"Mercy" Killing

1. Reflecting on Of Mice and Men

a. Explain George's perspective for what he did to Lennie.

I believe George's point of view towards killing Lennie is about how it would be less painful to see Lennie die thinking of positive things like tending the rabbits, compared to letting him have a tragic and painful death. He thought that if he did not kill Lennie himself, Lennie will be killed by Curley's men, which is worse. As George looks back, he won't remember Lennie dying in misery and despair, and that would make him less upset.

b. Do you think that was the best thing to do for Lennie?

I believe it was the best thing for Lennie. It may sound dark for me to think it is but If you think about it, Lennie is still going to get hurt if he was kept alive. George did not want to see Lennie getting beat up or killed by Curley so he had to get rid of Lennie himself. I think George did the right thing.

2. Father in Italy Accused of Murder

a. Using a "quote" to support your response, explain the father's reasons for what he did.

"Late last year, 67-year-old Beppino Englaro, won an intense 10-year legal battle to allow his daughter's feeding tubes to be removed, saying that was her wish."
- I think the father removes his daughter's feeding tubes because he thinks it was pointless to keep her alive in pain. Sometimes it is better if someone is dead instead of suffering in pain. What he did was not murder, he was only preventing his daughter from suffering and tried to end the pain.


b. Using a "quote" to support your response, explain if that was the best thing to do for the
daughter.
-
."The court accepted that before the accident, his daughter had expressed a preference for dying over being kept alive artificially."
I believe his daughter also wanted it. I think her daughter also thought that being kept alive suffering is hard. If someone is meant to die then they are meant to die. Feeding tubes are the things that prevent death. I guess she would prefer going on what was planned for her.

c. Do you agree or disagree with what the father did? Why?

Even though my opinions above agree about it, I have to agree that removing the feeding tubes were a mistake. What if his daughter just fell into a deep coma and wakes up years later? I believe he should have waited a bit longer until he was sure there was no more hope.