The value of friendships is a central concept within both texts. Of Mice and Men highlights the value of friendships through the main characters of the novel: George and Lennie, as well as the usage of context. Of Mice and Men is set in the Great Depression in the 1930’s, a time of hardship and struggle, where many people lost their jobs and houses, sending the United States in a complete state of despair. Steinbeck has utilised the context to emphasise the value of friendships. In this novella, it is made clear that George and Lennie are the only things holding each other together through this difficult time "But not us! An’ why? Because… because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why." Here, Lennie has made it clear that George and he are pushing each other through this difficult time. Steinbeck also uses Curley’s wife to further emphasise this point. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch and is treated with contempt throughout the course of the novel and suffers mentally due to a lack of friendships. She highlights this when she says "I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely." The American Dream suggests the idea of prosperity would theoretically generate happiness however Steinbeck has shown that friendships are value for humans to survive.
The rejection of conventional friendships and family is an interesting contrast in American Beauty. While the Depression has bonded George and Lennie, the contrasting economic boom of late 1980’s America has driven Lester, the protagonist, rom a sense of connection with other people into a desire for perfect isolation. In the beginning of the film, seems to have the perfect life, until he claims to be dead within a year. Once the audience takes a closer look into Lester’s home, through his red door that symbolises hidden truths behind the facade of everyday life, his ‘perfect life’ is actually one filled with misery as he claims to be “dead already”. He has no respect from his colleges, wife or even his daughter who wishes she had a father “…who’s a role model. Not some horny geek boy...” The visual technique of colour helped to influence audiences’ opinions’ of characters and events by alerting them on how to feel and what to expect. One of the first scenes, Lester is shot looking out the window of his house at his wife, and the blinds on the window represent jail cell bars. Even the blocks of text on his computer screen at work represent jail cell bars. Lester is “in jail” because his life at this point is so empty and missing substance. This scene is metaphoric in the way it is shot, in which the frame symbolizes a higher, deeper meaning of Lester’s isolation. Friendship is also demonstrated when Carolyn cries and grabs Lester’s clothes after she finds him dead. Even after such a terrible marriage, she realizes how much worse life will be without him. The director of the film emphasizes the lack of important human values, companionship and accountability were the very cause of Lester’s death. Lester appears to have a great job, big house, a loving family, however in reality if the audience just “look closer”, can see that his life is filled with misery. In contrast to the American Dream, which claims that all people can succeed and live happy, successful lives.
The importance of dreams is another key concept highlighted in both texts. In Of Mice and Men, what motivates George and Lennie is the possibility of having their own ranch, of being self-sufficient and simply surviving the difficult times. George and Lennie are battling their way through the Great Depression. George and Lennie both aspire to simply live “off the fatta the lan’, an’ have rabbits.” This dream of theirs constantly motivates the pair to strive to work their best, to make enough money and have their own farm. Their perfect world is one of independence. Workers like Lennie and George have no family, no home, and very little control over their lives. They have to do what the boss tells them and they have little to show for it. They only own what they can carry. Curley's wife has a dream that although different in detail from the other's dreams, is still very similar in its general desires. She wants companionship so much that she will try to talk to people who don't want to talk to her, like all the men on the ranch, “… but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley”. Unsatisfied by her surly husband, she constantly lurks around the barn, trying to engage the workers in conversation. The second part of her dream parallels the men's desire for their own land. She wanted to be an actress in Hollywood. She imagines how great it would be to stay in nice hotels, own lots of beautiful clothes, and have people want to take her photograph “Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes..”. Both attention and financial security would have been hers. Like the men she desires friendship, and also material comforts, though the specifics of her dream differ from theirs. Steinbeck has shown that these dreams have constantly motivated these characters to persist through their difficult situation, which implies dreams are important human values.
Lester dreams of perfect isolation, a world without the corruption and materialism associated with human behaviour. Mendes influences the audiences to feel Lester’s sense of utterly erotic lust for Angela and builds the pathway leading the climatic event of almost succeeding at the end. The first dream sequence is at Janie’s cheerleading event. He watches her and her friends performing their cheer dance but once he spots Angela dancing, the dream sequence begins. Everyone else in the room fades out, as does any ambient noise and the only sound to be heard is a hypnotic, rhythmic symbol beating as Angela’s dance becomes more erotic, with very slow, sensual movements. The camera zooms in on different parts of her body as she moves, highlighting her movements to show audiences his attraction to everything about her. Then the camera show’s Lester’s face, which seems to completely in awe of her beauty. When she reaches to undo her shirt, the seduction, lust symbolising rose petals appear, covering her nakedness. The more unhappy the characters in the film, the more we can see they cover reality with an illusion. Carolyn believes that the most important thing in life is success, and appearing successful, in which the American Dream suggests. She attempts to be happy through her career as a real estate agent. In a scene in which she cannot sell a house, she abuses herself mentally and physically she cries, screams, and slaps herself in the face. All day she had cleaned the house and repeated maniacally to herself, "I will sell this house today."
Lester’s wife is extremely materialistic and frustrated with her husband. In one scene where the two are not yelling or nagging at each other, but as the camera focuses onto the beer which Lester was holding, Carolyn tells Lester that he’s going to spill beer on her precious $4,000 couch which he considers as ‘stuff’. Both texts have made it clear that their respective dreams are what motivate the characters to survive and the belief that reaching that dream since it will lead to their individual freedom or disaster.
