Many readers would agree that George killing Lennie was a vicious act of murder. However, others might say it was an act of friendship. There are more ways to justify it as an act of kindness than an act of hate or selfishness. George was looking out for him, he never seemed to be after his pay or anything he owned, but wanted the best for him. He was only trying to be a good friend. George killed Lennie for Lennie’s own benefit because it was simply better for a friend to kill him, George killing him spared Lennie from dying scared and tortured, and Lennie would not have been able to survive in jail. One reason George could be justified for killing Lennie would be because he didn’t want him to be scared he wanted him to be happy before …show more content…
Sometimes George had to be more like a father figure to him, like when he saw that he had a dead mouse he took it from him and it hurt Lennie’s feelings, but it was for his best interest which George understood. Afterward George offers to get him a puppy because he knew that would cheer him up. He didn’t want him to be hurt or sad in any way, which shows the father or big brother figure George really was to Lennie. After Lennie had killed the puppy and Curley’s wife he was angered by what he had done and worried. He looked at the dead girl and the puppy lay close to her, Lennie picked him up “I’ll just throw him away”, he said. “It’s bad enough as it is”. This perspective shows the severity of the situation since even Lennie realizes that what he had done was wrong, but in many ways he was innocent because he was scared and he had felt really bad about what he had done. When Candy found her and showed George they had both known who did it. They had to tell the other men about what had happened, when they did they all became extremely angry and wanted to torture of kill Lennie in vicious ways. George had thought about convincing the men to let him live and he could be put away in jail. Soon after George realized that they wouldn’t treat him well in jail, because people didn’t understand mental illness back then and Lennie wouldn’t do well in jail or a crazy house. Therefore, it
Killing someone is never right. No one pointed a single finger to George for killing Lennie. They all thought it was ok since Lennie killed Curley’s wife, it is not ok to kill a person. All of them went out to drink after Lennie was dead. George did not even care, Lennie trusted George with everything. Lennie would probably be arrested for killing Curley’s wife, but he did not deserve to be killed. Lennie was a special person, he did not know his own strength. He never meant to kill Curley’s wife. George knew that but decided to kill Lennie anyways. That is not the definition of a true friend. No one accused George of anything, but instead were happy that Lennie ended up being
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.
That ain’t no good, George.’”(Steinbeck 97). Because Lennie killed Curley’s wife, he committed a felony. George wanted Lennie to be thrown in jail at first. He wanted Lennie to be arrested because he thought it was the best thing for Lennie but then Slim told him it would not be good for Lennie. It would be bad for Lennie because Lennie would not understand his rights because he’s mentally challenged and locking him up in a cage would just hurt Lennie. George then realized he needed to kill Lennie so nobody would mistreat him. George is protecting others from Lennie.”’Lennie-if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before…’”(Steinbeck 15). George has been with Lennie for many years and he knows how Lennie will never learn and he will keep committing bad stuff. George knew something was going to happen at the ranch because Lennie has always done something wrong. George tried to prevent something from going wrong but he couldn’t. As a result he had to put down Lennie so he would not hurt anyone ever again. George felt the hard choice of killing Lennie was the right decision for George because Curley wanted to get his revenge, Lennie would be mistreated in prison and he was
In conclusion, George killing Lennie was a murder because of lack of consent and Lennie was not suffering physically. In this society, people are scared of the unknown, and that is how they lived. No one realized what they were doing was wrong. But Lennie was just like everyone else, only different because of a small, mental setback. The characters did not seem to realize that Lennie believed in a future ahead of him, and that he had hopes and dreams just like them. Life is incredibly short, and no one should deserve
Lennie shows how his great strength brings harm to him when he kills. George wanted Lennie to be at peace and thinking of good things when he met the end of his life instead of being afraid of being killed by people who did not understand him. It was an act of unselfish kindness at a time when people of mental illness such as Lennie, was seen as undesirable, and often monsters. Does George have the right to kill Lennie? Legally? What about ethically? What does George's action suggest about justice within the play and in the world as a
Secondly, George was justified to kill Lennie for reason that Lennie was too strong. Lennie was a marvelous, solid, strong worker, but frequently his strength was not handled right. In the story, Lennie was in a fight with Curley and, consequently, caused Lennie to crush his fist. Another piece
In the Novella “of mice and men” by John Steinbeck proves that george is justified in killing lennie because of lennie’s shortsighted actions of stupidity. George’s reputation of living on the dream was dissolved after lennie killed curley’s wife.
Lennie was mercifully killed by George in order to save him from a more terrifying and devastating fate. Though many people would see Lennie’s death as avoidable and unnecessary, there was too much in the way of events and consequences that could have saved Lennie from anything worse than death. If he had been caught, Lennie surely would have been lynched, caged like an animal, or shot by Curly. In order to save Lennie and himself, George decides to mercifully end his life. In doing so, George ultimately saves Lennie, makes a morally sound choice based on his environment, and is kinder to him than most men would be.
George didn’t have a choice other than killing Lennie because everyone would come after him as well. If you loved someone that much, and you were in this situation, you too wouldn’t have much of a choice. This is the world that we did live in, and still do live in. A world where blacks, mentally disabled, women, handicapped, and the elderly are not treated equal. It still goes on today, whether we like it or
One reason that the killing was justified was the consequences that lennie would of faced if george did not kill him. One consequence is if the law took over lennie would have been sent to prison. If he was captured by Curly's men they would have killed him in a not so humane way. Also George’s care and love for lennie required a shift from absolute
George is justified in killing Lennie because of the multiple problems Lennie has in his life. Professor Doyal, emeritus professor of medical ethics at Queen Mary, says “It would be better if their lives were ended without this unnecessary delay” (Doyal). This quote is saying that people with mental challenges that restrict them from having a normal and healthy life should be put out of their misery. This relates to my topic because George could see the problems Lennie has to deal with. For example, he
George killed Lennie purely out of love, compassion, and to save him from being locked up in jail or shot by Curley. After George and Candy find Curley’s wife dead, they debate whether or not Lennie should be punished for his crimes. Candy and George argue, “‘He’s such a nice fella. I didn’ think he’d do nothing like this.’ George still stared at Curely’s [dead] wife. ‘Lennie never done it in meanness,’ he said. ‘All the time he done bad things, but he never done one of ‘em mean,’” (Steinbeck 95). This shows that Lennie cannot apprehend situations that go on around him and that taking his life would mean no one else's life is being put at risk by him. Therefore, George shooting Lennie was the appropriate decision to make for himself, Lennie, and the rest of society. On the same note, a man in Ohio shoots his wife because he believes she never would have gotten better after experiencing a triple aneurysm that put her on life support.
One last justification for George killing Lennie is the mistreatment of people like Lennie. It’s safe to say that Lennie was treated like a dog in this book. Steinbeck even made a direct comparison of him to a terrier by writing, “Slowly, like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master.” This leads to the prejudice that people would treat like he wasn’t human. Also, George had to lie to the boss at the farm and say Lennie got kicked in the head by a horse because if he found out Lennie had a disability, Lennie would be kicked out. People back then thought people with disabilities had no use whatsoever. Lennie can’t seek help from mental facilities either. These homes during this time period were basically
George continuously says his life would be eaiser without him. "God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want."(p.89) George is not expecting Lennie could understand, it is like the kind of moment when kids make trouble and parents think they would be much better without them and George feel the same way when Lennie acting
He did anything to protect him, he watched over him and he tried to make him happy. He did all of this but he could not stop Curley’s wife from getting killed. This has happened before and if he got away with it, it could have happened again. Out of all the options George was given this was the best choice. One can really see George’s love and compassion for Lennie when he is about to kill him. He does not just go up and point the gun or shoot him from a distance. George goes up to Lennie and tells him their future plans about the farm and the rabbits. Lennie is staring out across the river when George places the gun right behind his head. Lennie goes out with his best friend and a beautiful image in his mind. What more could a simple-minded man like Lennie have asked for. George did the right