Of Mice And Men Mercy Killing Analysis

We can all argue back and forth whether George killing Lennie was wrong or not. But the fact of the matter is—there was no escape. George heard “a

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.

The decision of killing should not be looked upon as criminal. George does not have a cruel heart nor does he take pleasure in killing Lennie. George wants what is best for Lennie and he takes the time to set up a nice, peaceful conversation on a topic of interest to Lennie. He instructs Lennie to ?look down there acrost the river, like you can almost see the place? (106). He reassures Lennie that everyone will treat him pleasingly.

And Lennie has to watch what he does himself too. First, George did the right thing by killing Lennie because Lennie held George down. In the article on page 10 it states, “If I was alone I could live so easy. I could get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.

In order to prevent this agony from befalling his dear friend, George took it upon himself to kill Lennie with a quick, painless death by shooting him in the back of the head. This form of killing someone results in a painless, instantaneous death, as by shooting in the back of the head as done by George and Carlson, the spinal cord is obliterated, instantly killing the victim, so that they feel nothing. George decided to kill Lennie at his very happiest, while he was thinking about their plans for their piece of land. In doing so, George prevented Lennie from causing any harm to anyone else, or himself. He also saved Lennie from any grief or pain from being executed or shot by someone without sympathy, as well as having Lennie know of his death. One moment, Lennie was bubbling over taking care of his rabbits, the next he was dead, blissfully unaware of dying. This is the noblest motive for killing, and one that was highly justified by George, as well as preferable for Lennie. "And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie 's head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred and then settled slowly forward to the sand, he lay without quivering."(p. 106)

George was justified in his decision to shoot Lennie because he was dangerous to the people around him. For example, in chapter one they were running from a mob of people because Lennie did something to a girl at the other place. Lennie also killed Curley’s wife on page 91. ‘’And then she was still for Lennie had broken her neck”. (Pg.91) In that sentence the reader finds out Lennie broke Curley’s wife’s neck. Throughout the book Lennie does more and more to show he is dangerous to the people around him.

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

Even though some will argue George made the wrong choice in killing Lennie, George’s choice to euthanize Lennie spared him from a life of imprisonment, pain and suffering of a gunshot wound, or being confined

“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.

Lennie had no say in what would happen, and George, while believing he was doing the right thing, decides to end it. Killing no matter what form, is murder, and death is the easy way out. Although George may have meant Lennie’s death as mercy it was most definitely murder. Lennie’s lack of say in the matter made the fact that George calls it “mercy” an even bigger lie. Without a word to Lennie, “[George’s] face set and his hand steddied.

Secondly, George had to kill Lennie, for he wanted to help Lennie to make his life better. Since Lennie had a mental disorder, he had to avoid talking to people or he would be judged and thought of as crazy because that is how people back in The Great Depression. On page 101 George says, “You… an’ me. Ever’body gonna be nice to you. Ain’t gonna be more trouble.” This means that George didn’t want Lennie to be made fun of or thought of as crazy. Therefore, George killed Lennie so he won't have to struggle through life

One reason George was justified in killing Lennie was because he felt he was protecting Lennie. George had made a promise to Lennie’s aunt that he would take care of him. In chapter one, George tells Lennie “No, you stay with me. Your Aunt Clara wouldn't like you running off by yourself, even if she is dead.”(Steinbeck 13) George did not want Lennie suffering. He felt he was protecting Lennie. So George took it into his own hands and quickly shot Lennie. George thought he was doing what was best for the both of them.

George probably thought that he was doing the right thing by shooting Lennie. George saves Lennie from the harshness and the cruelness that Curley and the other guys would have inevitably shown him. They would have shown him no mercy and it would have been a long and painful death for Lennie. Curley said “I’ll kill that big son-of-a-bitch myself. I’ll shoot him right in the guts” (Steinbeck 96). They way George did it was fast and unexpected for Lennie so he did not die with pain. Also, Lennie got to talk about his favorite thing with his best friend before he died as oppose to having to hear and talk to Curley. In the big picture George did the right thing for Lennie by shooting

For Lennie, however, jail is out of the question. Lennie can’t make the right decisions without George. He also depends on George for emotional support and as a friend. Even when presented with the mere thought that George left, Lennie exclaims that “‘George wun’t go away and leave [him]’” (73).

Throughout most parts of the novella, Lennie acts as a tremendous burden on George. Readers understand that the two men have been around each other for years and although Lennie is trouble most times, George knows the severity of Lennie’s condition. He had to realize that Lennie will never be “normal” and that he had to accept it. “Course Lennie’s a God d**n nuisance most of the time,” said George(pg.41). The end of the novella definitely strikes tragedy where Lennie is killed, but out of euthanasia,or mercy killing.