At the
beginning of , Slim andenter the bunkhouse together and George thanks him for giving one of his
pups to , who is enamored with the idea of caring for his own dog. As the two men sit down at
the card table, George comments on Lennie's work ethic and Slim says:
"Funny how you an' him string along together"
(19)
George instantly becomes defensive by asking Slim
what is so funny about him traveling the country with Lennie. However, Slim eases George's
anxiety and temper by calmly saying that it is rather amusing that a "cuckoo" like
Lennie would travel around with a smart guy like George. George begins to feel comfortable
enough to open up to Slim and begins to elaborate on his unique relationship with
Lennie.
George proceeds to tell Slim that he grew up with Lennie in Auburn
and was close with his Aunt Clara. When Lennie's aunt passed away, George took him under his
wing, and they began traveling the country together, looking for work. After a while, George and
Lennie got used to being together and came to enjoy each other's company.
As
their conversation progresses, George ends up confiding in Slim about the incident in Weed,
where Lennie scared a woman by refusing to let go of her dress when she began to panic. George
and Slim's conversation is significant because it explains the characters' background and
foreshadows Lennie's interaction with Curley's wife.
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