Of Mice and Men

Would you save your best friend, even if it means killing him or her? In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men two friends work toward their dreams on a small ranch. George Milton takes care and watches over Lennie Smalls because he is mentally disabled. Lennie gets himself in trouble numerous times and eventually George saves him by killing him. George did the right thing by killing Lennie because he would have regretted not doing it, and he saved him from torture.
George had done the right by killing Lennie because he would have regretted it later if he let the other men kill Lennie. When the workers on the ranch found out that Lennie killed Curleys wife, they went looking to kill him. Lennie would have been scared and George didn’t want that. He didn’t want anymore trouble for Lennie. “You…and’ me. Ever’body gonna be nice to you. Ain’t gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nobody nor steal from ’em”(106). When Candys dog was in pain, he let Carlson shoot him. Candy later got upset and regretted it. “ I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog”(61). Before George killed Lennie himself, he brought up their dream. He knew that made Lennie happy and it was the last thought in his mind before he died. “And I get to tend the rabbits. Lennie giggled with happiness”(105).
Another reason why George made the right decision by killing Lennie was because he saved him from torture. George saved him from a world that misunderstood him. “It jus’ seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart guy like you travelin’ together”(39). If George didn’t peacefully kill Lennie, an angry mob of workers would have. Lennie would have been frightened and upset. They didn’t understand that Lennie meant no harm. “All the time he done bad things, but he never done one of ’em mean”(95).
George killed his best friend because he would have regretted letting him die in humiliation and pain. How could he let a mob of angry men...