Euthanasia In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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The concept of euthanasia has always been a controversial issue ; is the killing of another human being justifiable, or does it amount to murder? In the book “Of Mice and Men”, George shoots Lennie in the back of the head to avoid a slow, agonizing fate at the hands of the ranch workers. Slim reassures him that he ¨hadda do it¨, despite betraying Lennie’s trust. Had George let Lennie live, Curley and Carlson would have tortured him for the death of Curley’s wife. Like Candy’s dog , Lennie was killed out of mercy.
The criteria for non-voluntary euthanasia is varied in the medical community. According to the BBC Ethics Guide, the criteria for non-voluntary euthanasia are as follows ; ¨The person is in a coma, the person is too young (eg