Comment on how language is used to present Lennie in the extract. Use evidence from the extract to support your answer. (Refer to chapter 3 'Of Mice and Men')

Lennie is presented as a mentally ill character throughout the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’. It is not explicitly stated, but the language used throughout the novel, specifically in this extract from chapter 3, can shed light on Lennie as a person.

George is one of the characters that speaks about Lennie the most, being that he knows him the best. George uses basic and informal language throughout the entirety of the novel, which he demonstrates in this extract when discussing Lennie with the character Slim.

The main language used to describe Lennie is ‘dumb’, ‘nice fella’ and ‘nuisance’. He is presented as being a loving character lacking any form of mean streak, despite his inability to understand everyday regularities. George recounts a time when him and Lennie were younger, recalling that Lennie was ‘too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him’. He describes Lennie as dumb multiple times throughout the extract, which presents him as more than simply unintelligent. ‘Dumb’ implies that Lennie is not simply uneducated due to The Great Depression reducing education opportunities, but stunted almost, as if he was unable to understand, despite situations being explained to him. This is solidified when George recalls that Lennie ‘Clean forgot [George] told him to jump in’ when they were playing at the lake after pulling him out.

Despite Lennie being described as unintelligent and non-understanding, he is also described by both George and Slim as a ‘nice fella’. This presents Lennie as a caring and loving person, despite his inability to understand. We can see very clearly throughout the novel the bond Lennie has formed with George from years of following him from place to place. This bond is what creates empathy between Lennie and the reader, which is most likely the author’s intention.

Overall, despite Lennie being described as ‘dumb’ and a ‘nuisance’ that gives the reader an expectation of Lennie, he is also described as a ‘nice fella’ who lacks a mean streak, unlike most of the other ranch men. Lennie is described in a way that he is different to the others, giving the reader a different view on Lennie as a character.