In the Novella “of mice and men” by John Steinbeck proves that george is justified in killing lennie because of lennie’s shortsighted actions of stupidity. George’s reputation of living on the dream was dissolved after lennie killed curley’s wife. In the novella steinbeck further explains that lennie killing the girl lead George to killing him. Steinbeck further proves, that lennie did not want to kill the girl and then lennie realized that he has done something violent. Lennie says “If you yell george will not let me tend the rabbits” (91). This shows that lennie really wants to focus in on the dream of him tending the rabbits but he couldn’t because he killed the girl. Lennie later says “I have done another bad thing” (91).This means that lennie realized that he made a violent action to feel the girls hair and then he noticed that he will …show more content…
So, he said “ I will go off into the mountains and find a cave and wait for george to come” (92). Lennie’s mistake caused george to be involved with the tragic incident and thus ruin his reputation of living in the dream. However, steinbeck shows that lennie’s stupidity and shortsighted actions lead george to killing him. When, curley’s wife entered the bunkhouse (in a arrogant way) this caused ruptured chaos between George and lennie because lennie was obsessed about curley’s wife. Although, due to this Curley shows, that he lets his anger control him in a naive way all because he is afraid that he might be alone. George says to lennie “ you better stay away from that girl or you will get yourself hurt” (26). Lastly, this proves that curley is obsessed with his wife for her safety and protection from lennie (because he is the more physically opposing). Now, Curley is afraid that he might become alone because of the actions of lennie. This explains that curley doesn’t want anyone flirting with his wife’ However, Curley’s wife caused the emotional discharge between lennie and george
As we journey through life, we must make difficult decisions, even when few options exist and the situation is grim. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the decision George faces after Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife is complicated, as none of his choices are good. The importance of his relationship with Lennie forces George to look at the big picture and act in Lennie’s best interests, even though the action he must finally take will result in a weight that he will carry forever.
After George reprimands Lennie for killing mice, the book states, “Lennie looked sadly up at him. ‘They was so little,’ he said apologetically. ‘I’d pet ʼem, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead–because they was so little.’”(10). The foundation is set in place for Lennie’s eventual crime with this quote by showing that Lennie does not understand his own strength and what taking a life truly means, and he only understands that when it is not moving it is dead and that George will be mad at him for it. Comparatively, this is a relatively modest crime and does not shock the reader, instead easies them into Steinbeck’s overall plan to make the reader eventually decide their opinion in the most extreme case of his implied inquiry. After killing the puppy, Lennie says to it, “Now maybe George ain’t gonna let me tend no rabbits, if he fin’s out you got killed’... his anger arose. ‘God damn you,’ he cried. ‘Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice. I didn’t bounce you hard” (85). Lennie’s true, unfiltered thoughts penned by Steinbeck near the end of the book reveals Lennie’s shallow understanding, how he thinks that it is the puppy’s fault that it died. The author also superimpose his lack of comprehension with the puppy’s death angers Lennie because he knows how irritated George will be when he finds out and he might threaten to not let him have rabbits. This is the epitome of his childlike ignorance and shows that Lennie is neither virtuous or immoral, he does not understand what death is. These two killings happen from smallest to largest in magnitude and chronology. Steinbeck is able to prepare
This shows throughout the book with the many different mistakes Lennie makes. Lennie starts off by killing mice, then he kills a puppy and finally a woman! After Lennie kills Curley’s wife George responds by saying “I should of knew… I guess maybe way back of my head I did.”(Steinbeck 94). George knew it was gonna come to this and he probably also had a feeling Lennie was going to continue to kill more people or animals. Plus, when the character in the book; Candy asks who did it, George says “Ain’t you got anr idea?”(Steinbeck 94). That shows that George knew he was gonna have to do something about Lennie. George was going to have to do something about Lennie sometime, and after George killed a woman he knew there would be no other choice that to kill Lennie through non voluntary
George kills Lennie because he did not want to witness Lennie being hurt or killed carelessly, run off by in his own and not being able to take care for himself, and Lennie’s mental disorder will never change how Lennie reacts to certain situations. Many believe taking the life of another without consent is unacceptable but in certain situations like George’s, he has to decide due to Lennie’s mental disorder that was leading him into unpleasant situations. George is an admirable character who choose to protect and do justice to his distressed friend,
Could you imagine having to kill your best friend so you can save them from their own actions? Would you do it given the circumstances? In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, two long time friends George and Lennie start their new job at a ranch. George comes up with a brilliant idea to buy his own land. Although, Lennie seems to get in the way of George’s plans. At the end of the story Lennie does something really bad and George is forced to end his and Lennie’s suffering by killing Lennie. George was correct in his actions when he killed Lennie. Given the circumstances and the setting, George did the right thing by killing Lennie.
If I was in George situation i would have killed lennie;and the reason why is because Lennie is, strong and unaware, he has no control over what he does. After he hurts someone or something, he doesn’t understand why. For example, when they were in the barn Lennie didn’t know he hurt her, “but George’ll be mad if you yell. When she didn’t answer nor move he bent closely over her.”(89) This statement shows that Lennie didn’t think he killed her because he was trying to talk to her. On the other hang, George, smart and controlling, doesn’t know what to do with Lennie. He feels obligated to shoot him. Shakily, George hold the gun, that ends his best friends life. “George raised his gun and steadied it, as he brought the muzzle to the back of
Throughout the novel, Lennie's actions tend to be the cause of many events including his own downfall. This is shown in George's conversation with Slim when George says, "Well the girl rabbits an' tells the law she been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie" (Steinbeck 42). This quote shows how Lennie's action to grab a girl's dress results the guys in Weed chasing him and George out. This is significant because through this one action, Lennie ends up working at the ranch setting himself up for his eventual death. Unlike George who is
Even when George by accidentally killed Curley’s wife, Curley suspected it was because Lennie did not like him and he wanted to do something hurtful to him. He got so mad that he said to Carlson, “When you see’um, don’t give’im no chance. Shoot for his guts.” (Steinbeck 97). He wanted Lennie to also suffer for what he did to him and his wife. Another conflict in the book that changed everything was the conflict between George and Lennie. Even though George loves Lennie and would do anything to keep him safe, Lennie has not done the same. He has made them lose jobs and move place to place
Next, if George did not kill Lennie, Lennie would continue to make awful mistakes, such as killing someone. George says on page 14, “‘Well, look Lennie, if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush.’” Lennie has always gotten in trouble wherever they go, that is why they have to travel a lot, and look for jobs. The book also says, “‘I should have knew,’ George said hopelessly. ‘I guess maybe way back in my head I did.’” George always knew that Lennie would get in trouble again, even if Lennie tried as hard as he could to not
After getting in trouble in Weed, George takes an or more liability for when Lennie gets in trouble. Following the fact that Lennie kills Curley’s wife, George has to decide if he wants to murder his best friend or leave it up to a revengeful foe. Subsequently Lennie murders Curley’s wife, George knows that this was accidental and he did not mean to hurt her. George pleads “ Don’t shoot ‘Im. He didn’t know what he was doin”( Steinbeck, 98). This quote clarifies my reasoning that Lennie shouldn't of died because he killed Curley’s wife because he didn’t mean it and didn’t know what he was doing at the time. Then again George is trying to think of ways to help Lennie. He states “ Maybe they’ll lock ‘im up and be nice to him” (Steinbeck, 94). So instead of killing Lennie, he could’ve turned him in. This allegation demonstrates that George had alternatives to handle the situation rather than murdering Lennie. In conclusion, George had other options rather than murdering his best friend. That there were reasons to why Lennie would do such a
The action that George chose of killing Lennie was the wrong decision. It is never the right decision to kill another person.George had many options in this situation but he decided to take Lennie's life instead of the other options available. Just like when Carlson was pressing Candy to put down his dog but he says he can’t because “I’ve had him to long”(Steinbeck 45). Lennie and George have been together a long time but that doesn’t affect George's decision to kill Lennie. While George was trying to calm down Lennie, he said “No Lennie I’m not mad”(166).
Lennie is day dreaming/laughing about the dream farm, but Curley gets the wrong idea from Lennie laughing. He thought that Lennie was laughing at him. The scene of everyone laughing at Curley made him furious and he went for the easiest target to take his anger out on. Lennie. We already know that Curley hates big guys and that he doesn’t joke around when he fights. As shown in the second part of the quote, Lennie “helplessly looked at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat” meaning that Lennie was confused and forlorn. Steinbeck uses “helplessly” to show how Lennie feels about Curley approaching to him and that he doesn’t know what to do thus looking at George. In other words, because of his size and his dream not being a reality, Curley can’t stand people that are bigger than him. Towards the end of the story, Curley’s wife comes inside the barn where Lennie was and tells him what her life was before she married Curley. “Well, a show come through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’ let me. She says
Depends on the view some say George did the right thing and some say he did the wrong thing who’s right? As said above it depends on the view. Some people believe that others with low intelligence should not be allowed to live. Those people would say that Lennie should have been killed even earlier in the book Of Mice and Men. While others believe that people with low intelligence should be helped to live a normal life. Those people would say that Lennie should not have been killed and that it wasn’t his fault that he killed Curlys wife cause he didn’t know any
In ending of "Of Mice And Men", George kills Lennie after he killed Curley's wife. However, I can still feel sympathy towards George, and see his action as justifiable. In the beginning of the book I had sympathy towards George. The book starts with George talking to Lennie and from this you learn a lot about their relationship. After Lennie asks for ketchup, which they can't get, George gets angry at Lennie and says, “Whatever we ain’t got, that’s what you want. God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble" (6). This shows the reader that George has given up a lot to take care of Lennie. He has given up his job security and a lot of his happiness because he takes care of Lennie. In chapter 3, the reader finds out how George and Lennie started traveling together, and from this the reader can infer that George travels
While there were other elements at play, Lennie had to do with the majority of them. Not only his mental disability, which often got both him and George into trouble, but his inability to recognize his own strength. This leads to him accidentally killing Curley’s wife. He snapped her neck without even realizing that he had. “And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.” (Steinbeck, 5) - this quote tells what happened to her, and he does not know that he did it. Curley, given his already hostile disposition towards Lennie, is beyond furious. He intends to kill Lennie. So, in his cleverness, George misleads them, and goes to find Lennie at his sanctuary, where he goes whenever there’s trouble. George took Carlson’s gun with him, realizing and knowing what he had to do. When he found Lennie, they chatted for a while, and George made sure Lennie was distracted. He then raised the gun to the back of Lennie’s head and pulled the trigger, instantly killing Lennie. This is commonly known as a “mercy killing”. Another example of a mercy killing is bringing your pet, whether it be old, diseased, injured, etc, to the vet to have it put down, put to sleep, etc. George did this not only for Lennie, out of benevolence as opposed to what Curley might do, but for himself and for the greater good. Case in point, this unforeseen event dissipates the dream, as George shared it with Lennie, and with Lennie out of the picture, there’s no reason to continuing said dream, if a major part of it is gone and