In Of Mice and Men, a novel written by John Steinbeck, George made a gut-wrenching decision to kill his best friend, Lennie. The murder of Lennie Small was justified because George was sparing Lennie from an agonizing death and/or punishment, he helped to prevent more lives being taken by Lennie, and he was released from having any mental confusion or pain. When George killed Lennie, he was pardoning his best friend from a more excruciating death or punishment. After Candy’s Wife was found dead, Candy made the statement, “‘We ougtta let ‘im get away. You don’t know that Curley. Curley gon’ta wanta get ‘im lynched. Curley’ll get ‘im killed’” (Steinbeck 94). Candy was explaining to George that if they were to find Lennie alive, Curley would …show more content…
Lennie is a forgetful human, and if he were to forget the death of Curley’s Wife, he could be incapable of learning from previous mistakes, which causes more pain for himself and others. Lennie and George were in conversation and George said, “‘So you forgot that awready, did you? I gotta tell you again, do I? Jesus Christ, you’re a crazy bastard!’ ‘ I forgot,’ Lennie said softly. ‘I tried not to forget. Honest to God I did, George’” (Steinbeck 4). This is one of the hints that are given to the reader that Lennie is mentally slow and forgets simple, yet important, events or instructions. Lennie forgot what he did in Weed, so it is likely that he would not forget about killing Curley’s Wife and do the same thing over again. “‘O.K.,’ said George. ‘An’ you ain’t gonna do no bad things like you done in Weed, neither.’ Lennie looked puzzled. ‘Like I done in Weed?’ ‘Oh, so ya forgot that too didn’t ya? Well, I ain’t gonna remind ya, fear ya do it again’” (Steinbeck 7). Lennie’s mental dispositions do not only put other’s lives at risk, but his own life as well. “‘An’ he jumps. Couldn’t swim a stroke. He damn near drowned before we could get him. An’ he was so damn nice to me for pullin’ him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in,’” George stated (Steinbeck 40). For these simple reasons, Lennie‘s death was beneficial for not only other people, but for other people as …show more content…
George already had a dream that did not involve Lennie. The dream that they had together may have been the ideal one, but George’s independent dream was more realistic. George explains how he already knows that he might be better off if he lived alone. “God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy” (Steinbeck 11). George goes on to describe his dream that he had planned. He talks about how he could get a gallon of whiskey or shoot pool and live a leisurely life if he did not have to take care of the burden that is Lennie
In ending of "Of Mice And Men", George kills Lennie after he killed Curley's wife. However, I can still feel sympathy towards George, and see his action as justifiable. In the beginning of the book I had sympathy towards George. The book starts with George talking to Lennie and from this you learn a lot about their relationship. After Lennie asks for ketchup, which they can't get, George gets angry at Lennie and says, “Whatever we ain’t got, that’s what you want. God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble" (6). This shows the reader that George has given up a lot to take care of Lennie. He has given up his job security and a lot of his happiness because he takes care of Lennie. In chapter 3, the reader finds out how George and Lennie started traveling together, and from this the reader can infer that George travels
George felt though an extremely difficult choice, killing Lennie himself was the right decision. Curley was gonna get his revenge and George did not want that because he did not want Lennie to die painfully. “‘I’ll kill the big son-of-a-bitch myself. I’ll shoot him in the guts.’”(Steinbeck 96). When Lennie killed Curley’s wife, Curley wanted to give him the most painful death. Curley wanted to shoot Lennie in the stomach which wouldn’t kill you at first, Instead you would bleed out slowly and painfully. George didn’t want Lennie to suffer so he knew he had to get to Lennie before Curley did and kill Lennie the fastest and least painful death he could which he did. Lennie would be arrested and thrown in jail for
One important reason that shows George's actions of killing Lennie is a euthanasia is a very important reason. The reason is that Lennie can't really tell George that that he wants to die, but he actually does in a more indirect way. Lennie's mental state is very low and it would be hard for him to tell George directly and give his constant.
The characteristics of mice are simple and feebleminded. A mouse is helpless, timid and oblivious. Few characters in Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men possess such characteristics. Throughout the novel, Lennie exhibits the qualities associated with mice.
One of Lennie's many traits is his forgetfulness. He easily forgets what he is supposed to do, but he somehow never forgets what he is told. An example of how Lennie is forgetful is when he has the mice in his pocket and when he went to pet them they bit his finger. “Lennie picked up the dead mouse and looked at with a sad face. When they bit him he pinched them, and by doing that he crushed their heads” (page 5) . This is important because he knew that if he squeezed their heads they would die, but since he is forgetful, he squeezed anyway. Another example of how Lennie is forgetful is when he grabbed Curley's hand and crushed it. “ Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it. Lennie squeezed on until George came running in shouting ‘let go’. The next moment Curley was on the ground wailing while he held his crushed hand” (page 64). This event is important because Lennie had held on, not knowing what to do next, until George told him what to do. A final exampl...
First of all, Lennie is greatly forgetful. In the beginning of the novel, Lennie kept asking George where they were going (Steinbeck 4). One character, Crooks, takes advantage of his forgetfulness. Because Lennie would forget anything Crooks told him, he was relieved he could talk to somebody without worrying about him telling anybody else. He often forgot what George told him not to do, like talk or even look at Curley's wife.
Was George to harsh or too fast with his decision to kill Lennie? Ever since Lennie was born he has needed help “living” and it started with his aunt Clara. When his aunt Clara died Lennie needed someone to help him with his everyday life and someone that could be there and tell him what to do. Lennie starts to travel with a good family friend George. In the book “Of Mice and Men” there is many cases where Lennie just “holds on” to George. George realizes in the end of the book Lennie has done too much harm and needs to essentially go away. George then shoots Lennie in the back of the head because Lennie couldn't live on his own if he were to run away from Curly and the rest of the gang of workers coming after him. George did the right thing because Lennie was unstable and George knows lennie didn't mean to harm anything. He doesn't know his own strength and George really wasn't qualified to help Lennie learn that he is powerful beyond measure.
George is an admirable character because he has the courage to kill Lennie himself instead of letting the other men find and kill him. George shows great concern about Lennie when Lennie asks him if he will give Lennie hell about accidentally breaking Curley’s wife’s neck. Instead, George simply replies, “You can’t remember nothing that happens, but you remember ever’ word I say”(Steinbeck,101). Due to Lennie’s mental disorder, he can not recall much from his past which is another reason why George regrets what he has said in the past. In reality, George
In fact, near the ending of the story, he unintentionally snapped Curley’s wife’s neck trying to quiet her (91). Failing to recognize his own strength, Lennie accidentally took her life, proving that he was perilous. By shooting Lennie, George prevented Lennie from accidentally injuring or killing anyone ever again. His verdict was correct in view of the fact that he sacrificed his friend’s life with the intention to protect the lives of others. Furthermore, George’s decision protected Lennie. As a punishment for his deeds, The workers wanted Lennie executed. George realized this and told candy, “Curley’s gon’ta wanta get ‘i'm lynched. Curley’ll get ‘im killed,” (94). In consequence of killing Curley’s wife, Lennie unknowingly put himself in harm's way. Curley’s motive for wanting to kill Lennie was spite and revenge. So, instead of allowing Lennie to be murdered alone and afraid, George took matters into his own hands and made sure his friend died knowing he was cared for and full of hope. Through it's ironic, George’s choice protected Lennie from the malice of others, thus keeping him unafraid and unharmed. However, others may believe
George did not ask Lennie if he wanted to be killed. Mercy killings are usually a patient requesting the action, so it’s usually not done without consent like the situation in this book. Also, there were many other options for Lennie like him living in the mountains as he mentions. “‘George gonna wish he was alone an’ not have me botherin’ him.’ He turned his head and looked at the bright mountaintops. ‘I can go right off there an' find a cave,’ he said. And he continued sadly, '--an' never have no ketchup--but I won't care. If George don't want me...I'll go away. I'll go away'"(Steinbeck 100). The evidence proves that there were other options than killing Lennie. He could have lived in the mountains with or without George. They could have hidden in the brush somewhere far away from Curley, and none of these actions would’ve been necessary.
I think that George killed lennie because he wanted to help him and himself.All the guys wanted lienne dead because lennie had killed curley's wife and curley got all the guys so that they can kill lennie.George can’t protect him because lennie had committed murder.George didn’t want lienne to suffer in jail or get hanged.George wanted to do it himself because he didn’t want to have all the guilt and feel less because someone was going to do it for him and maybe show the guys that he didn’t want to kill curley’s.George killed lennie because he knew that lienne didn’t know what he had done,didn’t want lennie to suffer,and so that the guys ththe guys thet worked in the farm didn’t think that he was involved of killing curley’s wife.
For george his dreams never come true because of lennie. So like when the two were working in weed Lennie grabbed a girl's dress and she claimed that it was rape so they had to hide the whole day so they did not get caught. For example in the novel Of Mice and Men George says “God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble....An' whatta I got,' George went on furiously. 'I got you! You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. Jus' keep me
The Character of Lennie in Of Mice and Men In my opinion, Lennie Small is the most interesting character in Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck does a very good job describing and characterizing Lennie's personality. Lennie's character is, indeed, quite unique. A large man with enormous strength, yet kind and childlike, he seems to find joy in simple life pleasures like petting a furry animal and making the water ripple.
After Lennie gets into the debacle with Curley’s wife, he runs to the oasis described at the beginning of the book. George fears the men will tear Lennie apart and murder him. He also knew he would be institutionalized, or “caged” if he survived the attack. He had the moral clarity that let him see that killing Lennie was the best thing for him. When George kills Lennie, it’s a kind of mercy killing.
At the end of the story, Of Mice and Men, George faces a large dilemma. Lennie has gotten himself into trouble again, and George must decide what to do. If he takes Lennie to the sheriff, he will be locked up in a cage, but if he doesn’t, Curley is sure to shoot him. That is when George decides to take it upon himself to kill Lennie, even though he is his friend.