According to Google the American Dream is “the ideal that every US citizen should have equal opportunities through hard work, determination and initiative” Steinbeck 's classic novel Of Mice and Men captures the vision of the American Dream and how it’s nearly impossible. Published in 1937 during the Great Depression, John writes about two poor migrant workers and their hopes of building their dreams. They believe all they need is each other, which in the end turns out not being necessary.
The main characters in the book, George Milton and Lennie Small are dressed as the average laborer, “Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung …show more content…
Nearly every character in the book had a dream. The protagonists of the story had a dream to own land and perhaps even have other people work for them. Lennie wanted to have many animals, especially rabbits that he could tend to. George wanted a windmill and pigeons to fly around them like they did when he was a kid. Candy, a handyman on the ranch that lost his hand and has concerns about his position, wishes to pitch in and own land with George and Lennie. This was the first time they had real hope, their dreams could finally become a reality. Even Crooks, a poorly treated black man that gets his name from his crooked back, expresses his dreams of having a patch of garden he can hoe on Lennie and George 's land, “‘… If you … guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I 'd come an ' lend a hand. I ain 't so crippled I can 't work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to’"(Steinbeck 75). Curly’s wife mentioned how she could have been a movie star. She had the aspirations of making it to Hollywood and wear expensive dresses and jewelry. Curley 's dream wasn’t clear, but the context clues made it seem like all he wanted was a pretty wife, and that’s what he got, he spent most of the time looking for her and rumor has it he kept his glove full of vaseline to make his hand soft when he touched her. Every migrant worker at the time had the dream of owning their own “fatta the lan’” Slim was the …show more content…
Curly 's dream of having a beautiful wife was taken away after Lennie accidentally strangles her, he’s filled with revenge and intention of killing Small. Lennie not only ruins Curley’s dreams, but everyone else’s. The author of the book doesn’t explain what happens next, but the way it ended leaves us to believe George went on and did what he told Lennie he would do if he weren’t there. It’s controversial on why George killed Lennie. Was it for himself or was it for Lennie? Did he kill Lennie so he could take his money or did George kill Lennie so he would die peacefully? Before Lennie died, he had hallucinations of his Aunt Clara and a rabbit both shaming him for getting in trouble and how George was a good man. His Aunt Clara says “‘All the time he coulda had such a good time if it wasn’t for you. He woulda took his pay an’ raised hell in a whore house, and he coulda set in a pool room an’ played snooker. But he got to take care of you’” (Steinbeck 99). Lennie 's demise was a tragedy. His last words being “‘Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now’” (Steinbeck 103). Nothing good lasts forever, you rarely saw people travel together during the Great Depression, it was every man for their own. The American Dream is greedy, you have to self
The main characters in the book, George Milton and Lennie Small are dressed as the average laborer, “Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung …show more content…
Nearly every character in the book had a dream. The protagonists of the story had a dream to own land and perhaps even have other people work for them. Lennie wanted to have many animals, especially rabbits that he could tend to. George wanted a windmill and pigeons to fly around them like they did when he was a kid. Candy, a handyman on the ranch that lost his hand and has concerns about his position, wishes to pitch in and own land with George and Lennie. This was the first time they had real hope, their dreams could finally become a reality. Even Crooks, a poorly treated black man that gets his name from his crooked back, expresses his dreams of having a patch of garden he can hoe on Lennie and George 's land, “‘… If you … guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I 'd come an ' lend a hand. I ain 't so crippled I can 't work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to’"(Steinbeck 75). Curly’s wife mentioned how she could have been a movie star. She had the aspirations of making it to Hollywood and wear expensive dresses and jewelry. Curley 's dream wasn’t clear, but the context clues made it seem like all he wanted was a pretty wife, and that’s what he got, he spent most of the time looking for her and rumor has it he kept his glove full of vaseline to make his hand soft when he touched her. Every migrant worker at the time had the dream of owning their own “fatta the lan’” Slim was the …show more content…
Curly 's dream of having a beautiful wife was taken away after Lennie accidentally strangles her, he’s filled with revenge and intention of killing Small. Lennie not only ruins Curley’s dreams, but everyone else’s. The author of the book doesn’t explain what happens next, but the way it ended leaves us to believe George went on and did what he told Lennie he would do if he weren’t there. It’s controversial on why George killed Lennie. Was it for himself or was it for Lennie? Did he kill Lennie so he could take his money or did George kill Lennie so he would die peacefully? Before Lennie died, he had hallucinations of his Aunt Clara and a rabbit both shaming him for getting in trouble and how George was a good man. His Aunt Clara says “‘All the time he coulda had such a good time if it wasn’t for you. He woulda took his pay an’ raised hell in a whore house, and he coulda set in a pool room an’ played snooker. But he got to take care of you’” (Steinbeck 99). Lennie 's demise was a tragedy. His last words being “‘Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now’” (Steinbeck 103). Nothing good lasts forever, you rarely saw people travel together during the Great Depression, it was every man for their own. The American Dream is greedy, you have to self