John Steinbeck's Arguments Against Euthanasia

How would you feel if you were forced to suffer through days of excruciating pain, all because someone else had different beliefs? Well, the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck explores the topic of mercy killing through the killing of Candy’s dog, who was merely existing while in constant pain. Another way to describe this way of death is Euthanasia. The article “Where is Euthanasia legal?” defines it as the act of intentionally ending a person’s life so as to help relieve the suffering of pain. Euthanasia is justified in certain situations because no individual should be forced to endure agonizing physical pain against their will; moreover, they should be able to have control over their own death, making it as comfortable and pleasant

as possible.
Even though everyone should be pressured into overcoming the adversity in life, knowing the anguish will only make them stronger, people should not be forced to slowly deteriorate as the pain becomes progressively more unbearable.

For example, Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old terminal cancer patient, stated while talking to a reporter about deciding to use euthanasia to end her life peacefully, “I will die upstairs in my bedroom that I share with my husband, with my mom and my husband by my side, and pass peacefully with some music I like playing in the background” (Dobuzinskis). Maynard wished only to be with the ones she loved most on her final day when she was finally going to be liberated from her misery. Without euthanasia, she would have had to continue to undergo many horrific days of excruciating pain, until her body could no longer take the pain, inevitably shutting down. Another example is from the American Civil Liberties Union, who articulates, “The right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating pain and embrace a timely and dignified death bears the sanction of history and is implicit in the concept of ordered liberty” (ACLU). This further proves the point that all humans should have the undisputed right to chose their own death when capable to make the decision, which is given to them by simple human rights. Individuals should not be forced to sustain incredible pain without being allowed to end their ongoing agony; it is entirely

inordinate and highly immoral.
The first man to advocate for the right to die was named Jack Kevorkian, also known as doctor death; he believed that if the conscience thought a law was immoral, you should not follow it. Although many still do not believe in his idea, many have accepted it, and are fighting to enforce it. For instance, in the article “How Shall We Die”, the author states, “Americans should enjoy a right guaranteed in the European Declaration of Human Rights- the right not to be forced to suffer” (Girsh). Because individuals can determine the course of their lives by their own will, everyone should have the right to live their lives and determine their own course. Likewise, it should be considered a transgression to force someone to live, who with justification, does not wish to continue. Furthermore, in “Of Mice and Men”, after Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, Curley declares, “I’m gonna shoot the guts outta that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand” (Steinbeck, 98). Curley’s rage at this point overcomes his humanity, compelling him to make rash, gruesome decisions. Because he knows what is to become of his best friend, George decides to take Lennie’s life in a peaceful, happy environment before Curley can get his revenge. In the end, although Lennie did not consent to what became of him, he would have understood that George did it out of love.
Some people, however, may argue that Euthanasia should not be legalized.

One reason they are opposed to the topic is the Hippocratic Oath. The oath states, “the prohibition against killing patients… stands as the first promise of self-restraint sworn into, as medicine’s primary taboo” (Kass). Although some may believe this perspective is correct, it is strongly flawed. One reason why this thinking is faulty is brought up by the director and founder of Exit International, who expressed, “ Over time the Hippocratic Oath has been modified on a number of occasions as some of its tenets became less and less acceptable” (Nitschke). When this theory was first developed, they also believed that women should not be allowed to study medicine and that doctors should never break into the patient’s skin, which clearly these are not accurate assumptions. The oath has simply just not evolved far enough yet, and while society is trying to advance it, close minded individuals, are blocking the opportunity to help those in need. Consequently, once people fully understand what euthanasia is used for, and all that it is helping, then it will be rapidly legalized across the

world.
Euthanasia is justified in certain situations because no one should be required to go through tortuous physical suffering; furthermore, they should have the right to be able to manage their own death, making it as easy as possible. When the pain is so horrific that an individual would rather end their life than continue, then it should be an option for them. Also, if they are capable, there need to be rights for people to have control over how they end their lives. Ultimately, everyone has a right to a good death, therefore a good death must not be withheld from those who want one.