Essay On The American Dream In Of Mice And Men

Improved Essays
In 1931, James Truslow Adams published the book, The Epic of American. In the book, Adams coins the term “American Dream”, stating “[it] is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” In the novel Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, early conceptions of the “American Dream” are present in various characters. Astoundingly, the “American Dream” is different for all of the characters, but the reasoning for their aspirations is the same: the betterment of their lives. The three most notable examples of characters picturing their “American Dream” are Candy, Lennie, and Crooks. In Of Mice and Men, Candy forms his dream during the …show more content…
To begin, Lennie is a puzzling character. He has the strength and body of a giant, but the mindset of a child. Because of this, Lennie gets into trouble countless times, even though his intentions are benign. Anyway, Lennie’s “American Dream” is buying a house to his and George Milton’s (Lennie’s caretaker) own. The pivotal reason for this dream is Lennie’s wish of taking care of rabbits, which is part of his child-like tendencies. This is the most fundamental version of the “American Dream”, as most individuals hoped for land of their own, as it revealed their hard work was rewarded with a spacious and luxurious …show more content…
In the text, Crooks does not have much of a role. However, in chapter four, the attention is focused solely on Crooks. Although Lennie does not do well in interpreting Crooks’s words, the reader has an opportunity to understand Crooks’s suffering. Crooks explains that as a slave, he has no chance of human interaction. Now, he does interact with the men on the ranch, but that is only because they order him to do tasks, such as playing horseshoes. However, he does not get to socialize with anybody on the ranch, which makes him unwillingly reclusive. So, for the betterment of his life, he dreams of having a person to talk to. It may seem like a simple dream, but it is a crucial detail that highlights the mental strain slavery had in the past. The “American Dream” plays a part in Crooks’s dream because he is essentially aspiring for a time where everyone, black and white, can associate with one another. Fortunately, today’s world, although not it is not perfect, allows anyone to have the opportunity to live their live freely without race being a deciding

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Lennie Small Archetypes

    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lennie Small: American Dreamer Lennie Small, who was one of the main characters from the novel, Of Mice and Men, is a perfect example of the American Dreamer archetype. The American Dreamer archetype is someone who is a frequent dreamer and spends a lot of his/her life working towards reaching the goal that they dream about. Why is Lennie Smalls someone who fits the American Dreamer archetype? He spends his life working for farm owners to earn money so that he can get a farm of his own and work for himself. I believe it is an interesting topic to study because Lennie is a special case.…

    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Throughout the United States, people, different as they may be, have one goal and desire that is the same. For lots of those people, that goal is just to get around the challenges that one day brings upon them. For many, they will do whatever it takes to provide financially for themselves and or their family, in an attempt to build supportable and desirable lives. This concept is known as the American Dream. In Barbara Ehrenreich’s, Nickled and Dimed and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the American Dream is an ever lasting concept that is perceived differently by both of the book’s main characters.…

    • 1772 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Joey Kragness Mrs. Bovee English 10 25 October 2014 Comparison Paper The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry both explore the goals and struggles of achieving The American Dream. Both writings express overall themes and how different characters are affected by their dreams, and both challenge readers to new ideas and understandings. John Steinbeck’s idea of the American dream is very similar to the American dream today. His idea of the American dream is to own your own place, be in charge of yourself, and have extra money to use on yourself.…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Analysis: Of Mice And Men

    • 1969 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Crooks is speaking of his experiences with the people all coming with an American Dream: “I seen…

    • 1969 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The American Dream “To me, the American Dream is being able to follow your own personal calling. To be able to do what you want to do is incredible freedom.” This quote was said by Maya Lin. I think it relates to both Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller in many ways. The American Dream is the hope that every person should have an opportunity to become successful by hardwork and dedication.…

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The influence of George and Lennie's commitment to their dream made Slim, Candy, and Crooks, men who worked at the ranch also thought it would one day be all possible. It is the natural reaction for all men to dream. Some may have goals in which are easy to accomplish, and others may have life long ambitions. American people are hopeful and waiting for something great. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck paints a portrait of characters who, longing for something outside of their dull lives, each have a dream in which doesn’t occur which supports Steinbeck's interpretation that the American dream is a lost…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”, and Sam Mendes’ “American Beauty”, explore the fallacious and impossible nature of the ‘American dream’. The American dream encapsulates the ‘inalienable right to happiness’ in the American constitution, the individual right to dictate one’s own destiny and reap the rewards of hard work. Through comparative analysis of Steinbeck’s satire of the attainment of the dream as unrealistic, with themes of apathy and materiality, and Mendes’ subverted parody of suburban utopia as superficial consumerism the audience gain insight into the true nature of the American dream as either unattainable, intrinsically materialistic, and ultimately not the source of true happiness. Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a 1937…

    • 1311 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the beginning of the novel, George and Lennie constantly talk about this amazing and exciting “American Dream” they wish to pursue, which makes the beginning of the book full of excitement. George and Lennie’s dream is for them to finally be successful in life. They have been traveling from job to job and between the both of them, they only have ten dollars. They hope this “dream” of theirs can turn into a reality. During the story, George and Lennie discuss what will consist in their “dream”.…

    • 1464 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    America is known as the country full and abundant of opportunity and freedom, where anybody can come and have a fair chance at achieving the desired goal commonly referred to as “The American Dream.” James Truslow Adams describes The American Dream as a “Dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” Certain people however, more easily achieve this Dream over others even though America prides itself on being the land of “freedom” and “equality.” The truth about how American society is as diverse and wonderful as many others see it is false. According to the United States census Bureau, people of color are twice as likely to be poor compared to…

    • 1187 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Crooks Dream Essay

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Candy joins in on Lennie and George's idea of buying land, and almost becomes a reality when Candy offers almost all of the money needed for the plot of land. Crooks dream is to be a part of something, but he doesn't believe the dream will ever come true because of…

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Shown in the characterisation throughout the story, racism is displayed through the stable buck, Crooks. Crooks is segregated due to his skin colour, which makes him feel dejected since he is not welcome anywhere near the other men on the ranch. The result of the way the white people have treated him, has led Crooks to feel hostile and defensive towards them. For instance, when Lennie wanted to come into the barn where Crooks ' room was, Crooks was not very comfortable and welcoming with Lennie being around and told him how "They play cards in there, but I can 't play because I am black. "(page 77).…

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novella, Of Mice and Men, it goes on about a dream of having the “American Dream” for Lennie and George, and how they are going have their own farm with animals, “‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’,’ Lennie shouted. ‘An’ have rabbits,’” (Steinbeck 7). With this dream that they have, they always had hope, especially Lennie. This hope that he had for this dream made him work towards it everyday so he could get to pet the rabbits and live the “American Dream”.…

    • 1043 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ever thought about what it would be like to have a dream and because of the way people look at you and the time period that you're in, you wouldn’t be able to reach that goal? Well in the story Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, the characters Lennie Small and George have an “American Dream” which they both want to go to the same place but for different reasons. The topics of why Lennie, and George want to go to this place will be analysed in the following.…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This event had a large impact on people’s ability to keep or get a job, and made it almost impossible to achieve a dream during this time. It is clear that Steinbeck believes the “American Dream” is not attainable based on characters like George, Lennie, Crooks, and Curley’s wife whose dreams in life are all left…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Of Mice and Men, each character has their own American Dream and the desire to fulfill it. However, the novel depicts the notion of an American Dream as something unattainable. The story takes place during the Great Depression and shows the life of two middle aged men, what their individual American Dreams are, and how they were unsuccessful at attaining them. Of Mice and Men depicts the harsh reality of life during the Great Depression and how it affected people’s dreams and aspirations. In Of Mice and Men, George, Lennie, and Curley’s wife were individuals who suffered during the time of the Great Depression, yet persisted on their American Dream, that unfortunately was unattainable.…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays