How is 'The American Dream revealed in the novel 'Of Mice And Men'.

How is ‘The American Dream revealed in the novel ‘Of Mice And Men’.

The novel “Of Mice And Men”is set in the south of Soledad in the Salinas Valley of California probably during the Depression of the 1930s. Three specific locations - along the banks of the Salinas River near the ranch, in the ranch bunk house, and in the barn.

The novel ‘of Mice and men written by John Stienbeck is about two people’s friendship who are itinerant workers in the days of 1930’s. Dreams were needed because they portrayed the true inner feelings of a person’s mind and they conveyed their thoughts in a different way.

Stienback uses various characters to show various dreams, such as Lennie whose dream is to live with rabbits.

“The hell with rabbits. That’s all you ever can remember is them rabbits said George”

This emphasises that Lennie lives in a fantasy of his own, as living with rabbits isn’t really realistic. This reflects his childishness and the fact that Lennie only has simple needs.

But the dream that is similar to so many others in the novel comes from George whose dream is the same as most migrant workers. His dream is to be self-sufficient and to work for himself. He wants freedom,his own place and to keep his own crops.

“I’d love my own place, an I’d be bringing in my own crops”

This shows George wants to be self-sufficient and independent.

George’s dream is what most migrant workers want.

Lennie’s dreams are different to George’s because they are two different characters and have different ambitions. Lennie lives in a fantasy and George lives in the real world and knows what he wants in life as his dream tells it all. Lennie’s dream shows us he wants an easy life, all he wants to look after rabbits. Where as George’s dream shows us that he wants to work his way ...

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“I’d love my own place, an I’d be bringing in my own crops”

This shows George wants to be self-sufficient and independent.

George’s dream is what most migrant workers want.

Candy is yet another character that Steinbeck uses to reveal the idea of the American dream; hid dream is too similar to George’s and Lennie. Candy wants to keep his own land and keep what is his.

“Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much”

This suggests that Candy is not greedy he just wants some land from where he could stay put. Candy is old and he wants some where stable to stay that is his own. Candy only has his dog as his companion but that comes to an end as Carlson shoots his dog due to the dislike of it. Candy confesses to George and Lennie, hoping for similar fate as his dog. He over hears George and Lennie talking of their little place, Candy then offers all his money and wants to be in on their dream. The amount of money offered my Candy made it proposition impossible to refuse. Candy clings on this bit of hope, as he has nothing else to hope for. But when Lennie kills Curley’s wife the dream is broken. But Candy still wants to carry out his dream.

Crooks is another character to reveal his dream. Crooks is called such because of his crooked spine. He is segregated from others because he is black but this does not stop him trying to get on with the others. In the novel Crooks is described as a

“Proud aloof man.he kept his distance and demanded that others kept theirs”

This shows Crooks is bitter and defensive towards others. He is frustrated by the colour of his skin and racist culture. Crooks is cynical about dreams.

Crooks dream is to be respected and not to be an outcast. He knows that people do not have a very high opinion of him.

‘He laughed. If is say something, why it’s just a nigger saying it’.

This emphasises that his opinion does not count for anything. Crook’s dream is the same as Lennie’s and Georges. This was only after he realised that it could become reality.

‘I’ve never seen a guy really do it. He said, I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land.’

Here Crook expresses what he thinks of Lennie, George and Candy dream. So now Crook wants to be part of their dream.

‘If you guys would want a hand for nothing just this keep, why’d I’d come and lend a hand.’

Even though Crook is cynical about the migrant workers dream, he still decides to join this one, as this is his only hope for a better life.

Another dream that is revealed belongs to Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is nameless in the novel. Curley’s wife thinks that Candy is the cause of everything that goes wrong at soleland.

‘Everybody knowed you mess things up. You wasn’t no good.’

This shows that Curley’s wife thinks that Candy is jinxed.

Curley’s wife is very fashionable and likes to dress up.

‘She wore her bright cotton dress and the mules with the red ostrich feathers.’

The way she is dressed shows us her dream, which is to be an actress, to have lots of attention and avoid loneliness.

‘I met one of the actors, he says that I could go with that show but my ol’ lady wouldn’t let me.’ This shows that she was all ready for the big life but her mum was stopping her as she was too young. She regrets her life and suffers greatly from loneliness because she did not fulfil her ambition at her younger age.

These dreams are important because it gives them games to aim for and for confidence as you dream about things that they thought were impossible. Some peoples dream make them wanted in real life as they may be rejected or an outcast for their colour. Steinbecks gives the message to the readers that dreams can become reality if u really want something but dreams do not always turn out the way you wants them to be.