Abril RodriguezMrs. NybergEnglish March 10-627, 2014Plants, Humans, and FreaksMany organisms have mutualistic relationships with other organisms. For example, plants and humans generally help each other. Humans exhale carbon dioxide and inhale oxygen, which helps them survive. Plants give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide to survive. This means that plants and humans give each other an essential ingredient for life. The sea anemone and the hermit crab are also mutual; as well as shrimp and goby. Mutualism refers to a relationship between organisms in which both benefit. In literature, it is common to see mutualism between characters. Tuesdays with Morrie, The Mighty and Of Mice and Men are some of the literary works in which mutualism can be observed. Mitch Albom and Morrie Schwartz surely demonstrate a mutualistic relationship in Tuesdays with Morrie because both characters benefit from affection and their visits give them purpose. Mitch and Morrie share a mutualistic relationship notably with love and affection. Morrie is very affectionate and outgoing, so he surrounds himself with people he loves instead of excluding everyone when he found out he had ALS. Mitch describes Morrie's need for affection when he says, "I suddenly understood why he was so fond of me bending over... or wiping his eyes." Human touch. At seventy-eight, he gave like an adult and took like a child” (Albom 116). Mitch sees that Morrie likes affection, and at first he feels uncomfortable, but by his last visit he had changed: "I leaned over and kissed him tightly...he finally makes you cry” (Albom 185-186). Mitch also benefits greatly from this relationship. After his uncle dies, Mitch decides that in the middle of the paper he finds out that Lennie killed his wife and that George didn't want Lennie to suffer. Overall, Lennie and George have a mutualistic relationship as they give each other companionship and protection in Of Mice and Men. Finally, mutualistic relationships are often illustrated in the literature; especially Tuesdays with Morrie, The Mighty and Of Mice and Men. Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch and Morrie help each other by giving each other affection and purpose. In The Mighty, Max and Kevin are reciprocal because they support each other, and they are strengthened mentally or physically. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George are companions and protect each other. All these stories have one thing in common, mutualism, and just like the hermit crab and the sea anemone, the goby and the shrimp, humans and plants, these characters needed each other to thrive. flourish..