Notes

The ending of Of Mice and Men is very moving. George shoots Lennie in order to save him from being painfully killed by Curley or being put into prison for "murdering" Curley's wife. We have developed considerable sympathy for the two labourers during the first five chapters because we have to understand them; we feel their relationship is special and we can empathise with their dream of owning a smallholding and living "off the fatta the lan'". We can understand their craving for security, independence and control over their own lives which is what the dream ranch represents.

After George arrives, having sent Curley and the rest of the ranch in the opposite direction, he prepares to shoot Lennie. However, we at first are unaware of what George intends to do, so we are very curious and suspense is created. From this point onwards Steinbeck uses a number of techniques in order to create a powerful, hard-hitting climax to the book. Steinbeck uses sound effects and carefully chosen words to reveal how stressed and anxious George feels when he first finds Lennie. His behaviour is so unusual that even Lennie notices. George only finds Lennie because he hears him shouting out his name this would immediately make George feel uncomfortable on top of the fact that George knows what he is going to do.

The fact that it was quick could be because George knew that he had to do it and if he didn't do it then, then it could have been too late and Curley have seen and killed Lennie in a horrible way. It could also be because George thought that if he didn't do it then he wouldn't do it because he couldn't. We know that it was quick because there are no hesitations and the sentence in which George pulls the trigger is very short and sharp. Straight after George pulling the trigger Lennie falls to the ground and just lays there without quivering instantly George knows he is dead. After the shooting Steinbeck shows us the reactions of the men from the ranch. We know straight away that there is a contrast in views of the shooting of Lennie - Slim is very compassionate and shows his sympathy towards George as if he understands what he had to do. However, the coldness of Carlson is shown and readers would have come to the conclusion that Carlson is the sort of person that does not feel.