Lennie on the other hand is not that interested in owning the land, he, in his simple, childlike way is more enthusiastic about the rabbits and how he will get to care for them, he is often asking ‘tell how I get to tend the rabbits’. This indicates to the reader that despite the appearance of Lennie, he is a very caring person who, just like a child, is fascinated by animals and loves to care for them, it also emphases the impression of Lennie’s innocence.
Curley’s Wife is a pretty young girl who is never really recognised in the book as an individual, she is always referred to as ‘Curley’s Wife’, as if she is a possession of Curley’s rather than a person in her own right and this point is emphasised by her name never being used. This is a subtle way of conveying the fact that she doesn’t really fit in, she is not given much respect and the ranch hands don’t particularly like her that much. This is probably one of the reasons why she clings to her dream. She dreams of a better, more fulfilling life, of what she could have become, of being a movie star, of being famous and having nice clothes. This dream is a result of glossy magazines and films. Many girls dream of being a glamorous film star but for Curley’s wife it is more of a past hope and ambition. She believes that she ‘coulda been in the movies’ and might still, if it hadn’t been for her ‘ol’ lady’. She recalls that when she was a ‘kid’ an actor had told her that she could join his show, the actor probably didn’t mean it seriously but said it in the assurity that her mother would never let her go, but Curley’s wife didn’t realise this. Also at a dance a ‘guy’ tells her that he is in the movie business and would put her in his movies. This is an easy promise to make and the ‘guy’ probably had no intention of keeping to it but Curley’s Wife doesn’t realise this and takes him seriously. Her dream reflects that she is very vain and she wants to be admired and in the spotlight. She is desperate for some one to pay her some attention and this is highlighted by the fact that it is to Lennie that she reveals her dream, to someone who does not have the faintest idea what she is talking about and is not in the least bit interested but this doesn’t deter her as she is desperate to tell someone about herself.
Candy does not have a dream until Lennie and George decide to share their dream with him, but in their dream he finds renewed hope, comfort, strength and self-respect. He is instantly revived and very enthusiastic about it and although he admits that he would be of very little physical help, he would provide the necessary financial support to start the dream becoming reality. When George is describing the farm, it seems so idyllic and the situation so opportune that it comes as a shook to the reader when they realise that it can become reality, this is an important part in the book as it marks the point when the barrier between the dream and the reality is broken and these two situations merge.
Crooks is the only person to have a cynical approach to dreams, this is probably due to him being black and therefore being the victim of the ruthless violence and prejudice which forces him to withdraw himself from society, causing his personality to be suppressed. Crooks yearns for acceptance and companionship and has known happier times growing up on a smallholding owned by his father, these two reasons explain why he is caught up in Lennie and Candy’s description of their dream. He can understand why people search for happiness, and he has some meaningful theories on the ‘American Dream’. He compares human hopes to religious beliefs and believes that the want of land is reflecting the search for heaven although his views are still cynical. Crook’s belief that they are close to achieving their goal gives both the character and reader hope because if someone so cynical can really believe they can do it then it seems there is no question that they could fail.
Crook’s cynical approach to dreams is due to his experience and observations, he has seen many men come and go, all searching for land as the statement ‘I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land’ shows but ‘ I never seen a guy really do it’ shows the basis for Crook’s negative attitude. George and Lennie and Candy, have a positive attitude towards dreams as they have yet to encounter failure although George probably does not take his dream seriously to begin with but gradually through repeating it to Lennie and introducing it to Candy it seems realistic.
Dreams feature heavily in ‘'Of Mice and Men', they form part of the plot in that the reason that George and Lennie remain at the ranch is to earn money to enable them to buy their own smallholding, it is this motive that keeps them going. Through their dream they are introduced to different characters for instance Candy and Crooks. The dream of Curley’s wife is also included in the plot, it is this that she talks to Lennie about, perhaps using it as an excuse to talk to someone, to get some attention and it is this that eventually leads to her death. One of the most important things that the dreams do, in particular that of Lennie and George, is give an escape from the real world, through dreams the characters are given a break from the cruel milieu that the story is set in. They give hope that things will get better and as the dreams grow stronger so does the hope and so the ending is an even more severe blow as the characters and reader realise that all hope is gone.
Lennie and Georges dream grows slowly stronger throughout the play despite the cynical world around, in the beginning George does not take it seriously but through Lennie’s determination and enthusiasm George believes in it and realises that they could make it work, so it is Lennie who perseveres to make the dream near reality and in so gives hope not only to himself but to all who know about it. When Lennie dies this hope is destroyed as George no longer has the belief or the motivation which Lennie provided. This gives us insight into the real nature of their relationship, it shows us that Lennie had been right when at the beginning of the book he said ‘Because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you’, their relationship had been two way, George does benefit from Lennie’s companionship Dreams allow the reader deeper insight into the characters as I have mentioned throughout this essay. One of the most noticeable things that highlights this point is that one of the first things that happens in this play which allows us to discover what Lennie and George are really like is when they discuss the dream in the 1st chapter.
The most important message that comes over to the reader in the book is that of companionship, Lennie, George’s and Candy’s dream is based on it, Crooks craves it and Curley’s wife does to although perhaps a slightly different kind; Companionship is the one thing that everyone has in common.
Word Count: 1254
