How does Steinbeck's writing make this a powerful and significant moment in the novel?

Answer 1

Steinbeck presents Curley as violent and powerful and Lennie as fearful through his descriptions of their physical movements. He describes Curley as "balanced and poised" as well as using verbs such as "slashed", "smashed" and "slugged", the repetition of the sibilance of the harsh "s" sound creating a notion of violence. This is juxtaposed with the adverbs used to describe Lennie looking "blankly" and "helplessly". The words express Lennie's confusion and perceived powerlessness in reaction to the onslaught. There is an irony to the fact that Lennie is clearly the more powerful man, yet it is he who is fearful since he is unaware of the extent of his strength. This is significant since it is this misunderstanding of his strength that will eventually lead to Lennie's downfall.

Throughout the novel Steinbeck utilises motif of hands, thus making it significant that Curley's hand is crushed. Hands in this novel represent the usefulness and skill of a character in this migrant, working class society where a man's physical strength and stature represents theirplace in the hierarchy of power. Candy is presented by Steinbeck to have only one hand, representing how he is losing his use as he loses his physical strength with age, whilstSlim's "hands were large and lean", portraying his power and respect among the others. Although Lennie crushes Candy's hand by accident, this act emasculates him. The fact that "Curley was white and shrunken" at the hands of Lennie, "his fist lost in Lennie's paw" suggests not only the difference in size and power between the two men but also the fact that Lennie has the power to turn the once proud and posturing Curley into a pathetic and "shrunken" figure with one effortless movement of a hand. This again represents Lennie's ignorance to the power and strength he has just displayed and is therefore an early sign of the devastating, uncontrolled power that will inadvertently lead to his own demise

Steinbeck successfully makes this scene powerful and dramatic through his vivid description of Curley's violence which is set against both the idyllic calm of the previous scene where the George describes the dream farm. This contrast is reinforced through Lennie's confused reluctance to fight until eventually George's intervention leads to his emasculation of Curley. The significance of the act is tragically apparent since it is the same hands or "paws" that eventually leave Curley's wife "flopping like a fish", an act that will lead to the destruction of Lennie's dream and ultimately cost him his life.

Answer 2

Steinbeck's writing in this moment conveys the emotional weight and transformation of the characters involved. Through vivid descriptions and introspective musings, he reveals the complexities of human relationships and the impact of hardship on individuals. The authenticity and rawness of his prose create a deeply resonant and memorable scene that illuminates the novel's themes of resilience, compassion, and the pursuit of the American Dream.