“Look Lennie, I want you to look around here. You can remember this place, can’t you? The ranch is about a quarter of a mile up that way. Just follow the river.” “If you just happen to get In trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush. Till I come for you can you remember that?” Then as George told Lennie before and he did what he was told Lennie came back to the river after he accidentally killed Curley’s wife and the pup. George didn't want Lennie to suffer so he did he job himself, he wanted Lennie to be happy when he went away so he told him to face the river and think about the farm they wanted to live on and then George killed Lennie so he didn't have to suffer. Mercy killing/ euthanasia
With both of the other key ideas combined, with Curley not getting him first and having Lennie die in a state of nirvana, George knew it would just be a hard thing to do. “All the time he done bad things, but he never done one of ‘em mean.” (pg. 95). Knowing Lennie never meant to actually do this, George had a hard time to realize Lennie would either have to die or be locked up for what he had done. Being locked up was a bad idea and George knew it.
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.
If lennie would of ran off into the woods he would have died of starvation or even worse. Letting lennie off would have been in a bad spot either way, so by ending lennie’s life it took a load off of george and the crew. George took lennie's life quick and painlessly and it was almost tit for tat if you look at it, Curley’s wife for lennie's life makes it justifiable. He basically Puts lennie in a better place so lennie and george wouldn't have to run away any more and cause trouble. If he wouldn't
“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.
George knew that Lennie would never be truly happy without him. George knew that if he didn’t get to Lennie first, than Lennie would go to jail . He also knew that Lennie couldn’t live without him, because Lennie depends on George to always be there for him. Lennie humiliated Curley when Lennie broke Curley’s hand. Curley said to the guys around him, “‘I’m going in shoot the guts outta that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand’” (98). George knew that Lennie would be tortured by Curley because Lennie killed Curley's wife and humiliated him when Lennie broke Curley’s hand and won the fight, so George had to kill Lennie to keep him from suffering. Lennie would either in jail and suffer because Lennie doesn't have George, or be killed and tortured by Curley and suffer because Curley won’t kill him fast. George only had one choice and that was to kill
So it is clear that George had to kill Lennie so Curley couldn't do anything to him. If George didn't kill Lennie then the state would have sent him to the insane asylum. ¨An' s'pose they lock him up an' strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain't no good, George¨(Steinbeck 97).
Lennie is he only sorta family that george has. “ when you see ,Im don't give ‘Im no chance shoot for his guts that'll double ‘Im over” (Steinbeck 97). This proves that the guys wanted to torture him to death because if you shoot somebody in the guts they die a long and slow death, so they wanted to make him suffer for what he accidentally did for killing curley's
Lennie is a sweet caring guy who wants to help George get their dream house and own lots of animals, so they can own the fat of the land. In one part of the book Lennie kills his puppy by smacking him, just like if you mess with a dog they will get mad at you and nip you, but when they realize they are doing something wrong, they will feel bad and try to hide the evidence, just like when Lennie tried to hide his puppy from Curley’s wife. “We’ll have a cow,” said George. “An’ we’ll have maybe a pig an’ chickens… an’ down the flat we’ll have a… little piece alfalfa----” “ For the rabbits.” Lennie shouted as said on page 105. George did the right thing by killing Lennie. George killed Lennie because he killed Curley's wife, and so he can have a happy death before Curley makes him suffer for what he done to his wife.
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
One of the main reasons why George was actually justified for the killing is because Lennie had hurt others in the past and would most likely continue to do so. When they were in Salinas, Lennie got into very similar trouble when he wouldn’t let go of a girl’s dress. When George was asked by Slim what had happened in Weed he explained, “Well that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in a irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day. An’ at night we scrammed outta there” (42). This shows us that Lennie is trouble, brings it wherever he goes, and this is why they moved to Salinas. When at the ranch Lennie not only kills his puppy, he also breaks Curley’s hand, showing that the trouble that follows Lennie happens quite often. Lennie smiled with this bruised mouth. “I didn't want no trouble," he said. He walked toward the door, but just before he came to it,
George's action to kill Lennie was an act of murder, given the apparent intention of taking a human life. Firstly, the death of Curley's wife was completely unintentional and not something Lennie intended to do. While the act was unintentional, Lennie's history of accidentally killing smaller animals like the rats and his puppy show that he is a potential danger to those around him due to his lack of understanding and physical strength. In addition, George and Lennie had previously moved from another community in order to steer clear of a potential outburst. Due to these instances, George felt he had to prevent further harm to others and, potentially, Lennie showing his decision as an act of euthanasia.
We are all gathered here today to celebrate the life and to honour the memory of our departed friend, Lennie Small. I am George Milton, a very close and dear friend of Lennie's. In fact, he was way more than just a friend to me, he was like my very own brother. Lennie was a special character. He was different, unique from the rest.
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
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.