In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck an important conflict is between Curley and Lennie, when Curley first meets Lennie. This is an important conflict because it portrays the need for superiority between people in different positions, also how people get judged by their appearances and not their personalities.

Curley, who is intimidated by Lennie's cumbersome physique, starts a conflict trying to intimidate Lennie, who is inoffensively confused by Curley's reaction to him. When Lennie's 'Traveling friend' speaks for Lennie, Curley gets exasperated and says "Let the big guy talk" (Lennie) "....By Christ, he's gotta talk when he's spoke to." This conflict is important because it shows how Curley started an unnecessary conflict.

Lennie's sudden inferiority compared to Curley is pushed upon him, as to Curley, he is the more superior of them both and 'Lennie should talk back when spoken too'. Also as a superior person Curley needs to uphold his self-image as being better than everyone so "He alla time picking scraps with big guys." and he does this to prove that he's better and stronger even though he is of lesser physique.

When Lennie is judged by Curley only with a first impression, this shows how Curley judges him as a threat without getting to know Lennie as a person. With Lennie's "strong as a bull" appearance, Curley gets resentful towards Lennie "Kind of mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy". Curley's eager need for conflict to show that Lennie is no match for him, is what Curley thinks is needed, because he thinks, as Lennie's big and strong he must be a threat towards Curley's tough persona.

As you can see, due to his need to feel superior, Curley is overwhelmed by inferiority towards Lennie, but this is a deceitful image painted by judging Lennie before he knew him.

In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck an important character is Lennie Small. He is an important character as he helps portray the central themes and important morals of the novel and is involved in the most important event in the story.

Lennie's "strong as a bull" appearance, is a misleading impression upon his personality. As some might be intimidated by his large stature, but others that know him realize "he's a nice fella". His age does not convey his thinking status, as "he's jes' like a kid" in a mans body.

Lennie is an important character in the novel Of Mice and Men he shows how men in the 1930s wished for the American Dream. When George clarifies what their American dream is he more so is keeping it more as a dream not as if it may come true, he just describes it for Lennie's sake "All kin's a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there. There wouldn't be no more runnin' round the country and gettin' fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we'd have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house."

Another reason why Lennie is important is because he expresses important morals in the story 'don't judge a book by it's cover' and even though he may have a rough, tough, mean exterior he's truthfully just a confused man who is not the brightest character. Slim understands this when he expresses you do not have to be smart to be nice guy.

As you can see, Lennie is an important character and he is involved with majority of the important parts of the Novel and also portrays the theme of the American dream.