Social Codes: Killing For The Greater Good

1647 Words4 Pages

Social codes form the framework of society because they are the unwritten rules that dictate human interaction. Although they are not legally established, social codes are important because they exist as the fundamental ethics that define social behavior. Furthermore, the power of social codes is that they are ubiquitously acknowledged and therefore, enforced by human philosophy. It is considered unconditionally unjustifiable to violate social codes because it is a breach of ethical behavior. However, there are certain circumstances where breaking a social code is warranted because it is for the greater good. The greater good is the idea that something is beneficial to the population at large, which employs a belief in the common interest of …show more content…

This exception is prevalent in times of war because of how many lives are at stake. If a messenger is commanded to deliver a document that commands the execution of hundreds of innocent prisoners, it is justifiable to kill the messenger in order to save hundreds of lives because by killing him, one is actively preventing future harm. This theme of killing for the greater good is prevalent in many areas of the novel. After Lev and Abendroth play a game of chess for a crate of eggs or his comrades' lives, Lev draws his dagger and provokes a fight. In a moment of fury and fear, Lev shoves the blade of his knife deep into Abendroth’s chest, through the breast pocket of his coat, below a row of medals (Benioff 231). In this situation, it is necessary for Lev to kill Abendroth because he is directly threatening both his and his comrade’s lives, making Lev’s action one of self-defense. Yet, when Lev drives the blade in Abendroth’s chest, he is not only preserving his companion’s lives, but also the lives of many of others because Abendroth is responsible for the systematic execution of Jews and the slaughter of thousands of innocent people during Germany’s invasion of Europe. The cluster of medals pinned to the man’s jacket is representative of the innumerable atrocities he committed, …show more content…

For example, if a soldier entered an enemy encampment and lied about their identity in order to attain valuable information that would ensure the collapse of an unjust effort, their lie would be justified because it was in pursuit of a exemplary cause. The soldier wanted to improve society by obstructing the invasion of a regime and a putting an end to its inhumane practices; therefore, his lie is morally sound. This concept is an underlying theme is the novel. After Nazi forces take Lev and his comrades captive, the guards line them up with the other prisoners and question them about their reading abilities. Vika quickly observes what is transpiring and attempts to communicate to Lev that, “’You don’t read,’ she informed me. She kept watching me to make sure I understood” (Benioff 193). Here, Vika commands Lev to lie to the Nazi guards about his ability to read in order to prevent their imminent execution. The Nazi party viewed literacy among commoners as a fundamental threat to Germany’s stability because they commanded the blind loyalty of the peasants primarily by taking advantage of their lack of education and limited understanding of political affairs. Allowing people to read undermined Germany’s power and created the possibility of revolt, making the executing of literate individuals a priority. Vika understands the importance of this

Open Document