Mentally Retarded In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
Is it not right to execute the mentally retarded without having an exact reason to end their life? “Executing people who are mentally retarded, the court ruled, violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment” (Patterson, The Dallas Morning News). The court does not allow states to execute mentally retarded neither is it okay for other people to kill them if they do not have proof. Killing the mentally retarded cannot be justified because people frown upon that idea. Just like in “Of Mice and Men.” To begin with Lennie has had problems in the past. “So he reaches to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk, and that gets Lennie all mixed up, and he holds on ‘cause that’s the only thing he can think to do.” (Steinbeck,
…show more content…
But not on purpose, he does not know his own strength and has the mind of a child. Exactly like what he did to Curley’s wife. “He shook her then, and he was angry with her. ’Don’t you go yellin’,’ he said, and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.”(91) He had gotten scared from what he had done and hid where George told him to hide. George knew where he was and ended his life so he would not have to take care of Lennie anymore. George was being selfish and kind of disrespectful to Lennie “So you wasn’t gonna say a word. You was gonna leave your big flapper shut and leave me do the talkin’. D*mn near lost us the job.”(23) There were other times like this. “If I was a relative of yours I’d shoot myself.”(24) There are many more examples of George’s attitude towards Lennie. George thought of Lennie as a friend in his life, but was also a chore to deal with and wanted his suffering to end. George knew the dream would never happen because Lennie was not able to hold a job. But he kept it up for a while until it was the last straw. When Lennie would finally make the final mistake, killing a person. George couldn’t escape this time with Lennie and would not let Curley probably do something much worse. But he could have defended Lennie, though he did not in any way, shape or
But not on purpose, he does not know his own strength and has the mind of a child. Exactly like what he did to Curley’s wife. “He shook her then, and he was angry with her. ’Don’t you go yellin’,’ he said, and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.”(91) He had gotten scared from what he had done and hid where George told him to hide. George knew where he was and ended his life so he would not have to take care of Lennie anymore. George was being selfish and kind of disrespectful to Lennie “So you wasn’t gonna say a word. You was gonna leave your big flapper shut and leave me do the talkin’. D*mn near lost us the job.”(23) There were other times like this. “If I was a relative of yours I’d shoot myself.”(24) There are many more examples of George’s attitude towards Lennie. George thought of Lennie as a friend in his life, but was also a chore to deal with and wanted his suffering to end. George knew the dream would never happen because Lennie was not able to hold a job. But he kept it up for a while until it was the last straw. When Lennie would finally make the final mistake, killing a person. George couldn’t escape this time with Lennie and would not let Curley probably do something much worse. But he could have defended Lennie, though he did not in any way, shape or