Of Mice and Men Justice Quotes

“O.K.,” said George. “An’ you ain’t gonna do no bad things like you done in Weed, neither.”
Lennie looked puzzled. “Like I done in Weed?”
“Oh, so ya forgot that too, did ya? Well, I ain’t gonna remind ya, fear ya do it again.”
A light of understanding broke on Lennie’s face.
“They run us outa Weed,” he exploded triumphantly.
“Run us out, hell,” said George disgustedly. “We run. They was lookin’ for us, but they didn’t catch us.”
Lennie giggled happily. “I didn’t forget that, you bet.”

– John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men, Chapter 1. Lennis has no concept of consequences. He doesn’t even remember the wrong he did in Weed, where he was accused of raping a girl after feeling her dress and not letting go. But should George, who keeps dragging Lennie around with him, have taken some action before the big guy wound up killing someone?

Slim sat in silence for a moment. “Didn’t hurt the girl none, huh?” he asked finally.
“Hell no. He just scared her. I’d be scared too, if he grabbed me. But he never hurt her. He jus’ wanted to touch that red dress, like he wants to pet them pups all the time.”
“He ain’t mean,” said Slim. “I can tell a mean guy from a mile off.”

– John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men, Chapter 3. George is talking to Slim about Lennie’s trouble in Weed, where the townspeople wanted to lynch him after he touched girl’s dress and she thought he was trying to rape her.

Slim came directly to George and sat down beside him, sat very close to him. “Never you mind,” said Slim. “A guy got to sometimes.”

– John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men, Chapter 6. Slim on George’s killing of Lennie. Here Slim takes on the role of priest, comforting George after he just killed Lennie, suggesting it was the right thing to do in the circumstances. George kills Lennie to spare him jail or a painful death at the hands of the mob, after Lennie kills Curley’s wife by shaking her so hard her neck breaks.
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