Delmi Rodriguez March 22, 2011 Period 3 Of Mice and Men Since 1983, over 60 people with mental

illness or retardation have been executed in the U.S., (Quick). This relates to one of the main characters, Lennie, in the tragedy Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Lennie has mental retardation and cant always take care of himself like an adult. He depended heavily on his aunt Clara before she died but now his best friend George has taken over that responsibility. A mentally handicapped person should not be held responsible for their actions. A mentally handicapped person does not necessarily intend to do hurtful or terrible things. For example, when Lennie was in the barn mourning over the death of his puppy he threw a temper tantrum and soon after starting crying sorrowfully showing the reader that he didnt murder his puppy on purpose. I didnt know youd get killed so easy, (Steinbeck 86). As the reader can see Lennie doesnt know what he is capable of. He didnt murder the pup out of meanness or hatred. Furthermore, just like a child he did not quite grasp what exactly he had did. Secondly, a website called Uky.edu has provided further proof of this point. A mentally retarded person exhibits a low level of intelligence and impaired adaptive behavior, (Dorsey). This quote suggests that a mentally handicapped person isnt always capable of thinking things through. Therefore, it would not be in their nature to just blatantly do something harsh. Lastly, a mentally handicapped person is not always able to have full control of their behavior hence, they can do something mean and not even understand what it is theyve done or who theyve hurt. Mental handicaps do not attempt to do malicious things intentionally. Other people may argue that even though mental handicaps have a disability, they still have a mind of their own. Despite having a mind of their own, others are mistaken because he mentally handicapped cannot perpetually understand concepts clearly. As the narrator describes Lennie while walking with George the reader witnesses the connection between Lennie and how he perceives things physically, as well as mentally. Behind him with large, pale eyes, with wide, slopping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws, (Steinbeck 2). In other words, one can see that the symbolism Steinbeck uses (pale eyes) presents to the reader that Lennie cannot

Delmi Rodriguez March 22, 2011 Period 3 Of Mice and Men always understand subjects thoroughly. Again, he can be compared to a child going on in the world as best he can, interpreting things the only way his disability allows him to. Also, having a mind of ones own doesnt necessarily make one brilliant and able-bodied. By the same token, Uky.edu provided another fact proving that the mentally handicapped cannot always see concepts clearly. As children, the moderately retarded progress to about the second-grade level in academic subjects, the severely retarded develop only minimal speech and communication skills, and the profoundly retarded have little capacity to move about or profit from sensory information, (Dorsey). This quotation expresses the difficulties a mentally handicapped person faces, inhibiting them to develop the essential skills needed to understand concepts. In fact, the quote mentions that these mentally disabilities can start when one is a child, which infers that if the disability wasnt treated or treatable the mental handicap was never able to fully perceive anything. Lastly, not being able to comprehend material thoroughly can affect actions of a mental handicap, therefore, supporting the point that the mentally handicapped shouldnt be held accountable for their actions. Despite having a mind of their own, a mentally disabled person cant always grasp concepts clearly. Third, a mentally handicapped person did not, by any means, choose to be mental. In part of an article called Mental Retardation, the speaker provides a statistic that supports this point. Some 3% of the American population can be described as mentally retarded, and about 126,000 infants born each year are expected to fall into this category,(Dorsey). This statistic suggests that a mental disability isnt something that is given out to a specific person. It comes as a randomly and happens to be a misfortune to 3%of average Americans, including Lennie. Also, knowing that the scientists and doctors are predicting that so many people will be born mentally handicapped, the reader can infer that many more people will be given an unwanted mental disability. In Addition, a quote from the novel can further explain this point. She took him when he was baby and raised him up. When his aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin, (Steinbeck 40). This suggests that mental handicaps dont choose to be mental because as seen in the quote not only did this affect Lennie but also George and his aunt. Secondly, as

Delmi Rodriguez March 22, 2011 Period 3 Of Mice and Men said above this disability was randomly given to Lennie, a long with not being able to control his actions, such as his strength. It is not ones choice to be mentally handicapped. In summary, a mentally handicapped person should not be held responsible for their actions. A mental handicap doesnt intend to do mean things, second, a mental handicap, despite having a mind of their own cant always see things clearly, and lastly a mental handicap did not ask to be born with a disability. These three points ultimately prove my thesis because they give the reader something to consider as far as what mentally handicapped people are capable of. Also, the reader is able to really look deep and realize that you are not always in control of yourself or what happens to you ,therefore, one should be sensitive enough to recognize anothers weakness, or in this case anothers disability .