American literature has proved effective in understanding problems that affected citizens’ centuries ago and still affect them today through the lives of different characters. For instance, the Of Mice and Men is significant to understanding a range of issues inherent in American society including the impossibility of the American dream. Examining the lives of the characters is key to understanding the problems migrants faced during the Great Depression as they moved from one place to another in California looking for new employment opportunities. The American dream remains an illusion for characters in the Of Mice and Men and citizens in contemporary America.
Of Mice and Mice was written by John Steinbeck in 1937 and it examines the lives of George Milton and Lennie Small, migrant ranch employees who were displaced during the Great Depression. Steinbeck …show more content…
Some workers found shelter in cabins and deserted houses that had broken screens and windows, and roofs that leaked (Gale). This was evidenced in the Of Mice and Men novel as the characters including George, Lennie, Crook, Candy lived in poor conditions as they had nowhere to call home. The migrant workers were isolated from the neighboring communities as they lived in camps. They were considered racial and class outcasts and were not allowed to interact with other members in the community. In the novel, the characters lived in isolation from the local communities and also faced racism as Crook wanted to be included in George and Lennie’s plan to avoid racism. Industrial employees benefited from the New Deal, but the migrant workers did not benefit from the legislation and programs (Gale). Instead, the migrant employees were considered stateless as exemplified by characters in Of Mice and Men as Crook, Lennie, George and Candy wished to have a place where they
Of Mice and Mice was written by John Steinbeck in 1937 and it examines the lives of George Milton and Lennie Small, migrant ranch employees who were displaced during the Great Depression. Steinbeck …show more content…
Some workers found shelter in cabins and deserted houses that had broken screens and windows, and roofs that leaked (Gale). This was evidenced in the Of Mice and Men novel as the characters including George, Lennie, Crook, Candy lived in poor conditions as they had nowhere to call home. The migrant workers were isolated from the neighboring communities as they lived in camps. They were considered racial and class outcasts and were not allowed to interact with other members in the community. In the novel, the characters lived in isolation from the local communities and also faced racism as Crook wanted to be included in George and Lennie’s plan to avoid racism. Industrial employees benefited from the New Deal, but the migrant workers did not benefit from the legislation and programs (Gale). Instead, the migrant employees were considered stateless as exemplified by characters in Of Mice and Men as Crook, Lennie, George and Candy wished to have a place where they