What does Lennie's fight with Curley show the ranch hands? What does the description of this fight suggest about the nature of violence?

Lennie's fight with Curley is very important to the theme of violence in this novel. The fight demonstrates to the ranch hands that Curley is not actually as tough as he appears.  Although Lennie does even fight back when Curley initially attack him, once he finally responds, he easily overpowers Curley.  Curley has harassed and bullied so many of the ranch hands over the years, and they have all come to fear him because of this.  But when Lennie stands up to Curley, it gives a sense of empowerment to the others who quickly realize Curley is not to be feared, at least from a physical standpoint.  The other ranch hands also lose the little respect they have for Curley because of the fact that he harrasses and picks a fight with Lennie.

In regard to the description of the fight and it's relationship to the nature of violence in the novel, it is important to note the uncontrollable rage which Lennie exhibits.   Although Lennie is not, by nature, a violent person, it becomes brutally obvious that once he loses control of himself, he can be unintentionally violent.  Later in the novel, we actually see him become deadly.