George and Lennie: The Big Ending

Romeo and Juliet

In the book Of Mice and Men, we witness the death of Curley's wife. After Lennie says, "I like to pet nice things...I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof' things" (90), Curley's wife tells him that she likes to rub soft things also. She tells him that she likes rubbing her hair, and she says, "fell right aroun' there an' see how soft it is" (90). Lennie then began to feel her hair, and as he went on stroking it, he stroked harder and harder. Curley's wife tried to escape from Lennie's hands, but Lennie's nervous instinct kicked in, and he held on. Lennie jerked Curley's wife back and forth, breaking her neck. He ran away to the brush.

George came and relaxed Lennie. George was plotting to kill him peacefully. He took Carlson's Luger out. Lennie asked him "[Do] I get to tend the rabbits[?]" (105). George told him "you get to tend the rabbits" (105), and then shot him. I can compare this death to Romeo and Juliet. George was Juliet, and instead of killing himself physically, he killed himself emotionally. Because he knew Romeo, Lennie, was already dead, he was going to have to kill himself emotionally too. He did this by killing Lennie. George loved Lennie dearly, but he had to put him out of his misery.

Obviously, George didn't want to kill Lennie, but what made him do it? George knew Lennie had way worse coming to him. If Curley found Lennie, it was be a series of long, endless pain. George didn't want him to go through that, so he killed him. If I was George, then I would have not known what to do. Killing my best friend would be my last choice, but I think George chose correctly. I would've never wanted to see my best friend go through a series of endless pain as punishment for an accident. George also could've fled South, but he already told the ranchers that he may have gone south. The north was never an option because Lennie was wanted up north too, so these my be reason why George killed Lennie. 

Why do you think George killed Lennie, and what other choices did he have?