In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George’s controversial response to Lennie’s climatic behavior provokes a question from which there is no clear answer: were the actions sought by George morally permissible? With no set moral rules to allude to, the ambiguity of George’s situation can be brought to light when it is analyzed under the guidelines of ethical theories. John Stuart Mill’s approach to ethics, known as Utilitarianism, would look favourably upon George’s actions solely because of the nature of the situation that surrounds Lennie’s death. On the opposite end of the scale, the Kantian theory of Deontology provides an absolute answer to every situation. In George’s case, Kant’s theory easily concludes that his response
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The final theory, Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics, allows a larger space for interpretation. The complex considerations that must be made in this theory allow George’s actions to be permissible under these guidelines. Maximizing happiness is central to Mill’s Utilitarianism theory. George shooting Lennie in the back of the head at the end of the novella proves that he has acknowledged that “happiness [in general] is good, not just [his] happiness” (Held 110). Before he makes the decision to shoot Lennie, George had to consider the situation from all angles. When Curley initially finds out Lennie killed his wife and promises to “shoot ‘im in the guts” (Steinbeck 96), it is obvious that a quick and painless death is not in Lennie’s future if the men reach him first. In this instance, it has been recognized that Curley would be minimizing happiness by torturing Lennie …show more content…
The ambiguity of the situation allows for greater interpretation under Aristotle’s guidelines and his belief that “no single action [can] be good or bad independently of the person who performed it, their intentions, and the circumstances in which it was performed” (Held 114). George demonstrated quiet “generosity, courage and temperance” (Held 114) throughout the course of the novel, from upholding his promise to Lennie’s late Aunt Clara, to “[scrammin’] out of Weed” (Steinbeck 42) after the dress incident, and continuing to travel with and defend Lennie despite him being “a God damn nuisance most of the time” (Steinbeck 41). Lennie’s death was not out of hatred, but instead love, as he was spared a painful torture in favour of a pleasant death amidst an illusion of what he had always dreamed: tending the rabbits. George’s virtuousness amid the entire story is a commendable example of moral excellence in the eyes of
The final theory, Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics, allows a larger space for interpretation. The complex considerations that must be made in this theory allow George’s actions to be permissible under these guidelines. Maximizing happiness is central to Mill’s Utilitarianism theory. George shooting Lennie in the back of the head at the end of the novella proves that he has acknowledged that “happiness [in general] is good, not just [his] happiness” (Held 110). Before he makes the decision to shoot Lennie, George had to consider the situation from all angles. When Curley initially finds out Lennie killed his wife and promises to “shoot ‘im in the guts” (Steinbeck 96), it is obvious that a quick and painless death is not in Lennie’s future if the men reach him first. In this instance, it has been recognized that Curley would be minimizing happiness by torturing Lennie …show more content…
The ambiguity of the situation allows for greater interpretation under Aristotle’s guidelines and his belief that “no single action [can] be good or bad independently of the person who performed it, their intentions, and the circumstances in which it was performed” (Held 114). George demonstrated quiet “generosity, courage and temperance” (Held 114) throughout the course of the novel, from upholding his promise to Lennie’s late Aunt Clara, to “[scrammin’] out of Weed” (Steinbeck 42) after the dress incident, and continuing to travel with and defend Lennie despite him being “a God damn nuisance most of the time” (Steinbeck 41). Lennie’s death was not out of hatred, but instead love, as he was spared a painful torture in favour of a pleasant death amidst an illusion of what he had always dreamed: tending the rabbits. George’s virtuousness amid the entire story is a commendable example of moral excellence in the eyes of