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Imagine that you have a friend who always tells you that they are your friend, but they never really treat you like one. This person always puts you down and makes you feel bad about yourself. All you needed was a true friend, and with every second, they proved to be the exact opposite, just like what happened in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a character named Lennie had a friend just like that named George, and because Lennie did not realize that George had a negative effect on him, George eventually got rid of Lennie by killing him.
The qualities a true friend should have are being understanding, respectful, and loyal, and since George does not possess these qualities, he cannot be classified as a true friend.
A true friend should always be understanding, respectful, and loyal to make a person feel good about themselves, and grateful to have someone in their life who possesses these qualities.
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First, a true friend should be someone's understanding. If a friend is understanding, they will never make fun of you for having a different mind, way of thinking, etc. Instead, this person would accept you. Another part about having a friend that is understanding is that they are good listeners. They are good listeners because when you go through something difficult, they understand, and show their affection by listening to what you have to say. They will give you someone to talk to, help you relieve your stress, and limit the pressure put on you.
Second, a true friend should always be respectful. A respectful friend will never judge you based on your way of thinking, values, etc. They will accept you for your differences.
They will show it by never talking badly about you, never judging you for anything, and defending you when you need a shoulder to lean on. Another part about having a friend that respects you is that they will never violate your rights. They will never call you names, or make you feel bad. They will never commit an act of violence against you. They will also never take your things without asking, or damage your possessions. Last, a true friend should be someone loyal. They will never leave you to be with the “popular kids”, or because they just lose interest in you. They will always be there to catch you if you fall and will put you right back on your feet. Even they get into a fight with you, they will feel bad and immediately make it up with you, because they are loyal.
George was an untrue friend to Lennie was because George was not understanding, respectful, or loyal. First, George never understood Lennie as a true friend would have. Lennie had some mental challenges that he could not control. He needed someone who would understand him. Instead of George understanding that Lennie could not control his mental state, George denied believing he had such difficulties. This put a lot of stress on Lennie because he was always trying to make George happy by trying his best to overcome his mental challenges, but he always failed. On top of all this, Lennie had no one to talk to, which made it even harder to deal with his stress of always trying to please George. To prove that George was not understanding, in the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George says, “ Used to have a h*ll of a lot of fun with ‘im. Used to play a joke on ‘im ‘cause he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him. I had fun. Made me seem God da*n smart alongside him.” (p. 40)
This shows how Lennie chose not to understand George, but to use and make fun of him. Second, George never respected Lennie as a true friend would. George was always telling him to grow up, was always swearing at him, and calling him inappropriate names, thus making Lennie feel bad about himself. Also, the fact that George betrayed Lennie by exposing him, and killing him shows that he disrespected Lennie. George violated Lennie’s right to live! Third, George was not loyal to Lennie like a true friend would have been. George told Lennie to go hide by the bush if he got into trouble, and when Lennie got into trouble, George decided to expose and kill Lennie. To prove that George was not respectful or loyal to Lennie, in the book Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck narrates, “And George raised the gun steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie’s head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred and then settled slowly to the sand, and he lay without quivering.” (p. 166) This shows how unloyal George was to Lennie by violating Lennie’s right to live.
Did George And Lennie Have A True Friendship. (2020, Sep 11). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/did-george-and-lennie-have-a-true-friendship-essay
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