These are some of the final words that George utters to Lennie before he kills him. As he prepares to end Lennie’s life, George recalls all of the adversity that his friend has faced. Lennie has endured a life of rejection, and his life on the ranch was no different. Curley’s wife took advantage of Lennie’s kindness and innocence, and her actions have brought George and Lennie to this moment.

George believes that he must kill Lennie himself in order to spare his friend from an even worse punishment from Curley. In these parting words, George conveys that he is heartbroken for the life Lennie has endured.

Because he has volunteered to be Lennie’s caretaker, George understands Lennie better than anyone else. He wants his friend’s final moments to be peaceful and happy, and he encourages Lennie to remember all that they planned for and dreamed of together. As Lennie recalls his dreams of tending rabbits and “liv[ing] off the fatta the lan’,” George prepares to end Lennie’s life—but he is filled with pain that Lennie is leaving this world without ever really having found kindness or compassion among his fellows.