In this book, why does John Steinbeck include info. about Slim's pups?

Question

Is it so that Lennie would get one and then kill it, therefore emphasizing how he doesn't know his own strength?

Answer 1

Often, when an author really goes a long way to describe someone or something in a story or book or play, he/she is trying to sure we are drawn to that person or thing. He wants us to like it/him/her...

If all he had written about was the incident with the puppy, ending in its death (no introduction or full description), we readers probably wouldn't have been so sympathetic to the poor little thing. It would have been less dramatic, in a way.

MHO!!

=)

Answer 2

Characterization:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_design

http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/LTCharacter.html

http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/resources/Literary.Terms.html#Characterization