Of Mice and Men: An Unexpected Connection

Lennie and Curleys married woman come across as very different characters. They differ greatly in appearance, mentality, and personality. Despite their differences, though, Lennie and Curleys wife are surprisingly similar in the way they both constantly need to create physical connections. As a result, they are able to have-to doe with to for each one other, and when they are fin whollyy alone together they address each others needs, which leads to a tragic end. Lennie and Curleys wife are passing different people, both externally and internally.Lennie is a huge man, shapeless of face, with wide, sloping shoulders, (2) while Curleys wife is a very purty (28) woman with full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyeball (31). Lennie has animalistic qualities and moves clumsily he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws (2). Contrastingly, Curleys wife is more graceful and moves very quietly, which is depicted when glass says, Jesus Christ, Curleys wif e can move quiet (82) after she had entered the stable on the way to Crooks bunk without anyone hearing her.Lennie suffers from an unknown mental illness the other characters think hes nuts (74) and as a result, he acts callow, imitating the behavior of certain animals He drank from the pool with long gulps, snorting into the wet like a horse, (3) and he dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes (3). Lennie is a nice crack (40) who is very innocent, flesh outd by how he interacts with the girl in the red dress in Weed he reaches out to feel this red dress, he jus valued to tactility that dress (42).He is also very tractable hed do any damn thing (40) that George told him. In contrast, Curleys wife is mentally sharper and very observant she notices all them bruises (80) on Lennies face, which resulted from his fight with Curley, and realizes that he was the one who hurt Curleys hand, not a machine. Curleys wife is also very assertive, manipulative, and flirtatious. A clever lady, she knows how to get what she wants. The superiority of Curleys wifes qualities to those of Lennie later contributes to their tragic end.Both Lennie and Curleys wife have to constantly create physical connections in their lives, but each for a different reason. Lennie has an obsession with flatterting soft things, which he reveals to Curleys wife I like to darling nice things with my fingers, sof things (90). His obsession, which he has had since he was a child his Aunt Clara used to give him a piece of velvet to touch is depicted throughout the book. In the beginning of the book, Lennie finds a dead mouse and when asked why he keeps it, he answers, I could pet it with my thumb wile we walked along, (6) expressing his zest to pet things, dead or alive.He wants to pet things so badly that after George throws the mouse off into the distance to get rid of it, Lennie goes and retrieves it again. In Weed, when Lennie saying t he girl in the red dress who he had never even met before, he reached out to touch it, just to feel the dress. George describes Lennies obsession concerning decocts pups Hell want to sleep right out in the barn with em. Well have trouble keepin him from getting right in the box with them pups (38). Lennie wants to pet them pups all the time (42). Furthermore, his pipe dream to tend furry (16) rabbits results from his obsession.Lennie has a longing to pet every soft thing he encounters in the book and each time he fulfills his craving something unfortunate happens, foreshadowing the books final events. He doesnt know his own strength and cant control his obsession. Similarly, Curleys wife has a constant need to physically feel loved. She is someone who needs a lot of love and attention (her dream was to be an actress), which her husband will never give her. As a result, she tries to interact with any guy she can in Crooks room when talking to Candy, Crooks, and Lennie, she admits, what am I doin?Standin here talkin to a bunch of bindle stiffsan likin it because they aint secret code else (78). Slim comments on her behavior She aint concealin nothing She got the eye goin all the time on everybody Seems like she cant keep away from guys (51). Although many of the ranchers view her as a tart, (28) I believe that Curleys wife is a genuinely lonely person. She expresses her loneliness to Lennie I get lonely You can talk to people, but I cant talk to nobody but Curley (87). Ironically, Lennie and Curleys wife, who have nearly opposite qualities, can cater to each others need by responding to each others obsessions.Purposely kept apart by the author through various characters for most of the book, when Lennie and Curleys wife are alone together for the first time, the already existent chemistry between them is ostensible, and the extent of their needs is so great that neither can resist acting upon them. Leading up to this final scene, Lennies attraction to Curleys wife is unequivocal. When he first sees her, his eyes move down over her body, (31) and when she talks Lennie watches her with fascination.Furthermore when George speaks negatively about Curleys wife, Lennie defensively says, Shes purty and then later repeats, Gosh, she was purty after which he smiles admiringly (32). Curleys wife knows how to relate to Lennie and speak to him on his level. After Candy tells her that Curleys hand was caught in a machine, she, knowing what really happened, speaks flirtatiously to Lennie O. K. , Machine. Ill talk to you later. I like machines (80). In the final scene, Curleys wife indicates to Lennie that she understands his obsession when Lennie reveals that he likes to pet things, she responds Well, who dont?Everbody likes that. I like to feel silk an velvet. Do you like to feel velvet? (90). Lennie and Curleys wife open up to each other, and as a result the reader learns the most about these characters from this scene Lennie explains his obsessio n, while Curleys wife explains her loneliness and need to feel loved. The reciprocatory connection between them is so strong that Lennie disobeys Georges orders, risking his dream of tending the rabbits, and succumbs to the temptation of Curleys wife.Her loneliness is so great that Curleys wife, aware of the consequences, takes Lennies hand and puts it on her head (90). Lennies obsession overpowers him, and he continuously strokes Curleys wifes hair harder and harder, making her scream in pain. horror-stricken that George aint gonna let him tend no rabbits, (91) when Curleys wife doesnt stop screaming, Lennie shakes her while covering her mouth and accidentally kills her. Lennies actions illustrate his lack of self-restraint, and he is therefore viewed as a threat to society. As a result, Lennies killing of Curleys wife leads to the killing of Lennie.The characters that seem the least alike in Of Mice and Men, Lennie and Curleys wife, ironically, share a common need that enables t hem to have one of the strongest connections in the book, both physically and emotionally. Knowing that they have the efficiency to satisfy each others needs, Lennie and Curleys wife are in a very vulnerable situation that is full of temptation. Lennie cant control his obsession and accidentally kills Curleys wife, while trying to preserve his dream to tend rabbits that is based on his obsession. The physical connections that once gave them pleasure and pleasure in life lead to each of their deaths.