LENNIE Flashcards
(3 cards)
Lennie Small – Character Profile (Edexcel GCSE)
Key Traits:
Mentally disabled – childlike mind in a large, strong body.
Physically strong – but doesn’t understand his own strength.
Dependent – relies entirely on George for guidance, protection, and survival.
Innocent but dangerous – doesn’t intend harm, but causes it through misunderstanding and panic.
Obsessed with soft things – stroking mice, puppies, Curley’s wife’s hair.
Dreamer – shares George’s dream of owning a farm and tending rabbits.
Key Quotes & Analysis:
“Lennie! If you jus’ happened to get in trouble like you always done before…”
Foreshadows trouble; suggests a pattern of behavior Lennie can’t control.
George’s protective role is clear.
“I didn’t mean no harm, George.”
Shows Lennie’s lack of intent and awareness.
Emphasizes his innocence and childlike nature.
“Tell me about the rabbits, George.”
Symbol of hope and comfort.
Rabbits = escape, safety, simplicity.
“He’s just like a kid.”
Reflects how others see Lennie — naive, dependent.
Also reminds us of the power imbalance between Lennie and the adult world.
“I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing.”
Repetition shows guilt and limited understanding.
Aware he’s done wrong but not fully why or how.
Lennie’s Role in the Novel:
Themes:
The American Dream – Lennie represents the dreamer’s hope and its inevitable collapse.
Friendship – His relationship with George is central; shows rare loyalty in a harsh world.
Power and Powerlessness – Lennie is both powerful physically and powerless socially/intellectually.
Innocence and Violence – Lennie blurs the line between the two; he kills, but not out of malice.
Tragic figure – Lennie’s fate is inevitable. Steinbeck uses him to criticize how society fails the vulnerable.
