A few months ago I read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This novella chronicles the journeys of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, who find work on a farm in California. They work to realize their dream of owning a ranch in the countryside. Their aspirations were cut short when George shot Lennie, a simple-minded man and his best friend, to spare him from a brutal lynching. George's decision to save his best friend by killing him shocks me. “Lennie turned his head and looked across the pond and up the darkening slopes of the Gabilans. "We'll take a place." Giorgio began. He reached into his side pocket and pulled out Carlson's Luger; he took the safety off and the hand and the gun remained on the ground behind Lennie's back” (Steinbeck) This passage of the story particularly shocks me. In this passage, George and Lennie converse about life on their future ranch. As George hangs on to Lennie's last words, he holds a gun to his back. I believe this powerful scene illustrates the courage and strength of humanity. George knew it within ...