OMAM Part 5 and 6

In the book, Curley's wife tried to flirt with Lennie, who didn't know what was happening. She knew she was messing with a dangerous yet innocent person who cannot control their strength, but she still tried. Curley's wife knew Lennie busted Curley's hand, but she still tried to be flirtatious with him. Even though I felt a little sorry for her, I still feel like she had it coming for her. For the first reason, she's a married woman. Not to mention, she's married to the boss's son. Even with that, she still decides to give everyone "the eye." The second reason is that she was trying to flirt with someone who can't seem to control their body or strength. Lennie accidentally kills mice and puppies just trying to be kind and petting them. I feel that was the same with Curley's wife. Because women were discriminated at that time, I categorized her into one of the animals Lennie had no intention to kill. She decided, "Feel right aroun' there an' see how soft it is." It was her choice. She died from what she decided to do.

In the next chapter, it shows how George killed Lennie with a gunshot where his head and spine met. Lennie died instantly. There was one realistic reason to kill Lennie, but I feel the rest were kind of selfish. The one good reason is that it spared Curley from killing George's close friend. Instead of Curley doing it, George killed his closest friend. I suppose that he was kind of "doing the honors' even though, to me, there was nothing honorable in killing a friend. I'm sure he must have some other little reasons, but this was the only "good" reason in killing Lennie. All the other reasons relate in one category, selfishness. One reason this was selfish was that George knew that he would have less "baggage" to take care of. Lennie was that extra baggage that George housed and took care of, although I feel that George just feels better with someone, even if that someone had a mental disability. George just needed someone to communicate with so he wouldn't be lonely. He knew he would have to get rid of Lennie sometime because, apparently, Lennie's "cons" were stronger than his "pros." Another reason that killing Lennie was selfish was that George knew that he could get a better job and earn more money by himself and while not taking care of a childish person. George wanted a better job and more money, even if it required killing his closest friend.

Do you feel bad for Curley's wife? Do you think that George killing Lennie was rational? What would you do when given Curley's wife of George's situation?