Mentally Disabled In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Did you know that over 65,000 mentally disabled people were sterilized, or surgically made unable to reproduce, between 1920 and 1970? There were many treatments in mental asylums that in todays world would be considered cruel. These treatments almost always made the patients worse, which may explain why George constantly kept Lennie sheltered in Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. Lennie was mentally disabled, and this often caused him to impulsively do things that got him into trouble. George constantly kept him by his side, since the alternative would be to put him into a facility where he would be subjected to many treatments. In the 1930’s, mental treatment was harsh, but was believed to help the patients. There was little research on
Lennie was often treated similarly to a small child who needed protection, but his great amount of strength caused problems. He was extremely forgetful, and lacked the common sense needed to keep him out of trouble. After the death of Lennie’s aunt, George Milton began caring for him. He took on the role of a parent, always making sure Lennie was safe. His role as a parent becomes evident when he tells Lennie “I ain’t takin’ it away jus’ for meanness. That mouse ain’t fresh, Lennie; and besides, you’ve broke it pettin’ it. You get another mouse thats fresh and I’ll let you keep it a little while.” (Steinbeck 9) He treats Lennie as if he were a small child, providing him comfort in the fact that he will be able to get a mouse. As written by Luchen and Schultz, “George, on the other hand, fully comprehends the ramifications and risks of his unlikely friendship with Lennie. In this sense, he is a far more tragic figure than his friend, because he knowingly chooses to be Lennie's protector, confidant, and surrogate parent.” Lennie often acts as a child would; not thinking about the results of his actions and often impulsively using strength he does not realize he has. This strength is shown when Lennie explains to George, “I’d pet ‘em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead- because they was so little.” (Steinbeck 10) In an article written by Schultz and Luchen it was stated that Lennie was unaware of his strength, and he was described as a mentally challenged giant. When Lennie accidentally kills a woman on the ranch, George fully shows his love and care for Lennie. A search party goes out to find Lennie and kill him, but George finds him first. He softly tells him his favorite story and kills him before Lennie knows what is happening. After killing Lennie, George is deeply saddened. A friend comforts him by saying “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.”