The dog is old, blind, deaf, and doesn’t really have much left to live for. He isn’t good to himself, and Candy doesn’t want to accept it because he doesn’t want to lose his best friend. Candy regrets letting Carlson kill the dog for him, and he tells George, “‘ I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog,’” (61). This moment with Candy seems to influence how George decides to handle Lennie. After Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, George knows that Lennie won’t ever be able to take care of himself. If Lennie lives, especially if Curley is the one to find him, his future will be dark. He would likely be killed by Curley and, if not, he will be tormented and abused for the rest of his life. Lennie is a lot like Candy’s dog; he can’t take care of himself, and he is reliant on George, as the dog is with Candy. Seeing the guilt and regret that Candy feels for letting a stranger kill his dog, George understands that he needs to be responsible for Lennie’s mistake and be merciful through taking Lennie’s life. Candy’s dog and Lennie are similar because they both rely on their friend to help them through life. The parallels between Candy and George show that they are each connected to their partner from a young age, and at this point they have been with them so long that they have developed a responsibility to them. There is a strong bond and trust. Candy’s decision to let
The dog is old, blind, deaf, and doesn’t really have much left to live for. He isn’t good to himself, and Candy doesn’t want to accept it because he doesn’t want to lose his best friend. Candy regrets letting Carlson kill the dog for him, and he tells George, “‘ I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog,’” (61). This moment with Candy seems to influence how George decides to handle Lennie. After Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, George knows that Lennie won’t ever be able to take care of himself. If Lennie lives, especially if Curley is the one to find him, his future will be dark. He would likely be killed by Curley and, if not, he will be tormented and abused for the rest of his life. Lennie is a lot like Candy’s dog; he can’t take care of himself, and he is reliant on George, as the dog is with Candy. Seeing the guilt and regret that Candy feels for letting a stranger kill his dog, George understands that he needs to be responsible for Lennie’s mistake and be merciful through taking Lennie’s life. Candy’s dog and Lennie are similar because they both rely on their friend to help them through life. The parallels between Candy and George show that they are each connected to their partner from a young age, and at this point they have been with them so long that they have developed a responsibility to them. There is a strong bond and trust. Candy’s decision to let