George And Lennie
Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures, as in killing a person who is close to you in order to save them from further danger. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, two characters, George and Lennie, are best friends. They travel together, and work together. George is faced with a tough decision, and of course he would only do what was best for Lennie. Wouldn’t a friend always do what was best for a friend? George killed Lennie out of mercy, not murder.
George was only meaning to end Lennie’s suffering of his mental condition, and his suffering that was to come from the other men. Similar to George and Lennie’s situation, a woman admitted to a mercy killing of her son. According to the New York Post, “The weepy mother confessed to taking Jude Mirra’s life in February 2010 at the swank Peninsula Hotel but insists that it was a ‘mercy killing’ to spare him from abuse at the hands of almost half a dozen people” (Rosenburg). This mother claims to have killed her son to “spare him from abuse”, which was actually what George was doing for Lennie as well. If he had left him alive, he would most likely be put in some mental institution or worse. Another related situation was when a man shot his wife for the sole purpose of putting her out of her sickness. The New York Times states, “But friends …show more content…
“George shivered and looked at the gun, and then he threw it from him, back up on the bank, near the pile of old ashes.” (Steinbeck 106). This quote shows that George felt terrible about what he did to Lennie, because he could not bear to look or even have the gun near him anymore. He is wracked with emotions after what he did. George also shows how he feels when the men catch up with him. “”Yeah. That’s how.” George’s voice was almost a whisper. He looked steadily at the right hand that had held the gun.” (Steinbeck
George was only meaning to end Lennie’s suffering of his mental condition, and his suffering that was to come from the other men. Similar to George and Lennie’s situation, a woman admitted to a mercy killing of her son. According to the New York Post, “The weepy mother confessed to taking Jude Mirra’s life in February 2010 at the swank Peninsula Hotel but insists that it was a ‘mercy killing’ to spare him from abuse at the hands of almost half a dozen people” (Rosenburg). This mother claims to have killed her son to “spare him from abuse”, which was actually what George was doing for Lennie as well. If he had left him alive, he would most likely be put in some mental institution or worse. Another related situation was when a man shot his wife for the sole purpose of putting her out of her sickness. The New York Times states, “But friends …show more content…
“George shivered and looked at the gun, and then he threw it from him, back up on the bank, near the pile of old ashes.” (Steinbeck 106). This quote shows that George felt terrible about what he did to Lennie, because he could not bear to look or even have the gun near him anymore. He is wracked with emotions after what he did. George also shows how he feels when the men catch up with him. “”Yeah. That’s how.” George’s voice was almost a whisper. He looked steadily at the right hand that had held the gun.” (Steinbeck