Citation

Of Mice and Men

• Online Copy

Information on Christopher McCandless

• http://www.christophermccandless.info/

Article on modern farmers looking for companionship online

• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/31/world/europe/31lassay.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Graphic Representation image

• Of Mice and Men By: ~Starpu on DeviantArt

To be a survivor in life one must....

To be a survivor in life one must have the companionship and support of others. Without the companionship of Lennie, George would have faced the same sad life other migrant farmers faced in the 1930's. While other farmers were out wasting their time and money on drinks and gambling, George was looking after Lennie and  Lennie was looking out for George. Christopher McCandless did not have the support of others during his travels, and in the end it cost him his sanity and his life. Currently many farmers across the globe are desperately searching for companionship, tired of the lonely life on secluded farms. George and Lennie were able to bypass those problems and survive in life because they had each other to rely on.

Graphic Representation

Image Credit

This image represents the obstacle and it's defeat. In the picture, George and Lennie are shown together and they both look pretty happy, unlike most other migrant farmers in their time, who did not have anyone to keep them company.

Comparison Examples

There are two examples of situations that I think are comparable to the obstacle that George could have faced.
One of those examples is found in the book Into the Wild. The book details the life of a man named Christopher McCandless, who went off alone on a mission to go into the wilds of Alaska. Over the course of his travels he meets many people and does odd jobs as a farmer or a book seller, but still retains his desire to be alone in the wilderness. In the end he learns in the hardest way that you cannot be alone. You must have the support of other people to survive. His story is a great example of the kind of fate that could have fell on George if he did not have the support of Lennie.
Another example is an article about how farmers are now searching online for non-platonic companionship. In modern times, farmers across the world are having a hard time finding companionship. Even though these farmers aren't migrant like George was, they are still stuck in very secluded and lonely areas. George and Lennie weren't romantic partners, but their companionship saved George from the hardship of having to look for a friend.

The Obstacle and the Scenario

The obstacle George faced in Of Mice and Men was the harsh and lonely life of a migrant farmer in 1930's California. Repeatedly in the book it is mentioned that when left alone, men go crazy and lose themselves. All they want to do is drink or gamble and have no one to rely on or even keep them company. It's one month here and the next over there. George was able to overcome that obstacle by having Lennie as his companion. With Lennie by his side, George had a purpose and something to keep him grounded that other migrant farmers did not.