Throughout the early 1930’s, Steinbeck’s characters were in search of a better life. They believed that they would achieve freedom from their nomadic lifestyles in America. Unfortunately, after the Wall Street crash of 1929 many of them lost their dream once the Great Depression began. To make matters worse, the increased farming activity and the 7 year drought, which began in 1931, created the Dust Bowl in the Great Plain States. During this time, many people traveled to California in search of jobs and an easier life. George and Lennie, one of the many migrant workers, had a dream of one day owning their own property, but with a turn of events they lose their chance at this dream and end up alone and devastated. Nevertheless, George and
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He reveals this theme of friendship through his characters Curley, Crooks, George and Lennie. During these times of stress, characters such as Curley and Crooks turned to selfishness and isolation which resulted in them having miserable and lonely lives. George and Lennie, however, fought against this and ended up as winners because in a world full of isolation, they had someone to care for and someone who cared for them. This theme refers back to the origin of the novel’s title, which was derived from a poem by Robert Burns titled “To a Mouse” . In his poem, he writes
“The best laid schemes of mice and men
Often go awry
And leave us nought but grief and pain
For promised joy!”
The theme of this poem is that no matter how well we plan, unexpected obstacles will interrupt our hopes and dreams which relates to Steinbeck’s theme of broken dreams. After George takes the life of his own best friend to insure he would die happily instead of suffering at the hands of Curley, he loses his chance at his dream. This makes George’s intentions at the end of the book more admirable because he does not continue on with the dream without George. His actions reveal that the dream does not have importance without Lennie and that the real dream is in fact the dream of
He reveals this theme of friendship through his characters Curley, Crooks, George and Lennie. During these times of stress, characters such as Curley and Crooks turned to selfishness and isolation which resulted in them having miserable and lonely lives. George and Lennie, however, fought against this and ended up as winners because in a world full of isolation, they had someone to care for and someone who cared for them. This theme refers back to the origin of the novel’s title, which was derived from a poem by Robert Burns titled “To a Mouse” . In his poem, he writes
“The best laid schemes of mice and men
Often go awry
And leave us nought but grief and pain
For promised joy!”
The theme of this poem is that no matter how well we plan, unexpected obstacles will interrupt our hopes and dreams which relates to Steinbeck’s theme of broken dreams. After George takes the life of his own best friend to insure he would die happily instead of suffering at the hands of Curley, he loses his chance at his dream. This makes George’s intentions at the end of the book more admirable because he does not continue on with the dream without George. His actions reveal that the dream does not have importance without Lennie and that the real dream is in fact the dream of