George's Decision

In parts 5 & 6 Of Mice and Men, we reached, in my opinion, the saddest part of the book. George has to make a tough decision.  Lennie kills his puppy and then Curly's wife -- both by accident.  He smacked the pup too hard, and then shook Curly's wife, snapping her neck.  Realizing he had done a "really bad thing", Lennie runs off to hide in the brush (which George had instructed him to do). It almost seems as though George had anticipated something bad happening.  Realizing that Curly was going to kill Lennie, and having Slim point out that life in a cage would not be a life for Lennie, George secretly takes Carlson's Luger and joins the party to "hunt" for Lennie. (This part of the book fits perfectly with the foreshadowing of Candy wishing he had shot his old dog himself, an event that occurred much earlier.)  Of course, George "finds" Lennie quicker then the rest of the search party.  He pretends to give Lennie hell, as Lennie requests, and then has Lennie look across the water as he outlines their dream to raise rabbits and live off the "fatta the lan'.  "'No, Lennie. Look down there acrost the river, like you can almost see the place.'"  George is so kind in this moment. You can tell he really loves Lennie. "'No,' said George. 'No, Lennie.  I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now.  That's a thing I want you to know.'" He shoots Lennie in the back of the head. Decision made.  On a 1 - 10 scale of depressing, with one being low sadness factor and ten being supremely depressing, I give this book a 9.99.