Imagine you are a psychiatrist and one of your patients, says she wants to be euthanized because she is sick of having to suffer through her disorder. What would you do? In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, two men, George and Lennie, go to California during the depression to find jobs. They traveled to a ranch that they were hired to buck barley at. By the end of the book, Lennie accidentally killed Curley’s wife because he has no control over his strength. Lennie ran off, and George had to make a tough decision, should he kill Lennie to save him from Curley or should he let Curley and Carlson get to Lennie. In the end, George makes the ultimate decision, to euthanize, or to mercifully kill Lennie to save him from Curley’s wrath. In my opinion what, George did was wrong. Everybody has a life, and everybody deserves to live theirs out. Only on the brink of death should people even consider euthanizing someone,is to stop the person’s suffering. When George kills Lennie, I believe that it is wrong. Lennie has a life to live, even though he killed Curley’s wife, he doesn’t deserve to die. I strongly agree with the fact that they should have taken Lennie to a hospital. There, he could have gotten a lot of help and maybe have someday realize that what he did was wrong. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie Small murdered Curley’s wife without realizing what …show more content…
The people who believe this say, “A person should not have to endure intolerable suffering”. (O’Morain). To that I agree to an extent, what is your definition of intolerable? To a child, a scratch on the knee may seem intolerable, or a broken bone. Is a mental disorder intolerable, or a physical disorder? Those aren’t intolerable because if you can treat those, and their life counts just as much as ours. And they can always receive help, because there is several jobs out there that can give them the help that they may
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.
It has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt at this point, Lennie's innocence is not very accepted with the world because of his size, age, etc. He can’t really learn to change his ways due to his disabilities. Lennie can’t even understand why the bad things he has done are bad. Also, the fate he would meet at Curley's mutilated hands is enough to convince George that his only real option is to make Lennie's death as quick and painless as possible. Lennie would have died at the hands of Curly anyways, which would have been a much more painful and dehumanizing death for Lennie. He couldn't be taken to a mental hospital and in the depression, these were basically non-existent and spending a life in jail would be even more torture for a mentally ill person than death itself. George did what was right because he prevented Lennie from doing anything this terrible again, he stopped Lennie from a more painful death, and he really didn't have any other responsible
Did George make the right decision when he killed his best friend Lennie? George and Lennie became friends when they were young. Lennie had an aunt named Clara, that would always take good care of Lennie. Due to Lennie’s special needs, George did not want to see him go through the pain and suffering of prison and mental health care. George felt obligated to take Lennie under his wing because Lennie could not survive on his own. Lennie had a very short temper that caused him and George a lot of heartache. It eventually caused George to have to kill Lennie. Although, many say that George made the wrong choice by killing him. In fact, he made the right choice when he killed Lennie because mental health care practice was very cruel and gunshot wounds was inadequate in the 1930s. George spared Lennie from a cruel hard
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.
If you had the choice of doing what is in your best friend’s interest, would you consider it? What if the friend’s death was a factor? In the story of Mice and Men, George may have taken Lennie's life, but he made the decision for the better interest of his friend. He knew that Curley and his men would kill Lennie, he would suffer and/or be placed in jail. George made the justified decision of killing Lennie because it was the better choice of Lennie’s foreseen future. Therefore, George was morally justified for shooting Lennie for merciful reasons.
Is killing someone right or wrong? In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck readers are conflicted with this question all around the world. George killed Lennie after Lennie accidentally killed Curley’s wife.George and Lennie had known eachother for a long time they even traveled together. George helped Lennie out of multiple situations and killing him was the best way he could think of in the instance of Lennie killing Curley’s wife.Even though Lennie and George were friends, George was justified in killing Lennie because Lennie was undisciplined and unsafe.
The way in which Lennie died is considered to be euthanasia. George mercifully puts the ignorant fool to sleep while he and Lennie, for the last time, fantasize about the soon-to-come dream. George is encouraging to Lennie and reassures him that they are ?gonna do it soon? (106). What George means by this is that Lennie can escape and reach the dream through death. Lennie visualizes himself reaching the American dream and there is no pain or suffering in his death as he ?jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering? (106). George selflessly experiences pain and agony from the execution of his only companion as he knows Lennie is now in a better place.
Lennie is an individual with great size and strength, much like the fictional character shrek. Lennie has a mind of a child, he does not have the capability to think for himself. Making him quite vulnerable to manipulation, which then could make him quite dangerous. Lennie’s strength goes to the extreme causing him to cause “accidents”. In the book “of mice and men” lennie kills curley’s wife by mistake. After fleeing george had come to the decision to kill lennie to prevent anymore “accidents”. Whether George’s decision was justified or not can be debated and defended either ways. I feel that it was indeed a justifiable decision. His actions were against the law, but weighing the pros and cons I feel it was a justified decision. If had he
Would you kill someone or let them suffer? Well in Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, during the Great Depression, George had to make a choice on whether he would allow his friend Lennie to suffer or kill him so he wouldn’t suffer. George and Lennie have been friends since they were kids. They even travel together, but in this time period this was strange because most people travel alone. George takes care of Lennie because Lennie has a disability. Lennie can’t remember anything, and when Lennie’s scared he holds onto things and doesn't let go. Lennie also likes to pet soft things for example a mouse, but if the mouse tries to bite him he will kill the mouse. George helps Lennie out of trouble. For instance when Lennie killed Curley’s wife and Curley wanted revenge, George had to decide if wanted Lennie to suffer or a quick fast death. Without a doubt, killing Lennie is the best option George has.
Of Mice and Men Essay In the fictional novella, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, George’s decision to kill Lennie at the end of the novel was justified. Lennie is the mentally handicapped best friend of George. Lennie got himself into trouble when he accidentally killed Curley’s wife. George’s decision to kill Lennie was justified because George was trying to prevent Lennie from a brutal and painful death, and living a life on the run isn’t really living.
George should not be held accountable for Lennie's death because George killing Lennie results in a situation that is better for everyone, including Lenny. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie commits many violent actions, including murdering a puppy and Curley’s wife. While playing with his puppy, Lennie becomes angry and violent because the puppy “[acts] like he’s gonna bite,” and this causes Lennie to lose self-control and “smack him” (85). Lennie also exhibits anger and violence when he “[shakes] [Curley’s wife]; and her body flop[s] like a fish” (89). Lennie isn’t being mean while shaking Curley’s wife, he just doesn’t know how to handle the situation, and when he stops shaking her, “she [is] still, for Lennie ha[s] broken her neck” (89). Both of
Lennie was a good person and didn't need to die. Lennie’s life was taken without do process of law However, killing Lennie in this case is right choice. Lennie being free lets him to continue to go out and hurt innocent people. Lennie being a good person does not negate the fact he kills Curley's wife, so he should receive a punishment accordingly. “Don’t you go yellin',' he said, and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.” (Steinbeck 472). Courts will send Lennie, and people like him to mental intuitions or insane asylums, where they are tortured in hope of a cure.
However, the other guys would have let Lennie suffer. Slim explains, “If we could keep Curley in, we might. But Curley’s gonna want to shoot ‘im… An’ suppose they lock him up an’ strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain’t no good, George” (Steinbeck 99). If George would have let Lennie go, Curley would have done painful things to Lennie. Furthermore, George says, “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” (Steinbeck 106). Before George shot Lennie, he made him think about their future on the ranch. Curley would not have given Lennie a merciful death like George
George ending Lennie's life from suffering was the right thing to do. George never intended to hurt Lennie. His job was to protect and take care of him. As he promised Lennie's Aunt Clara. But Lennie doesn't understand, remember, or learn. Lennie always ends up doing something wrong and messing it up for them. George always has to go and fix it, but this time when Lennie messes up George can't fix it. After the discovery of Curley’s wife body George knew who did it. Candy asked George, “What we gonna do now George?...” George knew what needed to be done, tell the other men. Before speaking George reassured himself, “Maybe they'll lock ‘im up an’ be nice to ‘im.” (Steinbeck 94) George knew at that moment that Lennie needed to let free. George also didn't want anyone else to hurt Lennie, Curley wanted to torture Lennie but George wasn't going to let that happen. He wants Lennie's death to be be quick and painless. Before he could shoot Lennie, he wanted Lennie to