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In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, how can we tell that George takes care of Lennie?

It is apparent from the very beginning of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men that Lennie is mentally challenged. Steinbeck first suggests this when Lennie is quite pleased with himself after producing splash rings in the river where he and George stop in Chapter One. Lennie is also carrying a dead mouse in his pocket, symbolic of his childlike obsession with petting soft things. Lennie is also obsessed, like a child waiting for Christmas, with the prospects of "tending rabbits" on the farm which he and George hope to one day own. George is obviously Lennie's caretaker, making sure that Lennie eats regularly and has a job.


Lennie had originally been cared for by his Aunt Clara, but when she died, he went on the road with George. George makes important decisions for Lennie and in Chapter One, he is holding Lennie's work card, which will be used to work on the ranch where they are headed near the small central California town of Soledad. Lennie is, however, quite a handful and, although George genuinely seems to love him, he is often frustrated by Lennie's actions, such as the incident in Weed involving a girl in a red dress. Despite this, he cares for Lennie like a brother, mediating their first meeting with the boss and asking Slim if Lennie can have one of his puppies.


George also warns Lennie about interacting with Curley and Curley's wife. Unfortunately, Lennie is unable to avoid trouble, and his fight with Curley is followed by the episode in the barn when he accidentally kills Curley's wife. Even though George does his best to take care of Lennie, it isn't enough. In the end, he does what he believes is the most humane thing for Lennie by shooting him in the clearing next to the Salinas River in the book's final chapter.

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