Partners in Crime “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.” Throughout this book Lennie and his partner in crime George encounter many problems and contradictions that shakes things up a notch. After reading John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George is justified in killing Lennie because; Lennie is a liability and he is already suffering mentally enough. George is justified in killing Lennie because he is already being punished enough mentally. One quote that explains Lennie’s confusion and mental illness is, “they was so little," he said apologetically. "I’d pet ‘em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead—because they was so little. I wish’t we’d get the rabbits pretty soon, George. They ain’t so little." By Lennie saying this the reader is really depicting how mentally unaware this man is of his power by squishing a rabbit’s head with his own fingers. Another quote that shows Lennie’s punishment of a mentality is "If you don' want me I can g off …show more content…
One quote that supports my thesis is “God you’re a lot of trouble” said George “I could get along so easily and nice if I didn’t have you on my tail and maybe even have a girl.” The reason George blows up on Lennie like this is because George could have his life be so much more easier and they have just got chase out of their hometown because of Lennie grabbing onto a girl’s dress because it was so soft and because of his mental illness he holds on and keeps holding tighter. Another quote that shows why George is just in killing Lennie because of him being a liability is "You gonna give me that mouse or do I have to sock you?" This quote shows how George has to baby him and take away things from Lennie because he doesn’t know any better due to his mental illness. As you can see George is completely justified in killing Lennie because he is a