Who Is Lennie Innocent In Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck. In this novel, two very important characters become present. These characters are Lennie and George, who are farm hands that travel from farm to farm. Lennie has obvious mental issues, and because of this, George looks after him. Throughout the course of the novel, Lennie ends up killing a young lady. A question then presents itself, and this is whether Lennie is innocent in this killing. The answer is simply, yes. Throughout the novel, we learn that Lennie has very short memory and that he is in an environment where his challenges may be provoked. In the article “Personality Disorders” it states “that intellectual awareness of right or wrong is not enough; individuals must have some understanding

of the moral or legal consequences of their behavior before they can be held criminally responsible”. It also states that “Some states added to their statutes the doctrine of “irresistible impulse,” which recognizes that some mentally ill individuals may respond correctly when asked if a particular act is morally right or wrong but still be unable to control their behavior”. The four aforementioned pieces of evidence will be used to help explain why Lennie is innocent.
The first piece of evidence is that Lennie has a mental disorder.

Lennie has an extremely hard time remembering things, even when he just heard them. An example of this is when George asks Lennie if he remembers where they are going, “‘You remember where we’re goin’ now?’ Lennie looked startled and then in embarrassment hid his face against his knees ‘I forgot again’” (Steinbeck 6). This is demonstrating Lennie's childlike mind that has little capability to comprehend and remember anything. This goes hand in hand with his innocence, if Lennie can’t remember where he is going, then how is he supposed to remember what the laws

are?
Another thing to consider is that Lennie’s mental illness is constantly being tested.

George is constantly wanting him to remember things he simply can’t. However, the situation get worse when they get to the farm. The owner son, who was a fighter, is threatened by Lennie’s physical appearance. “Curley’s like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys” (Steinbeck 26). Curley is provoking Lennie and wanting to fight with him. However Lennie does not want to fight, and clearly states “ I don’t want no trouble” (Steinbeck 29). This is not good for Lennie because this only worsens his disability because he becomes more nervous.
In the article “Personality Disorders” it states “ intellectual awareness of right or wrong is not enough; individuals must have some understanding of the moral or legal consequences of their behavior before they can be held criminally responsible”. Lennie does have remorse upon killing Curley’s wife. He is aware that what he did was wrong, however the statement above clearly states, this does not make him guilty. Lennie has no concept of legal consequences, after the killing he was just concerned that George wasn't going to let him tend the rabbits. This proves even further that Lennie is innocent of the

crime.
Others, however, may claim that Lennie is not innocent. They may claim that he knew what he was doing, and therefore should be prosecuted. However Lennie had an obsession with soft things. At the beginning of the novel he even carried a dead mouse around to pet it. Lennie can't control himself when there is something soft in his presence. Lennie was petting Curley’s wife’s hair, when she tried to get away from him and he accidently snapped her neck. The impulse was too strong for Lennie to think straight, and this was ultimately what killed Curley’s wife. “Some states added to their statutes the doctrine of “irresistible impulse,” which recognizes that some mentally ill individuals may respond correctly when asked if a particular act is morally right or wrong but still be unable to control their behavior” (Personality Disorders). This excerpt is the final key to Lennie's innocence, the “irresistible impulse” that Lennie had, should set him free from any punishment.
In totality, Lennie’s short memory, environment, unawareness of legal statutes, and “irresistible impulse” is what lead to Curley’s Wife’s death. Lennie should not be punished for the way he was born. He is simple, but not dangerous. It is for the reasons stated above, that Lennie should not be prosecuted.