Student Essay on The Right Thing? George's Actions in "Of Mice and Men"
The Right Thing? George's Actions in "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
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Essay
In the novel "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie were extremely close - closer than brothers in every way. I believe George did the right thing in killing Lennie and saving him from the harsh fate which awaited him at the hands of the ranch workers. Lennie depended on George, who protected him and took care of him. George loved Lennie, and being close as brothers, George did not want to see him hurt.
The two shared a dream of a place of their own with rabbits, food, brightly colored leaves, a garden, and a home. The dream inspired and motivated them to try to achieve it. In the death of Curly's wife, Lennie would in fact be put to death as well. However, George knew the workers held no mercy in the plan for Lennie. Therefore, George did the right thing. Out of tremendous love and loyalty, he made Lennie believe everything was okay, and painlessly put Lennie, his best friend, to sleep.