After Candy’s bereavement loss of his dog, he could not help himself but to overhear the conversation between George and Lennie’s dream of owning their own place and to ‘live offa the fatta the lan.’ The fact that Lennie’s childish talk is able to lure and bring back the life into people is shown when he talks about their dream in the open, ‘Tell about that place, George.’ Candy gives early signals of being interested in some part of George and Lennie’s dream ‘Old Candy turned slowly over. His eyes were wide open. He watched George carefully.’ Steinbeck structured this quote very effectively the use dramatic full stops in such short sentences gives the idea of slow movement. This is all captured to show that Candy has been freed from isolation, and has stopped mourning over his dog’s death by following in another dream. Also the use of informal language by Steinbeck draws in the mood of Candy’s sorrow; upsetting, feelings but yet he is still able to dream.
Crooks is the only black man working in the ranch, the one who understands Lennie beside George. Crooks takes him in not because he is white but because of the warmth Lennie sends to people. ‘Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends.’ Crooks looks past Lennie's mental handicap and Lennie looks past Crooks' physical handicap. Neither men judge each other by there skin color even though Crooks is a bit paranoid by the fact that everyone is racist towards black people. We get an early understanding in chapter four of the anger that lurks inside Crooks. When Crooks talks about racism and discrimination Lennie never seems to give a toss. Steinbeck uses a bit of irony especially when Crooks says. ‘The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that. I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that. But I know now.’ This shows when Crooks was a little child he really never took notice of the racism towards black people. Even though Lennie is a grown man he too is still in that same position where Crooks was when he was a child. When Crooks says you are not allowed in his bunk because he is black Lennie changes the subject like he is unsure about something ‘Ever’body went into town.’ Just like the children who came too Crooks fathers’ Chicken ranch, Lennie too has innocently come; this time in Crooks barn.
In the same way Crooks wants to bring justice in his term. Revenge. This is shown when he supposedly tries to scare Lennie. ‘S’pose he (George) don’t come back. What’ll you do then?’ When Crooks tries to bring his personal experience to scare Lennie ‘they’ll take ya to the booby hatch. They’ll tie you up with a collar, like a dog.’ Lennie stands up to this nonsense his language dramatically changes ‘Who hurt George?’ and like a child instead of thinking of himself he thinks of George. Crooks language as well changes from an old manipulative man to a more of a scared fragile crooked man. The reason why Crooks tried to scare Lennie is not the fact that he is white or to the fact he wanted to gain revenge. But the fact he was an isolated old man whom is seriously lonely and needs someone to speak to. The only way in doing so is by drawing someone’s attention.
The first instinct Crooks really gets of Lennie being childish is when he goes onto talk about his and George’s dream of owning a patch of land. Instead of talking about the dream itself he goes directly on to the alfalfa patch for the rabbits. This shows how Lennie thinks; childish but a dream every ranch work wants. There own piece of land. Even though Crooks describes Lennie as ‘you’re nuts.’ Crooks does not manage to get his stubborn old self round the fact that George and Lennie want there own land. Crooks believes that he has seen so many men come and go with the same dream but it never seems to happen, there is no difference in Crooks eyes with George and Lennie.
‘They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of them of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of em ever gets it.’ The word ‘God damn’ is used as figure of speech to show the frustration the fact that ranch workers never seem to get what they dream. The word ‘an’ is used continuously as a connective to link everything together to bring the dramaticness in Crooks eyes.
The arrival of Candy in the stable barn makes Crooks seems as though these ordinary ranch workers may have something to dream of, as it is ‘damn’ no more. The reader gets a first insight of Crooks interest in George and Lennie’s dream. ‘You say you got the money? To ‘I’d come and lend a hand.’ The scene escalates the fact that Crooks does not get an answer because they are interrupted by Curley’s wife makes up the idea of no rights for a colored man. From the arrival of Curley’s wife the trouble starts and when Crooks stands up for himself he is sent one or two steps down. The atrocious language used by Curley’s wife towards Crooks does not replicate Candy’s response when he stands up to Curley’s wife. Instead Candy’s wife lets him off with ease by saying ‘baloney…I know you guys,’ however a colored man cannot speak to a white lady with disrespect. From ‘baloney’ Curley’s wife language changes horrifically to ‘listen, nigger…I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.’ For a moment Lennie and Candy managed to get Crooks interested, but the fact is ‘A colored man got to have some rights even if he don’t like ’em,’ stated by Crooks. The moment Crooks came to sense, he realized there are people like Curleys wife who can ruin everything he wants in a split second. There was a nice moment in which Crooks was happy, the fact that him being black had nothing to do with it as he was able to be in a civilized conversation. Most readers may think Crooks was better off not knowing the dream then knowing a dream but not being able to get the dream. This is shown when he looked out of the door for a moment, ‘a glance as the three men walked out of the door.’ The disappointment brings back the suffering in Crooks life, as he goes back to rubbing the liniment on his back. The dream made Crooks into another person; he never used to desire friendship but when it came to him he left his guards down, and at the end he was back to where he was before. Lonely.
In Of Mice and Men we know loneliness is affected in individuals mostly, but in some sense loneliness is also found within two sets of close people; prime example Curley and his wife. The fact that Steinbeck did not give Curley’s wife a name in the novel shows she is not her own person, as she is indicated as a possession rather than a human being. Curleys and his wife’s influence of having different dreams in someway have separated the two couples. This is not like George and Lennie because they have things in common like sharing the same dream; it makes them much closer as friends. But this is not the case with Curley and his wife. Curley’s dream of becoming a boxer is no reality as well as his wife’s dream of being an actor. There is a difference between having and to like. Curley and his wife would like to have their dream, but to be realistic it is not going to happen. This influences their behavior in the novel and the way they act. Curley wanting to be a boxer acts tough, big and strong for ‘a thin young man’. This is shown when he picks a fight with Lennie. ‘He slashed at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with his right… the next minute Curley was flopping like fish on a line.’ This shows Curley is a nasty piece of work and likes to look for fights for fun, Lennie ends Curleys dream of being a boxer before he managed to get started. Curley’s momentum goes down as he cant say he wants to be a boxer or else he would laughed at by the rest off the ranch workers. Curley’s wife knowing she can’t be an actor, so instead, she behaves and dresses like an actor, hoping someone will offer her a job as an actress. ‘She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her finger nails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules.’ The rest of the ranch workers describe her as a ‘looloo’, ‘rat-trap’, ‘tart’, ‘jail boat’ and a ‘tramp.’ This shows because Curley and his wife can’t become what they want, they try and fit it in their lifestyle and try and bring in their personality.
Curley wife is lonelier then Curley is because she has no female accompanies to speak to. Even though Curley is disliked by the ranch workers, he is surrounded by men and he also has his father to speak to as well as his wife. Curley’s wife is desperate to speak to someone she tries to flirt or start a conversation by saying ‘have you seen Curley?’ Her desperation of being lonely leads her to speaking to Lennie, who is not capable to have a full conversation. ‘Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody.’ Curley’s wife opens up to Lennie, because she does not usually speak to anyone apart from Curley she gets emotional. Her idea to blame others for the acting career that she would have had is pointless. Lennie like his usual self always diverts the conversation, by either talking about the rabbits or the little land in which him and George are going own. Just like what Crooks said ‘you’re nuts’ it is also said by Curley’s wife towards Lennie. There is a bit of humor created as Lennie’s dream is more achievable and acceptable than the one Curley’s wife’s dreams of. Lennie who likes to feel soft things is provoked into stroking Curley’s wife’s hair. A dream for all or actors or wannabe actors, to leave the stage with a fuss is not gone ignored; probably the only dream Curley’s wife is going to get. From ‘feel right aroun’ there an’ see how soft it is’ leads to the death of Curley’s wife, murder, a true way for any actor to leave the stage. Curley’s wife who is affected by loneliness is truly the downfall of George and Lennie’s dream. The pleasure she gets in ruining other peoples dream, because she could not get her dream is done once again, to Crooks and now George and Lennie.
The only person in the novel who has such power and respect was the boss, the same to can be said with Slim. Even though he is a mysterious person everyone respects him, it is shown dozens of times through out the novel. An early reference of Slims power is established to George from the boss of the ranch. ‘Go out with Slim’s team’ the fact that the team is called after Slim shows his authority. Not only is he just respected by the boss he is published as Mr. Slim from Crooks. ‘I can do whatever you want Mr Slim.’ Slim uses his authority wisely at times he has got George and Lennie out of trouble. In some sense I do not think Slim is lonely because he has lots of friends at the ranch, but at some stage he may think of the people he loves. We do not get any history of Slim’s early life and why he is at the ranch, for we know he just ended up at the ranch like any other person. He as many were surprised by the fact that George and Lennie travel together ‘Ain’t many guys travel round together… I don’t know why. Maybe ever’ body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.’ Slim does not give a legitimist reason why guys don’t travel round together. In someway he leaves his answer open mindedly, and does not dismiss the idea of traveling with another companion.
The ending of the novel shows the inferior power Slim has over the rest of the ranch workers, including the boss’s son Curley. Whilst Curley is ready to avenge his wife’s death by killing Lennie, George kills Lennie before Curley gets to him; so Lennie avoids the torture from Curley. This ordeal for anybody would be petrifying but Slim held his head up and said ‘Come on, George. Me an’ you’ll go in an’ get a drink.’ Even though some questions were raised by Carlson how Lennie died, but because Slim said so, the questions were dropped there and there, nothing more to say. The whole time the friendship between George and Lennie, George had to care for Lennie. Now it is time George is cared by someone else. Slim. The idea of getting a drink symbolizes a new to beginning to a new friendship, but Steinbeck left the story open endingly, so anything can happen.
‘Someday-we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna
Have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs…
An have rabbits. We’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch
And chickens. And when it rains in the winter… we make a fire in
The stove and set around it- Nuts.’
The nature of the dream shapes the novel and in some ways the ending to, the dream leads to positive beliefs. George creates the dream to motivate Lennie in keeping the ranch job, but for Lennie it is different it is a must have. George knows reality when it comes and he knows the dream is idealism. The inclusion of Candy makes the dream from idealism into a reality. The dream shapes Candy’s life as he thought like the dog he is gonna get the can. In both cases it gives the three men hope in their work and life’s. As well as George and Lennie sharing the dream the dream centers the story it causes the problems, the misery for Crooks and most importantly the death of Curley’s wife. George thinking that he can avoid problems whilst with Lennie was a big ask. Even if they did succeed and they got their dream, how long would it have been before Lennie gets himself in trouble again? They would not be able to run, because they own the house and the land. George killing Lennie must have been a tantrum rising and upsetting experience. The death of Lennie bought the death (end) of the dream, perhaps if George included someone like Slim In the dream maybe then he could have put in the money they needed; and there would have been no need of waiting. Steinbeck main target was to show that America is not always the land of opportunities, nor the land of democracy in the 1930’s. People do not always get what they dream of, not having the facilities to kick of a dream was a problem shown with Curley and his wife.
The educational version Of Mice and Men helped to structure the novel into six sections. Chapter one reflects on friendship and being able to go through life knowing someone is beside you gives you a great lift. Chapter two accouters the problem of trusting people around you, especially when people are new to you. ‘Dream’ was the central part of chapter three, and if it is achievable it is like a safety net; something for you to hold onto. ‘Discrimination’ and ‘racism’ was the headline bought up in chapter four during the 1930’s depression of America. Chapter five brings up the idea of loneliness resulting into bad actions. Finally chapter six is about forgiveness and the staring a new slate. Overall the book is well structured and the idea of a ‘dream’ brings the novel together.
