Character Analysis Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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“The right choice is hardly ever the easiest choice”, is a memorable line by author Rick Riordan that may seem like a simple quote, but in actuality can demonstrate one 's character by his/her choices. In John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice And Men, a story of two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, during the 1930s who are migrant ranch workers struggling just as many are during the Depression. George cares for Lennie since he has an intellectual disability and would have no one else to care for him. Lennie finds himself in an egregious situation in which he accidentally takes the life of Curley’s wife. Curley, the son of George and Lennie’s employer, seeks revenge and begins to pursue Lennie with a lynch mob. George is then faced with an arduous situation Curley, infuriated by Lennie’s actions, sets out to find him and have him lynched. George, armed and ready to make a grueling decision, beats Curley and the other men to Lennie. George then shoots Lennie in the back of the head, saving him from being killed by Curley’s lynch mob. George not only saves him from a worse fate, he allows Lennie to be put in a peaceful state of mind before death. George states, “You… an’ me. Everybody gonna be nice to you. Ain’t gonna be no more trouble”(106). The last subject on Lennie’s mind is his aspiration to tend the rabbits on a piece of land that George and he would own. George allows Lennie to be taken from the earth in a painless, peaceful manner which further proves George is right to act and kill Lennie George chooses to bear the burden of taking another’s life which is not an easy task. George makes his decision based on what is best for Lennie, not what is best for himself. “George shivered and looked at the gun, and then he threw it from him, back up on the bank”(106). Immediately, it is clear that George is stunned at what he has done and is at a loss for words. Slim and the rest of the men show up in an instant. George explains in a somber tone to the men what he had just done. Slim commiserates with George and he realizes how difficult of a choice this was for George to make. Slim says, “Come on, George. Me an’ you’ll go in an’ get a drink”(107). By going and getting something to drink, the alcohol will help George deal with the loss of his best friend. Sometimes the right choice is not always the easiest choice as demonstrated by

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