There are many hypothesis on why Steinbeck kills Lennie. Below are 5 of them. Choose one and explain why this may be the best reason. Make sure that you make at least 2 specific references to the story with page numbers. This may take a few more than 7 sentences.
1. Lennie desires a “safe place,” and in death he will finally find his dream.
2. Lennie is animalistic. He cannot control his desires. He lacks the mental capacity to be conscious enough to know his own strength or to protect himself from others. But must all people who cannot control their desire to be killed?
3. Lennie is useless: Candy’s dog is killed because it is no longer useful. The same case may be applied to Lennie. But Lennie is useful to the rancher and to George.
4. Lennie is a disturbance of public order.
5. Society is responsible for the accident in which Lennie kills Curley’s wife.
13 comments:
Lennie dies late into the story of mice and men but why? Some think its a symbolic reason and some think it had to be done for his well-being. I think that statement 1* would be the best reasoning for why George killed Lennie. I think that this is the best reason because the position Lennie was in he was a goner either way. One of the reasons that George killed Lennie is because early in the book it says that George looks out for Lennie's best interest so since curly was going to kill him in pain(lynch,shooting...ETC) George thought a shot to the spine would be best and painless. The reason Curly wanted to kill Lennie was because Lennie was just being himself wanting to touch soft things, so when the opportunity of touching Curly's wife's hair he couldn't resist. So while Lennie was touching he hair he got a little dangerous and snapped her snap with his monster hands. To sum it up i think that he deserved a safer place where he could pet what ever he wanted. This is why i believed that statement 1* is the best option/ theory for why Lennie dies.
I dont think that just one of these reasons alone is why Steinbeck killed Lennie. They all seem to play a part in why he died. My first reaction when i read that George killed him was that it was because Lennie couldnt handle himself and it wasnt fair for him to be locked up. Like when he killed the puppy, and the mouse, and Curleys wife. It wouldnt be fair for him to be locked up for a disorder that he cant help, so George shot him. Then again, they was George shot him had Lennie die in somewhat of a peaceful way, thinking about what he wanted so badly. This way, he was safe. He had nothing to worry about. No one to come after him, because he had moved on to a better place.
I think the best reason for why steinbeck killed lennie is number one. Lennie had no easy way out so george took him out himself rather then curly or someone else. He did it fast and painlessly. In the last few pages lennie expirences a huge rabbit as an imagination. That was his dream to tend to the rabbits. George tells lennie the story about the farm one more time and finally takes him out easily. Lennie didn't feel a thing and thats how george wanted it. If curly would have done it lennie would have been scared and curly might not have killed him instantly. Also george didn't think lennie could handle bgeing locked up or put away in a mental place. Lennie wasn't like that and he knew it so he didn't want lennie to hurt anyone anymore or himself.
I have not yet finished the book but I've heard talk that Lennie dies at the end. The most logical reason I beleive is number 1. The world is too troubled for someone like Lennie to be wandering the public. People such as Lennie that don't instinctively learn the hidden curiculum need someone to guid them. However as we see in chapter four when Lennie is with Crooks, George isn't always going to be there for him and he'll have to face problems such as Curley's wife, on his own. A life is an incredible loss which has not match or equal. Although Lennie Won't have to deal with the problems he has faced on Earth such as running from the ranch owners that was talked about early on in chapters one and two. It is clear to say he will be "Safe", alone and in rest.
Jane Matta
I haven't finished the book yet, but to me the reason that makes the most sense is number 2. Because of Lennie's problem, that makes it very hard for him to understand his own stregnth. This is his biggest weakness. He can't seem to find a way to controll himself and be sympathetic to other people. He doesn't mean to hurt his puppy or Curly's wife, but not knowing his own strength, he does. I don't think that all people who can't control their anger should be killed, absolutely not. However, in Lennie's situation, where he has killed numerous animals and has now killed a woman, his death seemed like it needed to happen. Wherever George and Lennie went, Lennie always seemed to find trouble, and this time it was very severe.
From reading these 5 hypothesis' about why Steinbeck decides to kill Lennie, I can not really choose one of these to best explain why. Lennie is a very unique character, and needed to be controlled. I think that George finally decided that Lennie had killed too many things and that Lennie would never accomplish his dream. If i had to choose one of these hypothesis's, it would be number one. Lennie wanted to have a place where he could touch as many things that were soft as he could. When Lennie dies, he will be able to accomplish that dream in the afterlife. I believe that if George doesn't end Lennie's life by surprise, they will eventually send Lennie to the mental hospital. Lennie would have had a long and painful death in the hospital.
i find the the first one most likely, lennie desires a safe place and death brings it to him. it gets him away from all the problems he had and being misunderstood.like on page 106 it george says " you and me. ever'bodys gana be nice to you."
also on the same page gorge says "ant gana be no more troble." this can be takin as meaning its safe at the place there gana buy or in his death lennie will find this. but i dont think its just one of thees resons. its probly a mix of them.
I think that the second hypothesis most explains why Steinbeck killed Lennie. Lennie doesn't mean to hurt people or things, his mental condition doesn't allow him to understand what he is doing or how to fix things. One example of this would probably be when he was in Weed and he grabbed onto that young girls velvet dress. He didn't know what to do when she started screaming. It wasn't his fault but all he could think to do it hold on so he wouldn't get in trouble. " An' you ain't gonna do no bad things like you done in Weed, either." (pg 7). It seems everywhere he goes he does something bad. Another example would be when he killed Curly's wife. He was just touching her hair and when she yelled at him for doing it too hard, he accidently killed her. "...and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck." (pg 91). This is just showing that he doesn't know his strength. I know it was sad but I believe the only way to keep people safe would be to have him killed. The only other option would be to lock him up by himself but George know he would hate that. I am just happy George was the one to do it.
-Taylor Matteson
Lennie is a sencitive person who needs care and happiness. George kills him in order to give him "a safe place." In this safe place he will get his rabbits and he will be happy. All he cares about is the rabbits, on page 89 Curleys wife thinks, "the only thing Lennie cares about is rabbits." Lennie wants to make Geroge happy, and George wants to make Lennie happy. George killing Lennie gets to have them both happy because now Lennie won't get locked up and George won't have to run around with George. George said, "others don't got nobody in the worl' that gives a hoot inhell about 'em," on page 104 becase for Lennie, George was there to save him. Lennie also desires a safe place so that he can't kill anyone. If he didn't kill Curley's wife none of this would have happened. He killed Curley's wife, many mice, and a puppy. He has killed enough and it was time to end.
I have yet to finish the book yet but now I know the ending so I can make a few theorys on why Lennie gets killed. I believes that the reason Lennie gets killed is because of his lacks the safe place in his life and death is a metaphor of him having eternal safety. Lennie finally could reach his salvation in death in which he cannot reach on earth. In the book it says that Lennie is real upset about them not being at their own ranch and still in soledad and that could lead towards his death. Another reason he might of been killed off is because of what he did to Curley's wife. It could be like a harsh lesson of what goes around comes around and could be why Steinbeck killed him off.
I think that a logical hypothesis to why Steinbeck kills Lennie is number one, Lennie desires a "safe place". When Curley throws the first punch at Lennie on page forty-five, Lennie keeps saying, "George I don't want no trouble". He resists to fight because he doesn't want to cause any trouble because if there is trouble, the two men will get canned. Also, this is a reasonable theory because George always tell Lennie that he can't screw this job up. In the beginning of chapter one when the two men are camping out, George has to tell Lennie to not say anything and that they need to play it safe so they won't get fired. When Lennie dies it will create a safe place for him because he won't need to worry about watching what he says or what he does because he can't get in trouble. All in all, I believe that this a very good idea of why Lennie gets killed off.
Lennie dies late into the story of mice and men but why? They all seem to play a part in why he died. He did it fast and painlessly. In the last few pages lennie expirences a huge rabbit as an imagination. However as we see in chapter four when Lennie is with Crooks, George isn't always going to be there for him and he'll have to face problems such as Curley's wife, on his own. don't think that all people who can't control their anger should be killed, absolutely not. believe that if George doesn't end Lennie's life by surprise, they will eventually send Lennie to the mental hospital. When Lennie dies it will create a safe place for him because he won't need to worry about watching what he says or what he does because he can't get in trouble. All in all, I believe that this a very good idea of why Lennie gets killed off.
Chris Daniels
Ok so since there wasn't a blog for Thursday I guess I'll just do this one to get my three days in.
The most prevalent hypothesis on which Steinbeck kills Lennie is hypothesis four. I think that Steinbeck kills Lennie because he wants to show what happens in society when someone disturbs "order". Every one freaks out because they don't know how to handle it and don't know how to channel their anger. When Lennie killed Curley's wife on accident, Curley didn't even think about Lennie's predicament, He just wanted what was best for him. Also, when Lennie went into Crooks room, he was confused. He didn't know why Lennie was there and wanted a reason. Back in that time it was frowned upon to "hang-out" with people of an opposite race as you. Crooks thought that maybe Lennie was messing with him, but he just didn't understand that Lennie wasn't all there. These are two examples of how people should just look at a situation not only from their point of view but others.
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