We all have a best friend or someone who is there for you no matter what. Imagine having to let them go, or even worse-being the one to kill them. This situation is portrayed in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. This novella takes place in the 1930s around northern California. George and Lennie are two main characters who are “partners in life”. George is always there for Lennie due to his mental disability. Throughout this book, they face challenges together working on a ranch striving to reach their dream-their own land to share. They meet Candy on the ranch who has a old dog. He loves this dog because he has been with it since it was a pup. Now, the dog is old and “useless” so Carlson shoots him for Candy. The killing of Candy’s old dog was significant on several intense levels because of the concept of old age, concept of worth, and the foreshadowing of Lennie’s death.
The concept of old age portrays to Candy and his dog because they are both aged and “worthless” to others in the book. Carlson was talking to Candy and said, “He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n you shoot him, Candy?” (Steinbeck 44). He was explaining how Candy is making the dog suffer because he is old and can
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Lennie and Candy’s dog were killed because of their “barriers” based on their handicaps. Lennie did not mean to kill Curley’s wife but because of his mental block, he accidentally took her life. When she was screaming for help, he was mad because he thought she would get him in trouble with George. Both were killed out of mercy because their partner did not want them to suffer. These two deaths are similar because they symbolize mercy and peace. Sometimes, people have to make hard decisions that are for the best of