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No- look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me.
At the beginning of the novel, George expresses irritation over Lennie’s memory problems and inability to understand the consequences of his actions, saying that, if he didn’t have the responsibility of caring for Lennie, his life would be much easier. However, once Lennie pitifully begins to suggest that he’ll leave George, find a cave to sleep in, and attempt to live off the land, George quickly apologizes. This passage shows that George truly appreciates and finds meaning in his relationship with Lennie, despite the hardships they often face due to Lennie’s disability.
If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.
The world of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a driftless, lonely one. Ranch hands were generally temporary employees, working for a few months or a season before moving on. This transient lifestyle made it difficult to create deep relationships, whether that be friendships with other men or romantic relationships. George and Lennie’s long-term friendship is a rare thing, and George knows that. He enjoys telling Lennie about how their friendship makes them special in comparison to other men, as they’ll always have each other to care for, while other men have no one.
God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.
In this passage, George complains that, if he didn’t have to care for Lennie, his life would be far easier, and he would be free to do as he pleased. There is some truth to his statements, but as the novel continues, it becomes clear that George’s friendship with Lennie is the most meaningful, hopeful part of his life. The tragic irony here is that this flippant statement from George, made during a bout of anger, will manifest itself into reality by the end of the novel – but George will be broken by the loss of Lennie, not freed by it. In fact, when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, George foretells that, without Lennie, he will slide into a depressing and meaningless state, squandering his time and money on debauchery.
No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.
At the end of the novel, as George prepares to kill Lennie to save him from a brutal lynching, George tells Lennie about the dream of the farm one last time. Lennie, cognizant that he’s done a bad thing but unable to grasp the seriousness of his situation, worries that George is angry at him. George assures him that he’s not, and that he never was. This powerful statement washes away the sharp words George has spoken to Lennie over the course of the story, from his complaints about Lennie’s forgetfulness to his threat of not allowing Lennie to look after the rabbits should he continue to make mistakes. George wants to express his love for Lennie and allow him a moment of pure happiness before his death.
