Hopes and Dreams in "Of Mice and Men"

Most people have some kind of hopes or dreams. Hopes are “desires accompanied by expectations of fulfilment, they are one that give promises to the future.” (The Merriam Webster Dictionary, page 367). Dreams are “notable for their beauty, excellence, and/or enjoyable quality.” (The Merriam Webster Dictionary, pages 234-235). However, these dreams are many times thwarted by many obstacles along the way, as happens to George and Lennie’s in John Steinback’s novel, Of Mice and Men. George promises Lennie’s aunt Clara, right before she dies, that he will take care of Lennie, and that they will always be together. During the 1930’s, people

This is a preview of the whole essay

like Lennie, who has a mental handicap, and black’s, such as Crooks, the stable man, are discriminated. During this time, also known as the Great Depression, barn workers like George and Lennie would go around looking for work at a ranch. Very few Americans owned land, and only rarely did they have any freedom. George and Lennie want to buy a piece of land. To George this symbolizes his freedom, he will then be able to control his destiny, yet to Lennie, it means he will be able to tend the rabbits, and therefore pet them as much as he likes. Steinback expresses some of man’s hopes and dreams through the main characters actions. George and Lennie live in hope that there own, very particular dream, will one day come true. They hope they will work enough to earn the sufficient amount of money needed for their piece of land. The land is important to them because it symbolizes their liberty, their independence. From the moment they buy the land and on, they become independent human beings. They stop depending on whether they have a job, on whether they have enough food amongst other things. They dream of building a small house on this land, and on having a small farm with chickens and rabbits and cows. Lennie’s greatest dream is being able to tend the rabbits. Whenever Lennie does anything wrong, instead of thinking of the consequences that may follow, he only thinks of not being able to tend the rabbits when they acquire their new home. Lennie tries not upsetting George, because when he does, George threatens not to let him tend the rabbits. George, on the other hand, dreams on living a self-sufficient life off the money and food they can make off the land and the animals. Both George and Lennie want to live more freely, having the luxury of being their own boss. Some men’s hopes and dreams are symbolized through Lennie’s and George’s in the novel Of Mice and Men. Even though they are fictional characters, their hopes and dreams are real. Lennie and George hoped of a better life. During the Great Depression, a piece of land is the typical American dream, this land symbolizing the better life. Most of today’s population is made up of low or middle class civilians resembling the characters illustrated by Steinback through Lennie and George. These people have hopes of someday leading a better life, dependent on only themselves. George and Lennie’s dreams symbolize the step that every man wishes to take to a more enjoyable, independent life. George and Lennie’s actions express their hopes and dreams through their actions in John Steinback’s novel, Of Mice and Men. Their dream comes to an end when Lennie, trying to feel Curly’s wife’s hair, accidentally breaks her neck, killing her instantly. People today have similar ambitions. Every man wants to be independent. Every man wants to be his or her own boss. Very often, there are obstacles in the way of each person’s dream, preventing him or her from accomplishing it.