The Issue Of Mercy Killing In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Of Mice and men, by John Steinbeck, takes place in Salinas Valley, California during the Great Depression. The story is about 2 men, Lennie, a mentally challenged man, and George, Lennie’s unofficial guardian and caretaker. They have just gotten a new job and are trying to make a living, and work towards their goal of having their own farm one day. But do to continuous problems caused by Lennie, they face many struggles. Steinbeck raises the question, “Is mercy killing (euthanasia) ever justifiable?” All Lennie really does is hurt the people round him, therefore what George did abetted the community. By Lennie being alive he was harming the people around him. In the beginning of the book, Lennie tried to “pet” a girls skirt due to his childlike