In the private conversation in Chapter 3, George confides to Slim that when he and Lennie were younger he used to be cruel to Lennie by playing ‘‘mean’’ jokes on him. The clearest example George gives is that he would tell Lennie to jump into a river and then laugh when Lennie struggled — behavior he now feels ashamed of. He says he eventually couldn’t keep doing those things and stopped.
Why this matters:
- It reveals George’s guilt and his awareness that some of his earlier behavior toward Lennie was wrong.
- It shows the complexity of their relationship: George has been both protector and occasional tormentor, but ultimately takes responsibility for Lennie.
- The confession helps explain why George cares for Lennie despite the burden — his shame and growing sense of responsibility are part of what binds them together and set up George’s later, painful choices.
In short: George tells Slim, shamefully, that he used to trick and laugh at Lennie when they were young (for example, making him jump into a river), but he stopped because he felt guilty and took responsibility for Lennie thereafter.