Discussion Topic
Exchange between Curley's wife and Lennie after the puppy's death
Summary:
After the puppy's death, Curley's wife tries to comfort Lennie by telling him that the death was not his fault and that he can get another puppy. She then shares her own feelings of loneliness and disappointment, revealing her dreams and regrets. This exchange leads to a moment of connection between the two characters before the tragic events that follow.
What does Curley's wife say to Lennie after he kills the puppy?
In chapter 5, Curley's wife quietly walks into the barn and sees Lennie attempting to cover something with hay. After asking Lennie a brief series of questions and attempting to get him to open up to her, Curley's wife asks what he's covering up. Lennie proceeds to tell Curley's wife that he is covering a dead puppy with hay and mentions that the puppy was too small to play with, which is the reason that it is dead. Curley's wife attempts to console Lennie by telling him,
Don't you worry none. He was jus' a mutt. You can get another one easy. The whole country is fulla mutts (Steinbeck, 43).
Lennie remains wary of Curley's wife and continues to tell her that George prohibits him from speaking to her, which upsets Curley's wife. Curley's wife then laments about her lonely situation on the ranch, and the audience feels sorry for her as she describes her missed opportunity to leave Soledad.
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