The Limit to Dreams

There are some people that say children do not know any better when they do something wrong. Does this still count for an adult that doesn't know any better? Leonie from the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck fits that description exactly.

Leonie is just like a child because he dreams big but is not able to take care of himself. Leonie and his dreams are both very big but that is what makes him very childish. Everyone has dreams. However, once people start to grow up they put away their dreams about being a princess or an astronaut and look at more practical options.To some people they might call this process growing up. But to Leonie this Is saying that there is a limit to dreams and that is the exact opposite of his mindset.

Leonie is able to look past his, his lack of money, and all the bullying he's been through and look forward to his future. He believes that he can start with a clean slate and live of the "fate the Ian". The only thing Leonie truly understands is George, bunnies, and his dream. He gets so excited when the subject comes up that he even memorized the speech George gives to him, which Is very Impressive for someone like Leonie.For example, "O.

K. Someday- were goanna get the Jack together and we're goanna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and... An' live off the fate the Ian" Leonie shouted, "An' have rabbits. Go on George! " (14).

This quote shows Just how childish Leonie truly is. He is able to dream beyond even when things go horribly wrong. There is always something he can look forward too. Leonie has lived a hard life.

He travels everywhere, he gets into trouble, and George yells at him for being stupid. Also besides George no one truly understands him.Despite all the active things he's been through he is still able to be optimistic and look toward the future. He even ignores the fact that he'll probably never even be able to fulfill his dreams.

Even when things are looking horrible he still looks for the good in things. For example, this was written right after Leonie ha killed Curlers wife and was about to get shot in the head by George, "And I get to tend the rabbits. " "An' you get to tend the blats" Leonie giggled with happiness. "An live on the fate the Ian'," (105). Even though he had just killed someone he still kept his dream pure and untainted.He pet it that way to the very end.

This shows how child like he truly is because he doesn't understand the meaning of limits. He ignores the fact that he can't take care of himself and that he is now a criminal. Leonie acts like a kid, but if he wants to dream big then he should at least consider how he can achieve his goal independently rather than depending on George for his entire life. Leonie Is a gentle giant, but he is also very dependent on George.

He does not know any better than the average child. Leonie and George's relationship can be related to the relationship of a parent and a child.Leonie relies on George for many things. These things include George having to talk for Leonie, carrying things for Leonie, and even having to explain things to him. For example, "You never had none you crazy bastard.

I got both of 'me here. Think I'd let you carry your own work card" (5). This shows how Leonie needs George to take care of him because he's not very childish and therefore treats him differently than the way he treats everyone else. No one really considers Lien's feelings like George does.

George has to tell Leonie what to do and how to do it for him to get it right.This has cause Leonie to mean on George for everything. Throughout the entire book Leonie has said something like George wouldn't like that or what would George think? Leonie is constantly thinking about George and how he would react to his actions. For example, when Leonie started to grab at Curlers wife he said, "Please don't," he begged. "Oh! Please don't do that George's be mad".

.. "George goanna say I done a bad thing. He anti goanna let me tend no rabbits" (91). This shows how simple minded Leonie really is.

Even though he had Just killed someone he is only able to focus on George's reaction and rabbits.However, Lien's dependency forces George to become more responsible making him a better person. So while George is gaining from this relationship by becoming a better person Leonie is left to depend on George his entire life leaving him in his child mind set forever. Lenis and George have been together ever since Lien's Aunt Clara died.

This has strengthen their bond making George the parent and Leonie the child of the relationship. Leonie pushes George to do better so they can both reach their dream, but even as George gets better Lenis is still told what to do keeping at a constant state of dependency.He is not given the chance to figure things out on his own which has made his so childish throughout the entire novel. But one of the main reasons Leonie is childish is because he dreams a too big of a dream but doesn't realize that he cannot reach that goal on his own and has to depend on others for everything.

If Leonie wants to reach his goals for the future with George then he needs to grow up but since he can't because of his mental disorder there really is no chance of him reaching that goal without learning something first.