Is Taking a Life Ever Justified? Reflection in John Steinbeck´s of Mice and Men

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John Steinbeck, in his novel, Of Mice and Men, implies that in times of dire need, taking the life of one whom is suffering is the only viable option. He develops his claim by illustrating Lennie’s mental illness throughout the various conflicts faced by the two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, while on their journey to reach the, “American Dream.” Steinbeck’s purpose is to rationalize the immortality of killing a loved one in order to sustain internal peace. The novel is intended for an audience that wishes to recognize the difficulties faced by those who lived during the time of the Great Depression.
The idea of killing someone for their own benefit is argued in John-Paul Ford’s press release, “Mercy Killing”. As stated in the release, a mother, “gave her brain-damaged son a lethal heroin injection to end his ‘living hell,’”(Source C) presents compelling evidence that killing someone you care about for the greater good should not be considered injustice. The mother told jurors that she had “no choice” (Source C) and had done it out of complete and unconditional love for her so...

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