The novel Of Mice and Men is about two best friends, George and Lennie roaming around the county side looking for work, with one goal in mind. The goal of owning their own land and working for themselves. But things don't go as planed for George and Lennie, and in the scheme of things going wrong John Steinbeck brings forth many themes pertaining to the realities of life. While Steinbeck shows us many themes, the two themes that I found to be the most important in Of Mice and Men are euthanasia, the dreams of men going awry, and being alone. Along with the themes that he gave us, Steinbeck also gives us metaphors that go along with the themes.
In Of Mice and Men, there are two examples of the theme euthanasia. One of the examples is Candy's dog. "A dragfooted sheepdog, gray of muzzle, and with pale, blind old eyes" (Steinbeck: 26) Candy's dog is very old, and has a hard time walking. It suffers from its disability everyday, and it is no longer any good to its self. "Got no teeth, he's all stiff with rheumatism. He ain't no good to you, Candy. An' he ain't no good to himself. Why'n't you shoot him, Candy?" (Steinbeck: 49) But, while Candy understands that his dog is suffering, he does not want to shoot him, for he has been with his dog ever since the dog was a pup. Candy also sees himself in his dog because of his disability and age. Candy has just grown too close to his dog to take his life. Candy eventually realizes that he must shoot his dog, and allows Carlson to kill his lifetime companion. Candy's dog is a metaphor to another example of euthanasia, how George takes Lennie's life in the end of the story. When Carlson shoots Candy's dog, Lennie is the only person not in the bunk hose besides Carlson. Steinbeck places both Candy's dog and Lennie outside, away form everyone else, showing the relationship between the two. .
George knows that he has to take the life of his best friend Lennie, after he inadvertently killed Curley's wife.
