Patchlamb answers “the book was cool but why did they kill...”

Luis Rincon asked this question about Of Mice and Men:

the book was cool but why did they kill George at the end of the book? why didn't they just let George go? why did Lenni kill George at the end of the book?

Patchlamb It is a parallel to Candy's old dog. Candy had a stranger put down his dog because his dog was "no good to himself" and was "miserable." Lennie was mi…moreIt is a parallel to Candy's old dog. Candy had a stranger put down his dog because his dog was "no good to himself" and was "miserable." Lennie was miserable; he would never get the things he so desired, whether or not he hurt somebody it would not happen. When he killed Curley's wife, George did not want Curley to kill him in a torturous way, and knew it would be cruel to have Lennie committed where it would be mentally torturous for him.

So, as an act of mercy, George killed Lennie in a way that was quick and painless so he would not have to suffer through the even more miserable future that would come to him after the woman's death. An insane asylum (in the 30s no less) would have been a fate worse than death. He did it, because the book had Candy express that he should have been the one to put down his own dog, because it was his. Lennie was his friend, his responsibility, he could not let somebody else do it, let alone someone who may have done it cruelly like Curley.(less)

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