George lies about the cause of Lennie's mental deficiency. Why does he change the story from the truth?
My Answer- He thinks the boss won't give them jobs if he knows the truth.
What is the truth? Is it that Lennie was born w/ it?
The truth is that Lennie's mental deficiency is not something he was born with. In John Steinbeck's novella "Of Mice and Men," it is revealed that Lennie's mental impairment is the result of a childhood accident. When George and Lennie were young, Lennie was involved in an incident where he was kicked in the head by a horse. This injury caused permanent damage to his brain, resulting in his mental deficiency.
However, George decides to lie about the cause of Lennie's mental deficiency for a couple of reasons. Firstly, George is concerned that if the boss finds out about Lennie's condition, he may not hire them for the job they desperately need. Discrimination against people with disabilities was unfortunately prevalent during that time, so George is afraid of the stigma and prejudice they may face if the truth is known.
Additionally, George understands that having Lennie around can be challenging at times. Lennie is strong but lacks the ability to understand his own strength, leading to unintentional harm to people and animals. By changing the story and attributing Lennie's mental deficiency to a condition he was born with, George believes it provides a more acceptable explanation for Lennie's behavior, rather than people perceiving him as someone who caused his own impairment at a young age.
It is important to note that George's decision to lie about Lennie's condition is a reflection of the social and cultural norms prevalent during that era, where disabilities were often misunderstood and stigmatized.