Retarded men should not be given strong bodies. Lennie is a perfect example of this statement. Through this novel there are many other characters that are not necessarily strong or retarded, but they are men who don't really have a cause in life. They don't have anything in which to look forward. Lennie, George, and Curley's wife present the theme "man without a cause" throughout the novel.
             Lennie was a very large, strong, retarded man without a cause. " I... I ain't gonna... say a word," (14) was the phrase used by Lennie, and is a perfect example of the slowness in which he processes things mentally. The context of this quote tells us that Lennie could not speak for himself. Significantly, if one can not speak for himself, how is he to have a purpose in life? We need to take into consideration that the time when the book took place was when men were very seldom wealthy, or for that matter, educated. It is important to think and act like an adult and not a child. Lennie was living for a dream given to him by someone else. "Tell me- like you done before. About the rabbits"(12). This request is direct evidence of Lennie living someone else's dream and having a narrow, child-like mind.
             Although not retarded, George is another example of a man without a cause. Through most of his adult life George had been looking after Lennie as if he was his father. The two quotes, "He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was a kid"(21) and "He's sure a hell of a good worker. Strong as a bull"(20), are a relevant pair. George shows through sticking up for Lennie and then stating his strength that he depends on him to make his dream of becoming a wealthy land owner come true. George's whole cause for living was his dream and when he killed Lennie he also destroyed his cause for life.
             The key character that describes the theme, in her case, "woman without a cause" is Curleys wife. The author makes it very clear by not eve...