Discuss Lennie's power to kill as seen with the animals and Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men.

I think that both killings result from Lennie wanting to
touch something "soft" or "purdy."  Steinbeck constructs both killings as accidental,
something that was motivated by Lennie's love of something beautiful and not recognizing
the limits in appreciating it.  Presumably, Lennie killed the puppy by petting it to an
extent and force that the animal could no longer endure.   The same with the mouse that
he was petting in a manner that was beyond the capacity of the creature.  In the same
way, Lennie kills Curley's wife because he keeps holding on to her hair as she tries to
violently push away.  I think that Lennie's hands, themselves, might contain a symbolic
significance in each of these murders.  As seen with Lennie breaking Curley's hand, the
size of his hand is enormous.  Equally enormous is his strength.  Simultaneous with
these realities is Lennie's love of childhood elements.  Lennie is fascinated, like all
children, with the sense of touch.  This tactile sensation is how he is able to interact
with his world on a more significant level.  The interesting element here is that there
is destruction that results with such interaction.  Lennie cannot but help destroy that
which he touches.  This dynamic of wanting to interact with the world in a more
meaningful manner through touch, but invariably bringing destruction as a result is what
makes Lennie's character both compelling and sad at the same
time.