Was Lennie Small Really a Hero?

There’s something haunting about the way Lennie Small moves through the pages of Of Mice and Men. He’s big, clumsy, and constantly trailed by George, who seems more like a guardian than a friend. We’re taught to see Lennie as a tragic figure — a man with a child’s mind in a grown man’s body, caught in a world that doesn’t understand him. But was he truly the innocent we’re led to believe? Or is there a more complicated truth lurking beneath the surface of Steinbeck’s Depression-era tale?

Let’s step back and look at the evidence.

## He Didn’t Mean to Hurt Anyone — Or Did He?

Lennie is described as gentle, with no malice in him. He loves soft things — mice, puppies, even the fabric of women’s dresses. But his strength is uncontrollable, and every time he tries to hold something delicate, it dies. The question is: can someone be a hero if their actions cause harm, even unintentionally? Lennie kills a puppy, a mouse, and ultimately a woman — all by accident. But does that excuse him? Or does it make him dangerous in a way that should have been recognized earlier?

## He Was Constantly Protected — But From What?

George spends every waking moment looking after Lennie, shielding him from consequences and keeping him out of trouble. That kind of loyalty is rare, but it also raises a troubling question: was George protecting Lennie from the world, or the world from Lennie? The incidents in Weed, where Lennie is accused of assault, and later the accidental killing of Curley’s wife, suggest that Lennie’s presence often led to danger. Was George being kind, or was he enabling a pattern of behavior that others couldn’t afford to ignore?

## He Had No Concept of Consequence — Was That an Excuse?

Lennie’s mental capacity is clearly limited. He repeats things George tells him, forgets almost immediately, and lives in a fantasy world of rabbits and farms. But does that absolve him of responsibility? In real life, people with cognitive disabilities are still held accountable for their actions to some degree — especially when those actions lead to death. Lennie never seems to understand the gravity of what he’s done. He’s more confused than remorseful. That lack of awareness might make him pitiable, but not heroic.

## He Was a Victim of His Time — Or Was He?

The setting of Of Mice and Men is crucial. The Great Depression stripped many men of dignity, opportunity, and identity. Lennie, as a mentally disabled man in that era, was especially vulnerable. He’s often treated cruelly, laughed at, and used as a source of amusement. Yet, he also inflicts pain without meaning to. So was he a victim of his circumstances, or a product of them? His vulnerability makes him sympathetic, but it doesn’t erase the damage he leaves behind.

## He Was Loved — But at What Cost?

George’s final act — killing Lennie — is often interpreted as mercy. He didn’t want Lennie to die at the hands of Curley or suffer the consequences of his actions. But that act also raises the question: was George saving Lennie, or saving others from him? If Lennie were truly a hero, would George have had to end his life? Or was it a quiet acknowledgment that Lennie, for all his innocence, had become a danger that couldn’t be controlled?

There’s no easy answer. Lennie Small is not a traditional villain, but neither is he a hero in the classic sense. He’s a deeply flawed, tragic figure — one who inspires both sympathy and unease. If you want to explore his mind more directly, ask him about his dreams — and what he really thought when George pulled that trigger.