I first read this book in high school around the age of 15 and I can distinctly recall that I was not at all comfortable with my teacher's explanation of the ending of the book. I really thought the justification that it was a caring action etc really couldn't display my feeling that it was really a cold thing to do.

In retrospect, I can now look back and see that justification and why is makes sense. Funny how time has that effect :)

Yeah, the ending is heartrending. It was exactly the same as the dog. A mercy killing. But that seemed awful aswell. But that is how Lenny is portrayed. A big, loyal dog.

I just taught this (as a student teacher) to a class of high school juniors and they were all over the ending. I was sort of surprised that they (for the most part) caught the harsh reality of George's decision. I expected to have a long, uncomfortable discussion about it but they got it. They're smarter than most people think!

George's decision was one of ruthlessness. He just thought of himself and no one else

To say that George thought of himself and no one else seems a little cold to the book's plot. If that were the case, the story could have began with George shooting Lennie just to be rid of him. Instead, we are taken through the story where Lennie, as he has before, gets himself into trouble, only this time such that he'll face a lynch mob rather than just some angry people. George, rather than allowing his friend to die at the hands of a Lynch mob (who, naturally, don't arrive to deal a quick, painless death) kills Lennie in a merciful way, even taking the time to paint the picture of the perfect life that Lennie had been wanting throughout the story.

If George's actions were selfish, there would be no scene painting by him at the end to put Lennie at ease, nor would there be any sense in the rest of the story preceding it.

I couldn't disagree more. Iam currently rehearsing George in the stage play also by Steinbeck. George's decision is the only one he can take the only alternative is to see lennie lynched. What is more, Georges shooting of lennie isn't far off suicide. This is the end for George too

Lennie wouldn't have been lynched if he wasn't shot assassination style by George. Lennie is mentally retarded and would have been put in state car. George took away Lennie's one chance of getting professional help and being with people like himself. George is an ass.

I must say your interpretation of the book is massively different to mine. I may agree he should have been given help, but the whole point is that Curley won't let that happen, Lennie would be lynched

yeah i get the whole foreshadowing of the dog being shot and his owner being to much of a coward to be the one who would do it. George somehow decides that it's better for him to be the one that kills lennie, thats not right.

What do you mean that Lennie would be taken into state car(e)? Yes he was retarded, but it wasn’t the law that were hunting him down - it was a lynch mob. Lynch mobs arnt usually known for their staunch faith in the legal system. The possibility that Lennie would not be tried for the murder on the grounds that he was mentally incapably would only strengthen the mobs reasoning for taking matters into their own hands. I would have liked to have seen George try to leg it with Lennie, even though the odds were against them on getting away - but not every story has to have a happy ending and I think that adds something to the realism.