Throughout ‘Of Mice & Men’ power is a key theme; in the main George has power over Lennie whilst Slim has control over most characters. However each of the other characters asserts some form of power at least once throughout the book. In this scene Curley is angry at being humiliated in front of the ranch workers and so he tries to regain some control by starting a fight with Lennie. I will be exploring the shifts in power throughout the scene and what language Steinbeck uses to show the shifts.
Curley’s is an aggressive and unpleasant character who is always picking fights; he is handy with his fists. When Lennie and George first arrive at the ranch Candy the swamper, tells them that Curley is ‘alla time picking scrapes with big guys’. It appears that Curley is trying to compensate for his small stature, he wants the respect of the men who work at the ranch and believes that violence and aggression is the only way to prove himself.
The scene opens with Curley, the son of the ranch owner left fuming after Carlson a ranch hand calls him “yella of a frogs belly’’. In an attempt to recover power he attacks Lennie. He knows that whilst Lennie is the largest and biggest worker on the ranch he is also a simpleton, is easily intimidated and is unlikely to retaliate or defend himself. Curley sees the physical effect of his verbal outburst on Lennie. Lennie looks ‘helplessly’ at George and tries ‘to retreat’.
The Essay on George And Lennie Slim Curley Candy
Of Mice and Men Two migrant workers, George and Lennie, have been let off a bus miles away from the California farm where they are due to start work. George is a small, dark man with 'sharp, strong features.' Lennie, his companion, is his opposite, a giant of a man with a 'shapeless' face. Overcome with thirst, the two stop in a clearing by a pool and decide to camp for the night. As the two ...
Curley’s attack is planned because he is ‘balanced and poised’ he is in command of his actions. Hearing Lennie’s ‘cry of terror’ gives Curley a rush of power and incites him too continue his attack. Lennie is still too frightened to defend himself. Initially George does nothing to help Lennie he then decides to assert his influence over Lennie and take control. When George realises that Lennie isn’t going to defend himself he jumps to his feet and tells Lennie to ‘‘get him’’ as if he were a dog let off the leash.
George tells Slim to ‘wait a minute’ when he tries to intervene this could be because if Lennie stood up for himself then Curley would know not to mess with him again. George urges Lennie on ‘Get ‘im Lennie! ’. Lennie looks for George’s reassurance and approval and George says rather more forcefully ‘I said get him. ’ Throughout the book we know that this is how George gets Lennie to do what he tells him by giving him clear, firm instructions. However it is possible that George realises that he has nderestimated Lennie’s ability to understand a command when he is frightened, confused because he has to shout over and over again ‘Leggo his hand, Lennie’. When Lennie finally accepts that he should defend himself he uses the only power he has. His strength. As Curley attempts to hit Lennie again Lennie grabs his fist and holds it in a vice like grip breaking the bones in his hands. ‘Curley was flopping like a fish’. However Lennie is unaware of how great his strength is, he has no command over it and is unable to determine the impact of his physical power on people and animals.
It takes George to shout ‘Leggo of him’ and to slap Lennie ‘in the face again and again for him’ too relinquish his hold on Curley. In conclusion Steinbeck uses many powerful verbs to show the shift in power throughout the scene. Lennie’s naive outlook on life and his vulnerability gives most of Steinbeck’s characters the opportunity to assert some form of power whether that is physical, abusive or manipulative. I also think that this scene was timed to give a sense of foreshadowing and to show how quickly Lennie and George’s dream could be crushed.
