Of Mice and Men Theme of Innocence

Innocence has many different functions in Of Mice and Men. When we first realize Lennie has a mental disability, he can be described as having a childlike innocence. His attitude towards the world and others is tempered with a simplistic, juvenile, and often warm view. Innocence also functions as the opposite of guilt. Lennie, perhaps linked to the first notion of "childlike innocence," is presented as a sympathetic character in spite of his constant failings and murdering tendencies. Innocence is something of a godsend and an excuse for bad behavior. It seems to fit in with Steinbeck’s insistence that characters be treated without judgment.

1. Is Lennie the only innocent character in the novella? Is he the most innocent? Does Lennie’s innocence protect him, or make him dangerous?
2. How is innocence used in this book? (Think of innocent with reference to childhood, lack of exposure to bad things, and not being guilty of crimes.)
3. Though Lennie seems gently dumb, there are times he is full of piss and vinegar, like when he tries to break the future cats’ necks for hurting the future rabbits. Do we just feel that Lennie is innocent because he’s mentally slow, when in actuality we’re excusing a hardened killer?
4. Is Curley’s wife malicious because she’s really an awful person, or is she simply lonely and naïve?

Innocence is a farce in this book. Even Lennie is guilty of crimes and petty cruelty, and no one is above being awful to others.