The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.
– John Steinbeck
Of Mice and Men, Chapter 1. While George and Lennie dressed the same, that’s where the similarities end. George was small, Lennie on the other hand was huge. They may be friends, but we know they are not equal, as one walks behind the other, like a follower behind a leader. Lennie, the follower, is compared to an animal, a bear – a massive and sometimes violent creature.