When George sets out the dream, he then says that he and Lennie are �not like those other guys�. The dream sets George and Lennie apart from the others; they make themselves special: in the inclusive �we� against the exclusive �those other guys�. The juxtaposition of �us� and �them� verbally bonds the protagonists together in contrast to the other men � even though they are all, George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy, in the same situation. Still, George and Lennie separate themselves from the others by using the third person to describe farm hands as, �the loneliest guys in the world.� The superlative �loneliest� and hyperbole �in the world� exaggerates the harshness of the world of the Depression as shown in the novel.
Sometimes it seems that George �owns� the dream � as he is the one who tells it to Lennie, like a child�s bedtime story, prayer or mantra, in keeping with his role as �parent/protector� to his child-like companion. This is emphasised by the simple, mantra-like structure, where Lennie keeps filling in the gaps if George hesitates, and repeating short phrases after him as if he knows it by heart, even though � as George says frustratedly, Lennie always �forgets� everything else. It is not always certain if George believes the dream is possible or if he is saying it to keep Lennie quiet. Sometimes, George seems sceptical, saying they will have �every colour rabbits� including �red and blue�. He is patronising to Lennie, saying �good boy�, keeping him safe from his own stupidity. In these scenes the dream seems more of a spell or placebo to keep the main characters safe than something that is really possible.
Other characters are very cynical about the dream. The reader is made to question how realistic these dreams are. Curley�s wife dreams of when she threw away the chance to become famous, but we can see that her dream is a sham. Of George and Lennie�s dream, Crooks says: �every damn one of them�s got a little piece of land in his head�. Crooks� final judgement is that �never a God damn one of �em ever gets it.� The repetition of the absolute �never� and �ever�, as well as the strong slang �God damn� emphasises how desperate life is. However, it is not certain whether Steinbeck shares Crooks� negative view. Crooks is an extreme character. His language is hyperbole � very extreme and relentlessly negative. Crooks� phrase �God damn� suggests that God has abandoned these men, in contrast to the biblical image of hope in George and Lennie�s dream of living �off the fatta the land�. The biblical imagery continues negatively when Crooks compares the dream of land to being �like Heaven� � the Christian idea of perfect bliss, not considered a physical reality � and which Crooks says is just as impossible to get as a piece of land.
It�s hard for George to keep Lennie out of trouble and keep them on track for their dream. But when they tell Candy, it starts to seem as if it might be possible. In an instant, Candy�s faith (and money) take them close to the ideal/dream becoming real. As the dream is shared, or heard by more people, the more it seems that together they might make it come true.
But all the time, Steinbeck has built up a foreboding feeling, that this world is hard and horrible and nothing good can live in it. We feel that the gentleness of Lennie and George�s friendship, and their shared dream, will be crushed by the cruel world � even by Lennie�s desire for gentle, soft things. �I like soft things� Every time he kills an animal � mouse or puppy, Lennie�s biggest, darkest fear is that he won�t be allowed �to tend the rabbits�. The dream is so precious to him that he wants it at any cost.
When Candy discovers what has happened all he wants to know is that he and George can still get the farm. He loses sight of human decency � the woman is dead and Lennie will soon die too. Steinbeck makes us ask whether any dream of financial prosperity should be more important than human life? Should we try to get it at any cost?
At the end, George tells Lennie the �fairy story� of the dream again � to make him happy at the moment he has to kill the dream of togetherness by shooting him in the head. He almost can�t speak because he is so upset. Even though George could still have the farm with Candy, he is deeply sad that he couldn�t keep Lennie alive. Because the dream isn�t worth much when he doesn�t have his old friend to share it with. Lennie loved the dream more than anyone and he never gets it.
