Of Mice and Men Group

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soccer21
soccer21

Why does Curley attack Lennie at the end of chapter 3? What happened to Curley?

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Posted by soccer21 on Sunday February 22, 2009 at 11:57 AM and tagged with curley, of mice and men, steinbeck.

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  1. chicagorilke23

    eNotes Editor

    Curley attacks Lennie because he assumes that Lennie is smiling at him. Curley thinks that Lennie is enjoying the insults made at Curley's expense. The insults are about the hand that Curley keeps soft for his wife, the "Glove fulla vaseline" as Candy taunts.This is why Curley gives Lennie a bloody nose and hurts his stomach area.

    In reality, Lennie is simling because of the dream he and George share of the ten acre farm. Lennie is excited about the possibility of there being rabbits for him to tend on the farm. Rabbits for him to take care of and enjoy. This dream becomes more of a reality when Candy offers a portion of money if George allows him a piece of this dream of a 10 acre farm.

    At the end of the book, Curley rounds up a mob to "deal with" or kill Lennie for the murder of Curley's wife. The mob Curley gathers catches up to Lennie and George but only after George kills Lennie. George kills Lennie in order to spare him a torturous end at the hands of Curley and his mob.

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/ofmice/chapter-3-summary-analysis

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    Posted by chicagorilke23 on Sunday February 22, 2009 at 1:13 PM