Why do people like the ending in Of Mice and Men?

Of Mice and Men is considered to be an American classic, perhaps because it embodies a relationship that many people can relate to but also one that is not often shared. At the end of the book, George discovers that Lennie has accidentally killed Curley's wife. Rather than give Curley or anyone else a chance to torture and kill Lennie, George takes him away from the ranch and shoots him in the back of the...

Of Mice and Men is considered to be an American classic, perhaps because it embodies a relationship that many people can relate to but also one that is not often shared. At the end of the book, George discovers that Lennie has accidentally killed Curley's wife. Rather than give Curley or anyone else a chance to torture and kill Lennie, George takes him away from the ranch and shoots him in the back of the head. Out of context, this seems like a horribly sad ending, but if the reader has been keeping up with the story, it is very symbolic. At one point in the story, Candy's aging dog is shot by another man at the ranch and Candy deeply regrets not killing his dog himself. At the end when George kills Lennie, it shows that he feels a strong sense of responsibility and even love towards Lennie; he knew that he would always regret it if someone else had killed Lennie. People like the ending of the book because George promises Lennie that he has never been mad at him, and this reveals a side of George that is not always seen. He often appears frustrated with Lennie, so to hear him say such kind words in Lennie's last living moments is very touching. It is one of the few moments that the reader sees a loving side of George, and it leaves the reader knowing that everything was done for the right reasons and out of love and respect.