Post 6 of 7- Julianna

Julianna Hale
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
Read by Oct. 6
Post by Oct. 6

Hi Griselda

I agree with you very much that Lennie becomes heartbroken and frightened. I think it is very sad that Lennie doesn't understand his own strength. All he wanted Curley's wife to do was be quiet; he was touching her hair and she said, "You stop it now, you'll mess it all up...let go..you let go." (91) She started screaming and Lennie didn't want to get into any trouble so he kept holding on and shaking her until her neck broke. I honestly believe that he didn't kill the pup or Curley's wife on purpose. As I said, Lennie is a big guy who doesn't know his own strength and it just got way out of hand. As you mentioned, she was telling the story of why she ended up marrying Curley and it was because her mom wouldn't let her get a good job. I'm guessing that this was probably in 1910 so do you think her mom had a belief that women shouldn't work, that they should stay home and cook and clean or do you think there was another reason? It was mentioned that Curley's wife asked why Lennie had a thing with rabbits and that he likes to pet soft things. This is a completely over analyzing question, but why do you think Steinbeck chose rabbits and not ducklings or lamb? Could Steinbeck possibly have a personnel story about rabbits from his own life? My final question/comment is, why do you think Curley's wife never got a name? She was never called by anything specific; it was just Curley's wife. I feel that she had a big enough role in the book to get a name. Do you think that giving her name could possibly make it harder for the reader to read when she dies because a name makes somebody real, who they are?