Comparing The Guilty In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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In our world today, there are two types of people; however, each person has a different personality and motivational drive to do what he or she sees as necessary. The two types of people include the innocent and the guilty. Those who are guilty harass the innocent. This harassment may come in several forms including: mentally, emotionally and or physically. This idea that the innocent always suffer, is actually a false statement. In reality, those who suffer are actually the guilty. In the novel Of Mice and Men, the author, John Steinbeck, attempts to show this to the reader. Throughout this novel, there are multiple examples of characters who suffer including Curley, his wife, and Lennie; however, these three characters are all guilty and…show more content…
This woman uses mental and emotional harassment to attempt at getting what she desires. Curley’s wife is repeatedly displayed as a tart. Her overly flirtatious personality leads to her inevitable peril. Steinbeck uses this character to represent a different type of person who attacks emotionally and physically in unique ways. One example of her harassment is displayed when she meets George and Lennie on the first day of their arrival. Curley’s wife flirts with the two new men (Steinbeck, 64). Next, Steinbeck uses foreshadowing once more to show that Curley’s wife is not yet done with Lennie. While George and some of the other workers are down at the whorehouse, Curley’s wife flirts with Lennie in the barn in front of Candy and Crooks. One example of harassment is the mental attack on Lennie. Curley’s wife leaves Lennie with the words, “O.K., Machine. I’ll talk to you later. I like machines.”(Steinbeck, 80). This implies that Curley’s wife will use emotional and mental harassment to attempt at getting what she desires. This example shows the reader the true fault of Curley’s wife. Lastly, Steinbeck uses an example of all three types of harassment. Curley’s wife catches Lennie in the barn alone. She sits down next to Lennie and begins to console him. A second example of the emotional and mental harassment Curley’s wife uses on Lennie is when she allows him to…show more content…
In the end, Lennie’s actions, a form of physical harassment lead to his death. Lennie is a dangerous person who cannot be controlled. Steinbeck uses Lennie as an extreme example of physical harassment. Steinbeck allows the reader to compare and contrast the difference between Curley and his wife, using all three forms of harassment to Lennie who is mostly all physical. One example of Lennie’s physical harassment is at the beginning of the novel. Steinbeck discusses the reason for George and Lennie having to move. Lennie physically harasses a young girl by touching her red dress. Lennie allowed his strength and fear to make his decision for him. Lennie gripping the dress and squeezing even harder demonstrates his lack of mental intelligence and physical harassment. This example shows a mental example of Lennie. Lennie does not understand so his mental and physical traits take over. A second example is when Lennie on two different accounts kills a baby rabbit and then a pup. Lennie’s physical strength is an extreme form of physical harassment. One example of the lack of intelligence of Lennie is when he speaks to the dead pup, “Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice. I didn’t bounce you hard.” (Steinbeck, 85). Steinbeck uses these examples to foreshadow the eventual death of Curley’s wife. Lennie overreacts and accidently breaks her neck. The

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