“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” - John Steinbeck. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a story that follows George, an intelligent worker, and Lennie, who is strong and mentally challenged. The two men work at a farm in Soledad, California. The men both share the same “American Dream,” owning a rabbit farm. Although they share the same dream, they have different reasons for wanting it. The character’s versions of their “American Dream” of living on the farm demonstrate the character values of Crooks, George, and Candy.
The reason that George wants the farm reveal that he wants to be his own boss. A phrase that is often repeated throughout the story is, “An live off …show more content…
He is a hard worker who is crippled, kicked in the back by a horse. Crooks and his room are described as, “Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn” (Steinbeck 67). Imagine living in a barn and having to live in room where horses’ gear is stored, and farm animals sleep; that is no place to live. Crooks wants a room in a house, not a smelly shack where manure is piled up against his window. Crooks wants the farm because it is very important to him that he was a room of his own in a house, and not in a barn. The reader is introduced to this knowledge when the room was described as “...swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man” (Steinbeck 2). The reader is shown that Crooks is not just a stable buck, he is a man. A man with self-respect and a brain. He picks up after himself and deserves to be treated equal to everyone else. Crooks saw the opportunity of living on the farm with George, Lennie, and Candy as a chance to obtain his dream. Crook’s version of the “American Dream” is to live in a house, and not be forced to live alongside farm …show more content…
Candy is an older man who is a worker nearing his time to retire. He expresses these concerns to George by saying, “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county” (Steinbeck 60). Candy knows that once he reaches the age where he is no longer able to work, he will be fired and forced to be on his own, struggling for a place to stay. The tough and competitive field of work they are in are no place for an older man like Candy, the dream of the ranch reflects the nice characteristics he has. Candy is afraid of what will happen after he will not be able to work anymore, “When they can me here here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs” (Stenbeck 60). Candy compared himself to his old dog that he had to put down because of his old age. They are alike because they were aging and getting to the point where they needed to start settling down; to begin the final years of their lives. Candy has nowhere to go, he would have to spend his remaining time on the street, lonely and sad. Candy’s dream is to peacefully retire and have a place to be for the rest of his life, the ranch is a dream come true for him. Candy’s version of the “American Dream” is having a place to live peacefully and undisturbed for the rest of his
The reason that George wants the farm reveal that he wants to be his own boss. A phrase that is often repeated throughout the story is, “An live off …show more content…
He is a hard worker who is crippled, kicked in the back by a horse. Crooks and his room are described as, “Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn” (Steinbeck 67). Imagine living in a barn and having to live in room where horses’ gear is stored, and farm animals sleep; that is no place to live. Crooks wants a room in a house, not a smelly shack where manure is piled up against his window. Crooks wants the farm because it is very important to him that he was a room of his own in a house, and not in a barn. The reader is introduced to this knowledge when the room was described as “...swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man” (Steinbeck 2). The reader is shown that Crooks is not just a stable buck, he is a man. A man with self-respect and a brain. He picks up after himself and deserves to be treated equal to everyone else. Crooks saw the opportunity of living on the farm with George, Lennie, and Candy as a chance to obtain his dream. Crook’s version of the “American Dream” is to live in a house, and not be forced to live alongside farm …show more content…
Candy is an older man who is a worker nearing his time to retire. He expresses these concerns to George by saying, “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county” (Steinbeck 60). Candy knows that once he reaches the age where he is no longer able to work, he will be fired and forced to be on his own, struggling for a place to stay. The tough and competitive field of work they are in are no place for an older man like Candy, the dream of the ranch reflects the nice characteristics he has. Candy is afraid of what will happen after he will not be able to work anymore, “When they can me here here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs” (Stenbeck 60). Candy compared himself to his old dog that he had to put down because of his old age. They are alike because they were aging and getting to the point where they needed to start settling down; to begin the final years of their lives. Candy has nowhere to go, he would have to spend his remaining time on the street, lonely and sad. Candy’s dream is to peacefully retire and have a place to be for the rest of his life, the ranch is a dream come true for him. Candy’s version of the “American Dream” is having a place to live peacefully and undisturbed for the rest of his