire existence around George's promise that they will have their own land. After being scolded for a mistake, Lennie tells George, "I thought you was mad at me, George...I'd go away, I'd go away and live in a cave if you don’t want me" (Steinbeck 79). Despite not grasping the full meaning of their dream farm, Lennie subsumes his entire being into their friendship, showing moving fidelity.
The Nature of George's Loyalty
Some argue that George's growing frustration with Lennie's limitations means that his loyalty is more rooted in obligation than authentic devotion. However, while George sometimes expresses irritation at the difficulty of caring for Lennie, his commitment to protecting Lennie only seems to intensify as external threats encroach. He reacts strongly to any sign of menace against their friendship, telling Lennie he could get along better without him but refusing to abandon him. The more the world encroaches on their bond, the fiercer George's loyalty becomes.
Conclusion
John Steinbeck suggests that the mutual loyalty displayed by George and Lennie has a wider significance in a world defined by isolation and transience. Their commitment to their shared dream, no matter how illusory, elevates a simple friendship into an act of moral purpose and existential meaning. Though circumstances tragically unravel this bond, it endures as Steinbeck's humanistic take on what is best in humankind. Utlimately, Of Mice and Men suggests that loyal attachments can serve as a form of redemption, making life worth living even in the bleakest of conditions.
