Every character has an obvious outside layer but inner thoughts and emotions are hidden deeper. Sometimes the use of one character as a medium can bring out hidden qualities in another. An example of this technique can be found in John Steinbeck’s: Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck creates a main character named Lennie who is slightly retarded. He travels with his counterpart George to work on a ranch. During their brief stay, they encounter friends and foes alike. Every event holds a stronger meaning, leading up to a dramatic ending. The old man, the bully, and even the town floozy intertwine with each other, but it is Lennie who shines a different light on these stereotyped individuals. Through his innocence, he opens new doors and raises interesting questions. Lennie’s main purpose is to reveal the hidden personality traits of the other characters he interacts with.

One of Lennie’s first major interactions occurred with Curley. Curley’s ego and arrogance towards the other men gave him a powerful edge. It was his natural tendency to want to attack Lennie. But, when Lennie crushed the pompous bully’s hand in a single instance, suddenly Curley’s status dropped. Lennie unintentionally put Curley in his place. Under Curley’s macho exterior was a weak self-centered individual. The manor in which he achieved this was extreme but effective.

One of the most stereotyped characters in the novel was Curley’s wife. As she pranced around, she wore a sign that read: tramp, tart, and whore. Every man held this image of her and treated her in that respect. When Lennie talked to her in the barn a sweeter, more innocent, side of her was revealed. The reader learns that she is unhappy in her marriage and that she had dreams of making it big in the pictures. With her degrading image, it was simply assumed that she had never amounted to anything and had no other desire but to be with her husband. When she approached Lennie it was as though she knew he was the only one she could confide in.

Most important was Lennie’s interaction with George. While George makes it a point to show how much of a burden Lennie is to him, a more sympathetic side to his character is revealed. Through Lennie, George is able to play out his hopes and dreams. He talks about owning their own land some day. Even though George knows this idea will most likely never occur, he plays along, encouraging Lennie with stories of rabbits. George forms a special bond with Lennie and takes on an almost older brother role. This is especially evident when George fights the internal battle over whether or not to shoot Lennie.

Without Lennie, the reader would never see the deeper layers to the other characters in the book. He reduced the power of the antagonist, brought a different perspective to a stereotypical viewpoint, and enhanced a brotherly bond. Lennie’s actions by himself are overall insignificant to the plot. But, his innocence and interactions open the door to more complicated personality traits.