Was George Justified In Of Mice And Men

“...He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand and he lay without quivering,” (Steinbeck 106). Of Mice and Men is the tragic tale of two bindlestiffs in the 1930’s who traveled together and dreamed of owning their own farm. Lamentably, Lennie, who had the mind of a child, accidentally broke the neck of a prominent workman’s wife, killing her. His friend and caretaker, George, told him to hide in the brush just outside the farm and wait for him in case something disastrous occured. When George found him, he distracted him with the story of their future farm and shot him in the back of the head. George was justified in his actions because he sacrificed his success for Lennie’s wellbeing, he prevented a savage execution or abusive treatment at an

In the 1930’s, mental asylums would lobotomize their patients if they caused problems for the staff. “...Moniz claimed success -- his lobotomized patients were serene and no longer anxious.” (Freeman). From his actions in the novella, Lennie would probably undergo this treatment due to his strength and inability to control himself in extreme situations. When Lennie is scared, he shuts down, as shown on page eleven: “She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse.” (Steinbeck 11). Lennie has monstrous strength, which is shown in his fight with Curley when he grabs his fist and holds on in terror: “Looks to me ever’ bone in his han’ is bust.” (Steinbeck 64). The other possible outcome of Lennie’s capture would be execution. The mob would lynch him or Curley would blast a hole into him with his shotgun: “I’m gonna get him. I’m going for my shotgun. I’ll kill the big son-of-a-b**** myself. I’ll shoot ‘im in the guts.” (Steinbeck 96). George knew he could spare Lennie from the squalid conditions of an asylum or a gruesome death at the hands of