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Critical analysis of "of mice and men
The symbolic meaning of mice and men
Critical analysis of "of mice and men
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There are a lot of killing in this story though out the book. Lennie accidently kills his pet mouse/rat in the beginning of the story but wants to keep it because it is soft. Lennie likes to feel things that very soft and not let go even if crushed or dead. Lennie also kills his little pup and Curley’s wife by accident but to everyone else it is classified as murder. So, Lennie would go to jail or be hanged/ killed because of “accidently” killing Curley’s wife. This is different from mercy killing because you kill someone or something out of pity of what they would face next. When Carlson shoots Candy’s old mutt because of his suffering, it is an act of mercy. Candy at first wanted to keep his old dog but after everyone convincing him that
the dog was suffering since it could barely walk, smelled and could not see. He let Carlson shoot the old dog to let it out of its misery. Now the dog can rest peace and not have to suffer any more. Another example of mercy killing in this book would be when George killed Lennie. George killed Lennie at the end of the story because he did not want any the fates that was coming Lennie way. For killing Curley’s wife, Lennie’s punishment would be either getting beat and shot at in painful places. He could be put in jail for the rest of his life and be named as a murder. He could have also been put into a mental hospital where they would experiment on him. But George, choose to have Lennie not go through any of these painful paths and to just shoot him in an unpainful spot. This is very different from murder because it took into accountant of the well-being of the other person, whereas murder is just to kill someone for your own sick purpose.
Is killing someone bad if they were protecting them from someone else? What if that person was going to die anyway? is that a reason to kill them? In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George kills Lennie because he thinks he absolutely has to in order to stop future incidents. It seems like George killing Lennie was a sign of mercy. Lennie and George were friends and Curley was going to kill Lennie. Furthermore, people would think about the killing as a way out for George. He should be punished for killing Lennie because he broke his promise to Lennie’s aunt Clara by not protecting Lennie, He wanted to be alone since the beginning of the book, and Lennie had a lot to offer to society.
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
Lennie was shot by a friend who cared about him. There was no hatred between them making the death non-revengeful. It was just as if Lennie was hooked up to a machine that kept him alive and George pulled the plug. He was bound to be shot anyways so it was better that George "pulled the plug" instead of Curley. Curley would have shot Lennie in the guts to have Lennie suffer a more painful and slow death. It shows that George really cared for Lennie.
By shooting Candy’s dog, Carlson offers mercy to his dog. Mercy killing can also happen in real life
After Lennie makes his mistake of killing Curley's wife the other characters want to brutally kill him being led by Curley but George who realises that this is a cruel way for Lennie to die and that he can’t save Lennie he decides that Lennie must have a merciful death. The reader infers when Curley says “ ‘I know who done it,[...][It was lennie].I know he done it. [...] I’m gonna get him. I’m going for my shotgun[...]I’ll shoot him in the guts’ ” ( 96). In this quote we understand that Curley plans on killing Lennie but in a more painful way than Lennie deserves. Thus George realizes that Lennie is about to be killed in a horrific way so he intervenes and kills Lennie in a peaceful way. This shows that mercy killing is to be done over the horrific way that Curley wants to take out Lenie. Because Lennie would have a much worse death than needed and Lennie could have put up a fight, George completes a mercy killing as the safest
Lennie had a soft spot for petting animals and soft things. He is totally oblivious to the fact that he hurts almost every thing he touches. He had pet mice and ended up killing them and when he played with the 'pup' he ended up killing it too. His uncontrolled strength also caused him to kill Curley's wife. "Lennie's fingers fell to stroking her hair... he stroked harder... "Let go!" she cried... She struggled violently... and then she was still; for Lennie had broken her neck." (Page 91). With the death of Curley's wife, Lennie's innocence was taken. He had unwillingly killed. He had to pay the price, by losing his life.
The harsh reality is one which hit everyone in America in the 1930. People found work hard to find and crime was on the uprise. This meant, unfortunately, that innocent people were the easy prey and, as we see in the Of Mice and Men, there were plenty of characters that were easy prey. Of Mice and Men characters have and do thing that make them vulnerable in way which do cause trouble. In this essay, that harsh reality and easy prey will be shown through to see which characters are the most vulnerable.
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
If someone’s actions are truly innocent, why must someone kill him? Lennie has never done something to inflict pain everything has been unintentional. Lennie was a strong young man, but with a mental illness. Lennie made multiple mistakes, he was murdered and it affected a lot of people including the killer.
Compassion might not seem like a big deal but it’s something that everyone one wants and needs. When Curley's wife repeatedly tells Lennie it's ok for him to talk to her. This shows that because Curley doesn’t talk to his wife very much, so shew wanted someone to talk to. Curley is the boss’s son so everyone is afraid to converse with his wife. Another example would be Candy is heartbroken about his dog being killed. It shows that dog's or pets can show love and compassion, just as a relationship with a human. While everyone is in the bunk room Candy says " I ought to shoot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to let no stranger shoot my dog (Steinbeck 58). The quote shows Candy had sympathy and compassion for his dog. Now the quote
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.
Although some might disagree.You might think how does he deserve sympathy if he wasn’t willing to show sympathy towards others? Well Carlson didn’t know how to and refused to because he’s never had anyone to count on. Whenever Candy’s dog appeared Carlson would always disrespect it for being old and smelly. “Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy (44).” Carlson mentioned this because he hates how the dog smells, but he didn’t take the time to understand Candy’s reason of keeping this old stinky dog around. For him it was pointless to keep an old dog so might as well kill it and get it out of its misery. Little does he know that by saying this proves how lonely he is and doesn’t know the meaning of friendship. Candy had this dog since it was a pup and they’ve been together so long therefore he couldn’t just shoot it like it meant nothing to him Carlson not caring says “He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good himself (44).” It’s so hard for him to understand all he needs is someone to knock some sense into him. Especially at the very end of the book George shot Lennie, his best friend, the person who he was always there for. Slim knows that George made such a hard decision and they are both affected by it and all Carlson said while looking at them was “Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys (106).” This is such a frustrating part because how would Carlson feel if he had to shoot his best friend?
... killing the only friend he had and was someone who he had promised to protect, but he still believed he had to do this. Lennie did not have a chance to stand up for what he had done, society in the 1930’s was different from us today. People did not receive the chance to stand up for what they did and receive the actions of punishment, they would just be shot on the spot or taken and hung. This was the major mercy killing in the book and was foreshadowed by each of the other killings Lennie committed.
Lennie deserved to be punished for what he did, but not to be killed. Lennie was a handicapped person with below average intelligence. He didn’t really understand what he had done, but he didn’t really fit into society either.
This is the reason what George did in Of Mice and Men is acceptable even if not liked. After the killing of Curley’s wife, Curley was mad and was obligated in his own mind to find moral retribution that would never be settled until Lennie was suffering and, after suffering, dead. This is a astonishing example of when George was obligated as primary carer and close friend to Lennie to help him pass as quickly and painlessly as possible. In a situation where someone is suffering, like Lennie, from some condition, we are obligated to help the person pass as painlessly as possible. This is why George has necessity to help Lennie pass and why mercy killing is justifiably acceptable.