Euthanasia In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

In life, it is a general agreement that all people deserve to live. However, the same people might also agree that it is sometimes dangerous to let some live, and an individual or society as a whole may benefit from ending another’s life, this is known as Euthanasia. Euthanasia plays a big role in the novella Of Mice and Men, George is a regular worker in 1930’s california who travels with his friend Lennie who is a large, strong, mentally ill individual. In the novel Of Mice and Men Steinbeck uses his characters view on euthanasia to display the message that he supports mercy killing and that Lennie's shooting is justified Carlson, one of Steinbeck’s many characters, shows support for euthanasia when discussing the dog which reflects

For example, when Candy is denying Carlson’s request to shoot the dog, Carlson asks for Slims opinion. When Slim agrees that shooting the dog is the right thing to do, it is stated that “Slim’s opinions were law” (Steinbeck 45). Because Slim is considered to be the nicest person on the ranch, his opinion that euthanasia is the correct thing to do shows that the dog being euthanized is good, and the author does this to display the message that mercy killing is a good thing at times. Steinbeck shows that euthanasia is the morally appropriate thing to when George is contemplating what to do, and asks Slim if they could just put him in prison. Slim states that Curley will want him dead, and says, “An’ s’pose they lock him up and strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain’t no good, George” (Steinbeck 97). Slim stating that putting him in prison isn’t good either helps show that in some situations, the most charitable way out is death. Steinbeck sets this situation up to show that while Lennie could be taken to prison and stay alive, it is not what is best for him, and that the best way out for Lennie is for George himself to end his life quickly. Steinbeck has Slim agree on euthanasia in order to show that it is morally acceptable, and the right thing to do in situations like the old dog and

Candy after having a dispute with Carlson over whether or not to shoot the dog, candy states that, “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta let no stranger shoot my dog” (Steinbeck 61). Although Candy previously disputed over shooting the dog, and had shown that he did not want the dog to die, Candy shows that he knew the dog should have been euthanized the whole time, and that he wish he had been the one to do it. Steinbeck shows Candy regretting not euthanizing the dog himself to make a point that even those closest to the subject of euthanasia know it is the right thing to do. Although Lennie is George’s best friend, George knows that Lennie has no way out of his situation, and that with the way his violence issues are progressing he will only get worse. George’s decision is shown when he decides that the most merciful way out for Lennie is for George himself to shoot him (Steinbeck 106). Despite the fact that George loves Lennie, George shoots him out of mercy because he knows that it is what is best for Lennie. Steinbeck shows this in order to display the message that euthanasia is good even if one loves the subject. Steinbeck shows that even the people closest to the dog and Lennie support their euthanasia in order to show that euthanasia is the right thing to do in those situations, and to show that the shooting of the