The American Dream, as seen in Of Mice And Men.

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The American Dream        

        The American dream is the belief that whoever you are, not matter how rich or poor you are, that if you work hard enough, you will achieve what you want to achieve. This is very different from Steinbeck's view of the "American dream."

Steinbeck uses his novel to disillusion his readers from the "Dream." Through his characters, and their hopes, he shows that this "American Dream" may bring hope to different people, but then the "Dream" is proven only to be a fantasy. Each character's dream, by the end of the book is destroyed.

George and Lennie begin in the book with a dream, to own their own land. George wants to be independent, he wants freedom and security, and Lennie wants to "tend the rabbits." George repeats this dream to Lennie, and they use it to comfort each other through difficult times. "Guys like us, that work on the ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place … With us it ain't like that. We got a future … because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you."

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This brings them a hope that better things will come. That if they keep working hard enough, one day they will own their own plot of land. The "Dream" claims that personal success can be gained by hard work and personal sacrifice, and George and Lennie are willing to do that.

By the end of the book, Lennie is dead; he never had a chance to fulfil his ambition, to tend the rabbits. And George, knowing Lennie was going to be killed, gave up his own chance at happiness. "I think I knowed we'd never do her. He usta like ...

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