There is a time where killing is a justified action. Times like this our self-defense, war, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. Another great example is in the book, by John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men. George had to kill Lennie because Lennie’s punishment could have been worse, Lennie is not safe to be around, and George realized Lennie would never get better and the dream would never come true.
One reason George had to kill Lennie is because his punishment could have been worse. For example, on page 96 curley said he was going to take a shot gun and shoot him in the guts. “I’m gonna get him. I’m going for my shotgun. I’ll kill the big ______________ myself. I’ll shoot ‘im in the guts. Come on guys.” (Steinbeck 96). This states that Curley and other fellow ranchers were going to do horrible things to Lennie. Since George didn’t want Lennie to suffer, George took
…show more content…
However, people who have a life sentence in jail death is a faster and painless way then permanently staying in prison. The third reason George had to kill Lennie because George realized Lennie would never get better and the dream would never come true. According to the statement on 94, it stated George knew Lennie couldn’t get better and the dream was only a lie. “George wanted a better life someday for himself and for Lennie, but deep down he knew he knew Lennie’s limitations and accepted that the dream was never meant to be” (Steinbeck 94). This quote states that George could not accomplish this dream because of Lennie’s condition. Since Lennie could not get better George had to kill Lennie.
Killing can be a justified action in certain instances. According to Of Mice and Men it was justified because Lennie’s punishment could have been worse, Lennie was not safe to be around, and George realized Lennie would never get better and the dream would never come true. Is there any other time where killing is a justified
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.
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.
The first reason why George is justified in killing Lennie is because Lennie is worthless like Candy’s dog. Candy’s dog is causing trouble for the men, and suffering while it's still alive “Ain’t nothing left for him. Can’t eat, can’t see, can’t even walk without hurtin’( Steinbeck 47). Like Lennie, the dog is physically impaired. The dog can hardly walk and Lennie has some trouble moving around. Lennie is worthless, because he does
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
A piece of text from the book Of Mice and Men says that, “Guys like us got no family. They make a little stake an’ then they blow it. They ain’t got nobody in the worl’ that gives a hoot in [heck] about ‘em” (Steinbeck 104). Therefore, George was pointing out to Lennie that they have what most guys in their time period don’t, they have each other and George is telling Lennie that that’s how he wants it to stay. George doesn’t want to kill Lennie, but he feels like has to. George is going to regret this in his future. A different quote I found is when George and Lennie are talking, “Lennie said ‘I thought you was mad at me, George.’ ‘No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s the thing I want ya to know’” (Steinbeck 106). Therefore, this quote tells us that George doesn’t want to kill Lennie, but he feels as if he needs to. Lennie was George’s only family and George wants Lennie to know that before he kills him. George cares about Lennie and George is not going to be happy after Lennie is gone for a little bit. The act of George killing Lennie is
In the story to prove it, it says “They got to bring him in, I guess. They ain’t no way out. Maybe they won’t hurt ‘im. He said sharply, I ain’t gonna let ‘em hurt lennie”(steinbeck 95). This is important evidence because you see why George makes his decision on killing lennie because he keeps killing and now he just killed and human. Another reasoning for killing being acceptable because also in the book it says “le’s go now. He turned suspiciously on George. You're coming with us fella. Yeah said George. I’ll come. But listen, curley. The poor b*****d’s nuts. Don’t shoot ‘im. He didn’t know what he was doin’ “(steinbeck 98). This evidence is important because it shows how George didn’t want them to kill lennie and he wanted to because lennie didn't understand what he was doing and that he knew lennie didn't know that was wrong of him to do. So he needed to kill lennie in order to protect the rest of the community from lennie hurting
First and foremost, George has to constantly continue to repeat rules to Lennie because Lennie is undisciplined. Like, after Slim gives Lennie a puppy Lennie brings the puppy into the bunkhouse with him even though George told him he was not supposed to. For example, after Lennie comes into the bunkhouse John Steinbeck writes that George " reached down and picked up the tiny puppy from where Lennie had been concealing it against his stomach." (Steinbeck) In this quote it shows that Lennie disobeyed the rules that George has set with him so he could get the puppy this means that Lennie is undisciplined because he broke the rules even though he knew that there were specific rules that were not supposed to be broken. consequently, George has to repeat himself many times and treat Lennie like a child by fixing the things that Lennie messes up and disobeyes the rules. So George was justified in his decision to kill
Some people think that George did not do the right thing by killing Lennie because there were alternative options for shooting him. But, if George and Lennie decided to run away, they would be running their whole life, and if George decided to turn Lennie in, he
First of all, George was not justified for killing Lennie because they could have escaped as they did in Weed. As talked about in the paragraph above, Lennie has a fascination with feeling soft things. When they were in the town of Weed, Lennie went to this girl and felt her dress. She panicked and he didn’t let go of her, so she claimed that he raped her. George and Lennie then had to escape a mob of people trying to kill them. “ ‘We run. They was lookin’ for us, but they didn’t catch us’ “(Steinbeck 7). If they could have escaped a mob in Weed, they definitely could have escape a group of ranch workers. In the book the screaming of the workers could be heard, but they still were not there.
In John Steinbeck's classic novella, Of Mice and Men, George makes the decision of killing Lennie because he knows it is in Lennie's best interest. His act of killing Lennie is not considered criminal. George has good intentions in killing his companion. George is trying to prevent Lennie from being tortured and from his constant desire to please George and not cause trouble. Additionally, Lennie repeatedly places himself in difficult situations, and as a result, brings George into the circumstances. There is a close friendship between George and Lennie, and George had carefully thought out whether or not he
George made the right decision killing Lennie because the people that were looking for him and were going to slowly kill him and inflict as much pain as they possibly could. They were upset that he killed curley's wife so they were out to get him. George would of been doing him justice by just putting him out right then and there. He did the right thing because he just put him out without Lennie even knowing he was going to die. With George going ahead and killing him showed that he didn't want the guys hunting Lennie to hurt him and torture him. There was Really nothing he could have done to help Lennie so by just by killing he right there saved him a lot of pain he would of gone through if he had not done what he had
Is murder ever justified? Out of all of the tests I’ve ever taken, this may be one of the hardest I’ve ever had to answer. Out of revenge and anger I don’t believe it is. You shouldn’t be getting angry to a point of taking someone’s life away. If it’s in protecting a country then I think it’s different. They don’t kill each other out of anger or revenge they kill each other in attempts to protect the people they love and cherish.
If I were to ask you if killing someone is justifiable, some will answer with a strong no and others like me might say it depends on what they did. However, that is a job for the police to investigate and figure out. No human being kills another without some sort of
“Thou shall not kill” is a commandment that many know but also that many do not follow. Killings are happening every day all over the world in many forms regardless of moral beliefs or lack of them. Abortions, euthanasia, war, and senseless acts of violence are some major ways that killing is occurring and causing moral conflicts. Another major moral conflict of killing is over capital punishment. Killing is wrong and most people would agree but many people recognize certain exceptions in which killing is acceptable. Those who agree with the philosophical theory, Consequentialism, would think that it is beneficial to have capital punishment. Although, many argue that killing is wrong, yet, capital punishment is being still being used. The question arises, to what extent is an act of killing wrong or right. The answer varies between many with their own opinions.