How Does Steinbeck Present Lennie's Death In Of Mice And Men

Many characters in the short story Of Mice and Men meet an untimely demise for reasons that were never expected. Characters in the story that met such a fate include Candy’s dog, Curley’s wife, Lennie’s puppy, and Lennie himself. These deaths and the events that lead up to them bear a certain resemblance to each other. Some of these deaths are not directly related to others, but instead use symbolism to convey the idea that many characters in the story have similar characteristics, so despite their obvious differences, the characters in the story often relate to one another in multiple ways. By using a metaphorical method of writing, John Steinbeck is able to show the reader that some characters, though physically opposite, can be very similar

Much like Candy’s dog, Lennie was killed to “end his suffering”. Although this is not directly stated, George and most other characters in the story knew that he would only continue to be tormented for his mental disability. If he were left alive, he would only find trouble for the same reason. One quote that demonstrates his dog’s apparent “misery” is spoken by Carlson: "Whyn't you get Candy to shoot his old dog and give him one of the pups to raise up? I can smell that dog a mile away. Got no teeth, damn near blind, can't eat. Candy feeds him milk. He can't chew nothing else." This quote is essentially stating that Carlson sees how Candy’s dog is only suffering. He is one of few that is able to accept that the dog is no longer useful. The purpose of this quote relates to Lennie’s situation in that they are both only suffering because of their problems. Candy’s dog is on the brink of death, being blind and having a multitude of other physical handicaps. Lennie’s