"There are friends, there is family and then there are friends who become family." (unknown) In Of Mice and Men, a novel, John Steinbeck wrote a story set in the 1930s about two freelance ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, who share the American dream of owning land. They explored friendship moving several locations in Northern California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression. As they work to achieve their dream, they have faced many different obstacles along the way and have remained united to identify their friendship. Steinbeck's use and accurate descriptions of the idea that friendship is essential and very important in a person's life, without it causes loneliness and can turn people into irrationally angry, spiteful and depressed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The novel circulates Lennie, who is tall, mentally handicapped, and George, who is a short, short-tempered boy with strong leadership skills. Lennie often gets into trouble, so George always cleans up after him and gets him out of the situation. When George knew that Lennie was mentally handicapped, George would always be by his side and take care of him as his "cousin". George demonstrates that a great friendship is created on the personality of the person, not on the external figure of a person. When George is frustrated with Lennie but still takes care of him afterward. George has been with Lennie when he makes a mistake and gets him into big trouble and risk. When Slim asked, “You guys travel together.” (page 34) George replied, “Of course we take care of each other.” The quote means that George is brave in saying that he travels together with Lennie and is not fazed by his friend Lennie's company. The friendship that George and Lennie created is a great bond even though Lennie may have done many bad things but they remained good friends. If the friendship never existed, loneliness can lead to feeling depressed. Loneliness is a part of life and many people around the world struggle with it. It is a lack of communication with others and impacts the lives of many other people. Steinback characterizes the loneliness of Curley's wife, Candy, and Crooks. Curley's wife is married to Curley, a strong guy who proves he can fight with any man and marries a woman who thinks he is attractive to other men. Curley mainly in the novel takes over his wife's freedom. He doesn't let any other man talk to his wife. Curley's wife is so desperate for a friend, someone to talk to that she uses her beauty power. In chapter 4 she entered Crooks' room and threatened him when Crooks tries to defend himself by saying "he jumped into a tree so easily, it's not even funny". Curley's wife was never named, because they called her a "tramp." If Curley gave Curley's wife the freedom to talk to other men and become friends with them, it would make her happy and she wouldn't complain so much about how Curley gets the upper hand on her. Loneliness can end by having a great friendship like George and Lennie's. Towards the end of the book, George and Lennie's friendship grows like a family. The bond between these two people is very strong. All George does for Lennie is help him later in life. When George shoots Lennie right in the back of the head, it's clear how much George cares for him. George never wanted to see Lennie get hurt, but the only thing that was right to not hurt inside him and make Lennie have a great/happy life was what he had to.