A firm believer in the Emersonian concept of the Oversoul,
John Steinbeck projects the positivity of this eternal spirit by means of the fraternity
of men, the friendships that are formed in his novella, Of Mice and
Men. Of course, the obvious example of this friendship which gives men hope
is that of George and Lennie, whose mantra of their dream affords them comfort and
consolidation. When they include the desolated Candy, who has lost his only friend of a
dog, there is again an optimism to the old swamper's life--he now belongs to the
fraternity of men.
In both Candy and Crooks, there is
evidence that the human spirit can survive. With Crooks, who is rejected by the
ranchworkers, there is, however, respect given to him by the mule skinner Slim, who
recognizes Crooks' love of animals. When he speaks to Crooks, Slim does not refer to
him as n---r as do the others; instead, he calls him by his name, a sign of
respect.
Even George's killing of Lennie is not pessimistic
since it exhibits his sympathy for his friend. For, in his final act of love, George
makes Lennie safer than he would be in a prison. And, after his actions, Slim puts his
arm around George and comforts him, "You, hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on
with me." This overture of absolute friendship, this fraternity, is the final
optimistic note of Steinbeck's narrative that encourages and underscores the importance
of the Oversoul.
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