The American Dream

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Explain how the American Dream is explored in “Of Mice and Men”. You should discuss how the novel describes the attraction of the dream and how it shows the dreams of the characters being dashed.

The book “Of Mice and Men”, written by John Steinbeck, is set in the 1930’s. It analyses the importance of the American Dream and the cruel reality of the life of Itinerant workers. Many People have dreams in life, although in order to meet that dream, one must face the truth first. The truth for many people at this time was that their hopes would never become real. The narrative deals with the American attraction to land and the dreams of the characters which are completely eradicated later on in the novel.

The novel commences with an immediate setting of the scene. An incredibly detailed description sets the readers up for the introduction of our first individuals and the for-coming action soon to take place. They break the silence of the revealed place and we are given the impression they are almost intruding on nature. George and Lennie are familiarized at the beginning. Steinbeck’s description of them shows them to be Itinerant workers who have stuck together. Their rough appearances and Lennie’s comparison to a bear, “…dragging his feet a little the way a bear does its paws” suggests that the life of these characters is one of constantly moving.

Each chapter starts the same way; the setting of scene and the symbolism he uses. For example a little further into the story he uses the darkness and the quietness of the barn to reflect one characters personality. She appears through the darkness and immediately starts an argument. The sneakiness of her and the dark subtly hints that this character is bad. The chapters start with descriptions of where everyone is at the time and the key ideas that are forthcoming. Using this repetitive pattern gives the whole novel a very circular affect; both start and finish end in the same place and in a way the same manner. They both denote the end of a subdivision in the main characters lives.

With the vivid portrayal of George and Lennie comes their dream. They think they have good chance of achieving it and this gives them a hope for their future. There are a number of key elements to it and I believe the most important one is that they will be working for themselves. When George was talking about the dream, “… his hands stopped working and is voice grew warmer”. This illustrates that George really wants to accomplish their dream; it would mean no longer would they have to move from place to place and they would have a permanent job.

They would have a little house of their own to live. ‘“We’re gonna have a little house”’ is exactly what George says. This exemplifies clearly one part of the dream, the thought of having a fixed roof over their heads. No longer would they have to sleep anywhere they could find or under property of another. It would be shelter from the rain, shelter from the harsh world and it would be shelter which is all theirs. A home.

In that house would be an extra bed for a friend or a distant relative to come and stay. George tells Lennie, ‘“An if a fren’ came along, why we’d have an extra bunk”’. Itinerant workers have no family, no wife or kids. To be able to stay in one location and get to know people, I suspect, would be a significant factor of their dream. This pair of men are lonely and they make this quite clear, using phrases such as ‘“… loneliest guys in the world”’ and ‘“… don’t belong no place”’. The way Steinbeck writes these expressions with such altering pace and rhythm advocates the misery of these men and the lack of acceptance they deal with everyday.

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Outside the house would be land, with some animals. ‘“…a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs”’ would mean they could ‘“…live off the fatta the lan’”’, which Lennie delightfully shouts. I would say this is another genuinely essential part of the plan because it would mean they could be self sufficient. The cow would provide milk and eventually meat and the pigs would supply young for meat too. Having the land would mean they could grow vegetables and plan trees for fruit; no money would be going out yet none really needing to be spent anyway. ...

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