George Is Responsible For Lennie's Life

Many characters in, “Of Mice and Men”, show friendship. George and Lennie show the most examples of having a great friendship. George and Lennie both take each care of one another and care about each other. They both support each other in making the dream of living off the fatta’ the land, come true. Doing these things prove that they have a strong friendship.

George and Lennie were best friends for a long time, more like brothers. Lennie is about as bright as a 2 watt bulb, so George couldn’t really get mad at him when he accidently killed Curley’s wife while feeling the softness of her hair. “…’I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know’”. The two had planned a future together—a future in their own dream ranch, a ranch where no trouble would ever bother them. “’You…an’ me. Ever’body gonna be nice to you. Ain’t gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nobody nor steal from ‘em’”. Then after he tells him about the rabbits that Lennie is so fond of, he shoots him in the back of the head where he knows it will not hurt him, and Lennie will not know what hit him. This is the peaceful alternative to what Curley had in store for him. Curley's exact words were "shoot the bastard right in the guts." George's euthanizing of Lennie makes the mentally incompetent Lennie die with dignity. Had Curley gotten to Lennie first, Lennie would have suffered. This shows you how much George cares for Lennie, no matter what he does or the crimes he commits. He’d always be there to help Lennie get right back up to his feet, make him forget all his worries, and move on like nothing happened. I strongly believe George was the right person to kill Lennie, and made the right decision in doing so, rather than to let him suffer in the hands of Curley.

After Lennie has inadvertently murdered Curley’s wife, Curley’s lynch mob go out in search of Lennie. George’s decision is almost inevitable to spare Lennie’s life, rather than let Curley and his gang destroy the bit of life Lennie has.

As many people who were out to get Lennie, the only person qualified to kill him was George. George has been there for Lennie, his whole life, “Him and me was both born in Auburn… When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to each other after a little while” (Steinbeck 40). Furthermore, George was only trying to take away more suffering later in the future. Since Lennie killed Curley’s wife,

To George and Lennie, having a friend with them is really lucky, but their luckiness didn 't last very long. At the end of the book, George shot Lennie at the back of his head. That was one of George’s two choices: let Curley kill Lennie or kill Lennie by himself. Like a father, George thought it’s his responsibility to kill Lennie to payback the life of

George promises Lennie many things once they get their own farm, “’O.K. Someday- we’re gonna get the jack together… ‘Specially if you remember as good as that.’”(15-16). So George killing Lennie was for his own benefit and it was a very immoral thing to do.

One reason George had to kill Lennie is because his punishment could have been worse. For example, on page 96 curley said he was going to take a shot gun and shoot him in the guts. “I’m gonna get him. I’m going for my shotgun. I’ll kill the big ______________ myself. I’ll shoot ‘im in the guts. Come on guys.” (Steinbeck 96). This states that Curley and other fellow ranchers were going to do horrible things to Lennie. Since George didn’t want Lennie to suffer, George took

Any good person does not want to watch a friend to be hurt, and George is no exception. George is most worried for Lennie when Curley says ‘“i’m gonna shoot the guts outta that big dumb bastard myself, even if i only got one hand.”’ (steinbeck 48). this is when Curley, Slim and Carlson are getting together to find Lennie and hurt him and kill him. George thought

He knew that it was his responsibility to kill Lennie. He killed Lennie because he was responsible for him. George also killed him because he did not want to feel guilty or bad like Candy. George also didn’t want Lennie to have a painful death by the hands of Curley’s gang. He knew that it would be best for him and Lennie for him to do it himself. He wanted Lennie to feel comfortable and he wanted to tell him how he felt. George says “No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want you to know”(Steinbeck 106). George did the right

The main thing that stood out to me was how smart George was when he decided to take Lennie in. First off, Lennie needed the help, Lennie wouldn’t have been able to handle life in general without that adult or big brother figure which George took the role of. George took care of Lennie and in turn, even without specifically trying to, Lennie helped George stay on track to reach their goal where most men during that time would have fallen to alcohol and other time wasting, money sucking, life ruining expenses. This topic also goes with my quote that goes, “An’ I got you. We got each other, that’s what, that gives a hoot in hell about us.” It shows how working together allowed them a better opportunity. It shows how they were happier and

“The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering.”( Steinbeck, 106). George made the right decision by killing Lennie because he would have been killed by Curley when he found out that Lennie killed Curley’s wife. George had to kill Lennie because he was stuck in such a position where had no other option. and he even killed Curley’s wife which made George to end up with a harsh decision.

The first reason that George made the right decision to shoot Lennie is because Lennie would’ve been a danger to everyone else around him. If Lennie killed Curley’s wife, he could be capable

Lennie was rough with Curley’s wife. For Example Lennie says, “ Don’t you go yellin’, he said. He shook her; and her body flopped like a fish and then she was still.. For Lennie had broken her neck” (Steinbeck 91). Lenne was inconsiderate of Curley’s wife's well being and killed her. He was put in a similar situation back in Weed. But, fortunately, the woman did not parish. So on, George says “ Now, look -- I’ll give him the work tickets, but you ain’t gonna say a word. You jus’ stand there and don't say nothing. If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job, but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk. We’re set.” In other words, George is meaning crazy as if Lennie was mentally ill. He is.. But he doesn’t want them to know, or find out what happened in there past because Lennie can end up dead, with the gun in someone else's hands instead of Georges. George chose to shoot him, because he loved him. Lennie was not going to good in the outside world, in Jail or someone else out to hurt him. George helped him with just one shot to the head. To end all of the

George and Lennie are the main characters in the novel which made every decision they made affect other characters in the novel. George had made many decisions in the novel and most of his decisions had affected other characters in a positive way, meanwhile Lennies decisions affected other characters in a negative way. Lennie did not have many decisions in the novel, but when he made a decision George was held responsible. Lennie made many wrong decisions because he was not smart and this is why George had to babysit Lennie at all time.

George: Am I doing the right thing? Lennie was with me since we were young. Since the time that his Aunt Clara died, I was the one who took care and look after him. We traveled together, we worked together and we dreamed together. I might throw a scare on Lennie when I see him. He might think that I'm mad at him. I might ruin Curley's plan because I'm too scared to kill him. How'd we get to this point? If Lennie listened to me, this wouldn't happen.