George tells Lennie white lies to make him feel better and make him happy.
A white lie is a harmless lie. You might tell someone you think their shirt looks nice, for example, when you really think it’s hideous. The person is happy, and you did not hurt anyone’s feelings. That is what makes it a white lie. We usually tell white lies to make another person happy.
The biggest lie George tells Lennie is that they are going to buy some land and raise rabbits. George knows this is not likely to ever happen, but it is a dream that he can use to entertain and soothe Lennie. As migrant farm laborers, their lives are dull. They do not have much, so being able to hold onto that dream makes them feel better. Lennie just doesn’t realize it isn’t real.
Lennie has special needs. He has the mind of a child. For this reason, George often treats him like a child. Just as you might tell a child that his dog went to live on a farm, instead of saying it died, George lies to Lennie to keep him happy.
George tells Lennie that the two of them are different from most guys because they have a future. They are going to buy land some day and live off the fat of the land. Hearing about this mythical land makes Lennie deliriously happy. George talks about it when he wants to focus Lennie, or just cheer him up.
"Good boy! That's fine, Lennie! Maybe you're gettin' better. When we get the coupla acres I can let you tend the rabbits all right. 'Specially if you remember as good as that."
Lennie choked with pride. "I can remember," he said. (Ch. 1)
Over the years, George has found ways of dealing with Lennie. Since Lennie does not know what is going on most of the time, George has to look out for both of them. The dream of the land makes him feel good too, even if it is just a fantasy.
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