In Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men he makes several arguments. The three thematic ideas I chose to support his argument are dreams and reality, unity and isolation, and having power and being powerless. Steinbeck's uses the thematic idea of dreams and reality in the beginning. George and Lennie began to talk about they're dream of owning their own ranch. And how they're "gonna live on the fatta of the lan'" (Steinbeck 64). But in reality Steinbeck's is explaining how you can get so close to your dream but never really accomplish it. But that dream gives you motivation to keep going. But it's just a dream when your young your always dream the nearly impossible. Being a rock star, the president, or even a astronaut it may not happen but
How does Steinbeck show the failing dreams of all the main characters, and how easy their goals are shattered throughout the book? Throughout the book, Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie, two labor workers that are run out of their previous employment in Weed, find a ranch to work on in Salinas Valley California to fulfill their dreams of being rich and having their own farm. Salinas Valley is where they plan to stay until they have saved enough money to have their own ranch and move on. Besides the dreams George and Lennie have, many other people on the ranch have ones as well. While Steinbeck illustrates the journey the characters go through to achieve their dreams, their failed attempt occurs for numerous reasons.
“No... you tell it. It ain’t the same if I tell it. Go on… George. How I tend the. rabbits.” -Lennie (John Steinbeck,14)
In a recent poll conducted by PBS, results showed that nearly half of Americans who once believed in the American dream thought that it didn’t exist anymore. This portrayal that the American dream no longer exists or is not easily attained is shown in the novel “Of Mice and Men,” written by John Steinbeck. The book focuses on a dependent relationship between two characters. George is a very smart man, but struggles with companionship. Whereas Lennie is a very dumb man, that thrives with making friends.
Not everyone can achieve their dreams, even if they work hard enough. This is seen in the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. In the novel Of Mice and Men there are Many dreams, some that get fulfilled and some that do not. Sometimes those dreams are affected by the person who made them, like George and his dream of having an easy life. Or like Curley’s wife's mother who destroyed Curley’s wife's dreams of being an actress.
Shattered Dreams John Steinbeck, the author of Mice and Men describes “When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp” (Steinbeck, back of the book).The American Dream is available to any American it’s the highest goal that can be reachable. Immigrants come over to America and start their own American Dreams. The drive and hardship to live a happy life is most immigrants’ dreams. Most immigrants come to America because they did not have a good life in their country. Lennie, Candy, and Crooks are characters from John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men whose struggles with impost, discarded, and loneliness lead to broken dreams that negatively impact their lives.
All people have goals, but some have no chance of achieving them. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Candy, Crooks and Lennie all live on the same farm, but are faced with different circumstances holding them back from achieving what they desire. Through the characters of Candy, Crooks, and Lennie, Steinbeck shows that issues outside the control of an individual often limit the achievement of an individual’s dream. Throughout the novel, Lennie is faced with obstacles that are in the way of him attaining his ultimate goal.
Dreams are Oases In Steinbeck's novel called Of Mice and Men, We can see that Curley's wife and Candy both have dreams, but Candy pursues them whilst Curley’s wife knows that she doesn’t have much of a chance of achieving them anymore. Candy is a nice, pessimistic man who wants a permanent job on Lennie and Geroge’s farm. Because he knows he’s slowly becoming more useless to the ranch workers. After Candy discusses with Lennie and Geroge about their dream he confides, “I oughtta shot that dog myself, George I shouldn’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog.”
Steinbeck shows how events conspire against the apperception of one's dream. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses George and Lennie’s dreams to show that any dream, big or small, can cause motivation. Most importantly
Dreams are just conceptions of our mind for longing for more out of our selves. The problem of trying to process or make these dreams happen is the fact that we feel that these dreams will become burden upon not just our body, but our mind as well. For many this may be true, but in the case of George Smalls, this is not the case. George’s Dream or main goal is to be able to care of Lennie. This one dream has influenced most of his choices and has actual become a part of him.
In the novella Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses symbolism to emphasize the importance of dreams and how George and Lennie’s dream provides the motivation for everything that happens in the story. This is evident in the passage that begins with “Lennie spoke craftily, ‘Tell me’” and ends with “to the rain comin’ down on the roof” (Steinbeck 13-15). During this part of the novella, Lennie asks George to repeat the dream that they have together, and George does, giving numerous details about their future farm. Everybody needs a goal in life, even if it seems unachievable, because it gives them something to work for. When George is talking to Lennie about other, he conveys them as “They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake
Throughout the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the theme of the unrealized dream is displayed through characters such as Lennie, George, Candy, and Curley’s wife. The unrealized dream, also known as the American Dream, is portrayed differently for a few different characters in the book. Best friends George and Lennie have a shared dream which is to have a serene farm ranch, even if it is small, with a mediocre house, a rabbit pen, and a garden where they can grow their own vegetables and herbs. They long to live independently away from rude bosses and harsh ranches. This is seen differently for a character such as Candy who only wants to keep his job even though he is disabled.
The importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men is to give the character purpose and hope. The novel takes place in the 1930’s during the Great Depression, and life was hard because of the tough economic conditions at this time. Dreams play an important role in the novel Of Mice and Men, because the characters need an escape from the loneliness and poverty that is their reality, and it gives them something to work towards. The characters use the idea of the American Dream to feed their desire to have a better life. The characters face many obstacles along their journey, and each obstacle will have a direct affect on shaping how the character develops as well as if they reach their dream.
Dreams can be very persuasive and uplifting as well as discouraging, in the right moments. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck introduces the readers to a story of dreams and how those dreams can affect you and others. Steinbeck explains through his novel how dreams can give reasons for people to succeed in life, how they can draw others in and encourage others or how dreams can stray away from reality and how the dreamer can get lost in their own fantasies and never accomplish their dreams at all. Dreams have the power to change lives by giving hope.
John Lennon, a famous singer, said, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality” ("A Quote By John Lennon"). John Lennon said this because if you have other people on your side, dreams can come true. This theme is used for some characters in the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This book was set during The Great Depression in the 1930s.
In conclusion, to express that the american dream is impossible Steinbeck used conversation, conflicts, and events. Throughout of mice and men George and Lennie got into many situations where they felt scared , worried, and angry. Together the plan was to get the money to live in a small place, tend to the rabbits and alpha so they are happy. But things happen such as George killing Lennie that make the american dream impossible to achieve.