However, despite George’s frustrations, he remains hopeful. Many times throughout the novel, he tells the story about the farm where they will live. His dreams become momentarily possible when Candy offers to put up the money to buy the farm. “This thing they believed in was coming true…” (60). This built up hope only makes the ending truth more devastating. However, these hopes are only what they are: hopes. False hopes that render despair and misery. When George hears of what Lennie did to Curley’s wife, he knows he can no longer protect Lennie. However, George’s feeling of responsibility lingers. He recalls the situation of Candy and his dog and when Candy admitted, “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t oughtta of let
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The ashes are introduced earlier in the book as the location of many campfires made by the men who came down from the ranch (2).The gun that George throws, lands near the ashes created by the same men who would’ve killed Lennie, had they had the opportunity. By detailing the previously mentioned ashes, Steinbeck adds to his full-circle ending. The ashes were in the beginning of the story and at the end: they remained in the forest, and they will remain there regardless of events that take place outside of the woods. The metaphorical fire of ranch house results in the destruction of Lennie. Ashes only appear after a fire and the fires of societal disenfranchisement will burn continually. The ashes symbolize death: the simultaneous death of Lennie, George’s dreams, and of the ambitions of all preceding and subsequent impoverished dreamers. George’s dream of living on a farm is no longer plausible since Lennie will not be there with him. However, since George is poor, the odds were already stacked against him; therefore, his dream had no chance of succeeding in the first place. If George did not need money, they would not have needed to work on the ranch. If they did not go to the ranch, Lennie would not have been in trouble and ultimately, George would not have needed to kill
The ashes are introduced earlier in the book as the location of many campfires made by the men who came down from the ranch (2).The gun that George throws, lands near the ashes created by the same men who would’ve killed Lennie, had they had the opportunity. By detailing the previously mentioned ashes, Steinbeck adds to his full-circle ending. The ashes were in the beginning of the story and at the end: they remained in the forest, and they will remain there regardless of events that take place outside of the woods. The metaphorical fire of ranch house results in the destruction of Lennie. Ashes only appear after a fire and the fires of societal disenfranchisement will burn continually. The ashes symbolize death: the simultaneous death of Lennie, George’s dreams, and of the ambitions of all preceding and subsequent impoverished dreamers. George’s dream of living on a farm is no longer plausible since Lennie will not be there with him. However, since George is poor, the odds were already stacked against him; therefore, his dream had no chance of succeeding in the first place. If George did not need money, they would not have needed to work on the ranch. If they did not go to the ranch, Lennie would not have been in trouble and ultimately, George would not have needed to kill