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

“Lennie broke in.”But not us” An’ Why? Because… I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you and that’s why,”(Steinbeck 13). John Steinbeck the author of the novel Of Mice and Men writes a story that takes place in Soledad, California on a ranch. In the story George and Lennie, friends who travel together, get into a tough situation. Lennie had murdered Curley’s wife, and George has to decide whether he should run away with Lennie, let Curley kill Lennie and let him suffer, or mercy kill him. George had decided that mercy killing would be the best option for Lennie and himself. Mercy killing is not ok it, murdering and mercy killing are the same thing.
In the story George is supposed to take care of Lennie. George chose to
make the commitment of taking care of Lennie because he would make fun of Lennie, and he was mean to him. George had also told Lennie’s Aunt Clara that he would take care of Lennie. George shouldn't have murdered Lennie because it was wrong. In the story before they are looking for Lennie, Steinbeck writes, “George was a long time in answering. “Guess… we gotta tell the… guys. I guess we gotta get ‘Im an’ lock ‘Im up”(94). This really shows that George didn't even care about what would happen to Lennie next. Another quote that the Steinbeck had written was “I ain't gonna let them hurt Lennie”(95). He didn't want Lennie to get hurt, but yet George was the one to end Lennie’s life. George had plenty of other options other than murder.
Mercy killing, or euthanasia is ending an animal or person's life painlessly, and it is wrong.
In the article “Euthanasia’s Slippery Slope” the author says “Distelmans also put to death identical 45-year-old deaf twins who said that they lost the will to live upon learning they would eventually go blind”(Lane). They still could've had a long life to live, and just because they were deaf, and they were told that they were gonna be blind, doesn't mean that their life is completely over. Helen Keller was deaf and blind, and she still learned how to live her life. In the article “Euthanasia’s Slippery Slope” the author talks about a clinic that was opened to get people the injections that they their regular physicians wouldn't give them, Lane says, “In the next twelve months the clinic approved euthanasia for six psychiatric patients, plus 11 people whose only recorded complaint was being, “tired of living” according to a report in the Aug 10th issue of JAMA Internal Medicine”(lane). There are many other options other than mercy killing just because you're “tired of living” or tired of taking care of something, or someone. You can find lots of help many different ways. Mercy killing isn't write and it shouldn't be done with people.
Some people think that euthanasia isn't killing, and they don't think of it as murder. I the article “A Dangerous Euthanasia Ruling”, the author writes, “The decision allows euthanasia and assisted suicide for not only physical but psychological suffering without limiting it to clear parameters” (Schadenberg). They are allowing people to use euthanasia bot end people's lives because of depression and that shouldn't be an
option.
Mercy killing or euthanasia is wrong and unacceptable. In the novel George could've ran away again with Lennie, so then he wouldn't of had to murder his friend. Mercy killing should not be used at all. Especially if someone is depressed. There are many of options to fight depression, and mercy killing isn't one of them.