Is it a Tie or Game Over?
Having a friend can be a double-edged sword; it is amazing to have one, but torturous when that friend is inevitably lost. George and Lennie are two migrant workers traveling together in search of work during the Great Depression, which is something that went against normality at this time. Almost all men traveled alone, suspicious of anyone and everyone--but George and Lennie had a strong bond and a close friendship, one of which many other men could not understand. This is why the two men in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men represent the beauty of friendship. Set on a small ranch in the countryside where George and Lennie begin their new jobs, there are many conflicts and problems right off the bat. Curley, the …show more content…
Before George shoots Lennie, he tries to reassure Lennie by softly stating, “No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know” (Steinbeck 106). This statement is a lie because George has been angry with Lennie. He has been frustrated several times with the latter, snapping at him when Lennie makes a mistake. Thus, there is no possible way this statement can be true. He is only lying to poor Lennie to get the guilt of it all off of his own conscience. A selfish act of self-protection. Though this act is barbaric and completely out of line, it is not uncommon in our world today, and those who have committed this crime see it in one way--saving their friend or loved one from future pain. For example, Mrs. Gigi Jordan’s 2014 case of murdering her autistic son. The case is of Mrs. Gigi Jordan killing her son with a lethal amount of drugs to ‘save’ him from alleged abuse, and it is explained that “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 case is identical to Lennie and George’s situation, where George kills Lennie to save him from further suffering at the hands of Curley and his friends. Both Mrs. …show more content…
After all, when the body of Curley’s wife had been found, George begged Slim, the ‘leader’ of the ranch, to have Lennie be locked up in jail instead, and Slim said, “If we could keep Curley in, we might. But Curley’s gonna want to shoot ‘im. Curley’s still mad about his hand. An’ s’pose they lock him up an’ strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain’t no good, George” (Steinbeck 97). It was possible that Lennie’s life could be spared. Now, maybe locking Lennie up in such a fashion would have been cruel and torturous for Lennie. However, it is also possible that it could have been best for him. There is no way to really tell. So, if Slim was capable of stopping Curley, then would that not have been the better choice? George was begging Slim to have Lennie be spared, to lock him up in jail instead, yet it all ended in Lennie’s death. Does that not seem unfair? In the end, neither George nor Lennie got what they wanted. If both teams lose in a game, is it game over or a tie? Nobody knows. George should not have killed Lennie, because he did not own the right to decide when Lennie’s life should end, or if that would be best for
Having a friend can be a double-edged sword; it is amazing to have one, but torturous when that friend is inevitably lost. George and Lennie are two migrant workers traveling together in search of work during the Great Depression, which is something that went against normality at this time. Almost all men traveled alone, suspicious of anyone and everyone--but George and Lennie had a strong bond and a close friendship, one of which many other men could not understand. This is why the two men in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men represent the beauty of friendship. Set on a small ranch in the countryside where George and Lennie begin their new jobs, there are many conflicts and problems right off the bat. Curley, the …show more content…
Before George shoots Lennie, he tries to reassure Lennie by softly stating, “No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know” (Steinbeck 106). This statement is a lie because George has been angry with Lennie. He has been frustrated several times with the latter, snapping at him when Lennie makes a mistake. Thus, there is no possible way this statement can be true. He is only lying to poor Lennie to get the guilt of it all off of his own conscience. A selfish act of self-protection. Though this act is barbaric and completely out of line, it is not uncommon in our world today, and those who have committed this crime see it in one way--saving their friend or loved one from future pain. For example, Mrs. Gigi Jordan’s 2014 case of murdering her autistic son. The case is of Mrs. Gigi Jordan killing her son with a lethal amount of drugs to ‘save’ him from alleged abuse, and it is explained that “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 case is identical to Lennie and George’s situation, where George kills Lennie to save him from further suffering at the hands of Curley and his friends. Both Mrs. …show more content…
After all, when the body of Curley’s wife had been found, George begged Slim, the ‘leader’ of the ranch, to have Lennie be locked up in jail instead, and Slim said, “If we could keep Curley in, we might. But Curley’s gonna want to shoot ‘im. Curley’s still mad about his hand. An’ s’pose they lock him up an’ strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain’t no good, George” (Steinbeck 97). It was possible that Lennie’s life could be spared. Now, maybe locking Lennie up in such a fashion would have been cruel and torturous for Lennie. However, it is also possible that it could have been best for him. There is no way to really tell. So, if Slim was capable of stopping Curley, then would that not have been the better choice? George was begging Slim to have Lennie be spared, to lock him up in jail instead, yet it all ended in Lennie’s death. Does that not seem unfair? In the end, neither George nor Lennie got what they wanted. If both teams lose in a game, is it game over or a tie? Nobody knows. George should not have killed Lennie, because he did not own the right to decide when Lennie’s life should end, or if that would be best for