Poverty, intellectual disadvantages, and society render characters in both texts powerless which prevents them from fulfilling a dream or self-development. In the novel Of Mice and Men and film Slumdog Millionaire, the characters were powerless financially, due to poverty, which was an obstacle in Lennie and George 's dream/development in Of Mice and Men as well as Jamal 's in Slumdog Millionaire. In Of Mice and Men, the characters were subjected to poverty due to the Great Depression in America beginning in the 1930 's, thus relinquishing any form of financial amelioration. The ranch hands are all victims of circumstances and the possibility of economic growth was diminutive due to poverty. Particularly Lennie and George, however, they still share a dream to buy their own ranch together and "live off the fatta the lan '," (Steinbeck, p. 56). Just having your own place to live would be called a dream during the Great Depression, which illustrates how bad the times were. In chapter 3, Candy joins the dream, and together, the three men begin visualizing their plan to fulfill it. "They …show more content…
In Of Mice and Men, Crooks was the only black man living on the ranch or even referred to, in the novel. He is a prominent example which illustrates the powerlessness and victimization of a particular group in society- in regards to African-Americans. Blacks were seen as inadequate in the eyes of society and were shoved aside as if being black was a sin. This type of mentality was well-around during the Great Depression, which makes their conditions in poverty even worse- having to deal with financial issues, and on-top-of-that, racial prejudice. "They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black" (Steinbeck, p.75). Crooks was excluded from various activities like playing cards, meanwhile the other white men play which again shows how isolated Crooks is. To make matters worse, Crooks could not do anything about it. Every time he tried to harvest up even the tiniest bit of courage and power, someone would turn his microphone off, for instance Curley 's wife."Listen, N*gger," she said. "You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?" (Steinbeck, p.___). This quote alone embodies the power and authority a white person had against a black 's, which is quite terrifying since she could make up anything she wanted to against Crooks, but no one would believe him. The unfortunate thing, is that Candy 's wife and Crooks are two of a kind, both