In his novella Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck develops George's feeling for Lennie not through direct explanation but indirectly. What this means is that rather than having George or a narrator explain to readers specifically how George feels about Lennie, Steinbeck shows the reader George's actions and speech. As a result, the reader can determine how George feels about Lennie. This is evident in a number of different cases. I'll provide two examples below:
In the introduction of the novella, George's impatience and frustration with Lennie is tempered by his willingness to placate Lennie with stories of their dream farm. It is clear that despite the fact that George takes issue with many of Lennie's behaviors, he is also indulgent, kind, and empathetic toward him.
George also has a frightening amount of control over Lennie, as is demonstrated when Curley attacks Lennie. George finally says, "Get him," which releases Lennie's socialized limitations on his strength. Without George's permission, Lennie would have continued to be attacked without defending himself.
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