Describe and discuss the relationship between George and Lennie. What is it like?
The relationship between George and Lennie in these first chapters seems very one sided. The general trend is that George wears the pants in their relationship, and is making all the calls on where they will go, what they will do, and how they should act. He has a very dominant position over Lennie, often calling him derogatory names and saying how much better his life would be without him (pg. 14) This creates a vibe that George is carrying both of them and Lennie does not have any use in their partnership. However there are hints that their relationship might be symbiotic. While George outwardly appears to be smarter and more useful than Lennie, there are hints that George needs Lennie just as much as Lennie needs George. The picture we get of how Lennie relates to George is that he is his counterbalance. George is prone to mood swings and a short fuse on his temper. however Lennie in the fact that he is so opposite to him brings balance and can calm his anger. On page 16 we get our first sign from George that he needs Lennie when he suddenly says, "No- look! I was jus' foolin', Lennie. 'Cause I want you to stay with me." This shows that while George may look like the team carry of this relationship, they both need each other equally.
How does the American Dream conflict with the message of the gospel?
The American Dream conflicts with the message of the gospel because the American dream revolves around our ability making our success. The American dream states that you can have anything you could ever want, you just need to work hard enough for it. And Platt is right that hard work and dedication aren't counter to the Bible at all, it's the fact that this hard work and dedication are aimed towards the end goal of self-sufficiency. The gospel revolves around the fact that there is no way that we can be self-sufficient. The whole message or "good news" is that we don't have to rely on our own ability, because God ultimately has everything in his hands. That is why in the gospel the focus of the stories told is to bring glory where it's due- to God. The American dream conflicts with the message of the gospel because the American dream tries to glorify us, and the gospel glorifies God. Platt says, "The goal of the American Dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God." This is why it is dangerous to try and make a gospel that revolves around the American Dream like so many churches do, because fundamentally their purpose is different, which is what Platt explains in these chapters.
