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What does the dead mouse in Lennie's pocket reveal about him?

At the beginning of the novella, George yells at Lennie for carrying a dead mouse in his pocket. When George asks Lennie why he wants to carry around a dead mouse, Lennie tells him that he simply enjoys petting it with his thumb. After George throws the mouse into the brush, Lennie retrieves it and attempts to hide it from George. When George realizes that Lennie has the dead mouse, George throws the mouse away again despite Lennie begging him to keep it. Lennie's insistence on petting the dead mouse illustrates his affinity for touching soft things. The fact that he fears and listens to George demonstrates his reliance and obedience to him. The reader also learns that Lennie cannot overcome his instincts to pet the mouse, which foreshadows his inability to control his emotions when Curley's wife allows Lennie to stroke her hair.

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