Although Lennie has a kind heart, he is dangerous. He cannot take care of himself and he cannot make good decisions about right and wrong. Steinbeck prepares us for the fact that Lennie could really hurt someone through the description of him panicking and not letting go of the dress on the girl in Weed and through the scene where he accidentally kills the puppy he loves. In the scene with Curley’s Wife, he also panics and doesn’t know what to do when she keeps screaming. Desperately, Lennie shouts, “‘Don’t you go yellin,’ he said, and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still for Lennie had broken her neck.” Lennie does not know his own strength. In his desperate attempt to quiet her, he shakes her so hard that her neck breaks. He does not do this out of meanness. He actually likes Curley’s wife, but he is scared of her. Curiously, we are not surprised when he kills Curley’s wife. He has done things like this before. Although Lennie deserves a good life, George needs to take responsibility for him. He needs to keep Lennie safe and the world safe from Lennie.
Body Paragraph Structure
Topic Sentence
Context for the quotation
Quotation
Reflection (3-5 sentences, usually)