Describe Slim Of Mice And Men Essay Example
Describe Slim Of Mice And Men Essay Example

Describe Slim Of Mice And Men Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (723 words)
  • Published: February 25, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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While George did leave Lennie alone and ended up being responsible for his best friend's death, his actions were defensible. Permitting Lennie to continue living would have subjected him to immense distress. If Curley had been the one to end Lennie's life, it would have been done with extreme cruelty. The intention of Curley was to inflict unbearable physical pain on Lennie by shooting him in the stomach, as evidenced on page 96 where he explicitly mentions, "I'll shoot 'im in the guts". In case anyone other than Curley or those from the ranch had discovered Lennie, he would've likely found himself locked within a mental facility.

Should he be incarcerated in an asylum, he would likely face dreadful conditions due to the typical mistreatment that such institutions inflict on all th

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eir inmates. Such places usually crowd disabled people into unsanitary spaces and leave them to manage on their own. As Slim voiced to George on page 97, they would "...imprison him and restrain him and put him behind bars." Moreover, if he were sent to jail, his intellectual disability would certainly expose him to harsh punitive measures. Page 97 also recalls George's thoughts of possibly surrendering him for imprisonment. His disability might slow down his responses making him a prime target for others until he reaches his limit. It is important to remember that Lennie has been implicated in causing many deaths before.

What could deter him from ending another life, whether it's that of a human or an animal? In his younger years, he ended the lives of mice simply because they nipped at his fingers - a consequenc

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of his liking for petting soft things, including them. As payback, he would smash their heads. This is described on page 10 where the passage says, “I'd pet them and before long they'd bite my fingers and I'd gently press their heads and due to their petite size, they wouldn't survive.” His mercilessness also reached to killing a young puppy. As noted on page 87,” I was merely playing with him…and he seemed as if he was going to bite me…and in reaction, I tried to strike him…and succeeded. It led to his demise.”

Interestingly, Lennie even ended up taking a human life, that of Curley’s wife. He didn't use any weapon, rather he employed his bare hands to snap her neck with just a shake. The text on page 91 states “…for Lennie had broken her neck." Above all, George permitted Lennie to die in a dignified manner. George put down Lennie while he was in a calmed state. The part on page 106 where George held the gun at the back of Lennie saying “No Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want you to know." gives an indication that despite all the trouble caused by Lennie, he never truly angered George.

Despite scolding Lennie for his actions, George ensured Lennie didn’t feel his anger. George would often speak about Lennie's favorite topic, the rabbits, a subject that would fill Lennie with immense joy as it was his only dream and desire. As the book quotes on page 105, “Lennie giggled with happiness,” whenever the rabbits were mentioned. The narrative ends with

George compassionately ending Lennie's life in a painless manner, as described on page 105, "...brought out Carlson’s luger...the hand and gun were laid on the ground behind Lennie’s back."

George's gaze focused on the point where Lennie's spine and skull connected. A gunshot to that precise location would result in Lennie's immediate death. Ultimately, it can be argued that George was justified in his decision to end Lennie's life. In taking such a course of action, George not only preserved Lennie's dignity in his final moments, but also spared him the potential of experiencing unbearable torture. Furthermore, he protected others from the threat that Lennie posed due to hiskiller instincts. It would be wrong to accuse George of murder and compel him to face a trial, as his intentions behind killing Lennie were not malevolent. His actions were motivated out of a desire for the welfare of both Lennie and those surrounding them, rendering his decision an apt one. pinche!

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