The typical American Dream is opportunity, freedom, and success. The setting of this American Dream is in middle to high class neighborhood with a white picket fence. The family aspect is a stay-at-home mother, with a husband, two children and maybe a dog. This is the dream of an average man in America. However, in the novella ,Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie’s American Dream was to own a ranch. In the beginning of the story, George and Lennie are at a river looking for work. George takes care of Lennie because of Lennie’s mental health issues. A result of Lennie’s mental health issues is that he kills things with no intent to. Specifically when he killed the puppy, the mouse, and Curley’s Wife. Steinbeck conveys his view of the American Dream from the events and symbols used in the novel. Steinbeck does not see the theme of the American Dream in a very positive way as everyone else in America. The author uses the symbols to create a theme of the American Dream. These symbols include the gun used to kill Lennie, the rabbits, and the river One symbol that can be used to explain the theme of the American Dream is the gun used to kill Lennie. When George killed Lennie after Lennie killed Curley’s wife, “And George raised the gun and sealed it, and brought the muzzle of it’s close to the back of Lennie’s head” (Steinbeck 106). This displays the freedom aspect of the American Dream. This is because when George killed Lennie, he became free of
Due to Lennie’s mental disadvantage, George has felt responsible for him. Because of Lennie, the two of them had to flee their old town of Weed. Whatever dreams George has in mind, Lennie is a part of. George has come to admit that to himself. George recognizes that Lennie is dependent on him.
In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the dreams and fates of Lennie, Crook, and Curley’s Wife, in order to illustrate that the American dream is not possible for all social classes. When talking to Lennie, Crooks says “I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.” P.65. This is the dream that Crooks wants.
There are many symbols in the book “Of Mice and Men.” Among them are Lennie and George’s dream, Candy’s dog, rabbits, mice, Lennie’s puppy, Crooks’ room, and the bunkhouse. The dream George and Lennie have itself represents the American dream in general. Their dream symbolizes the protection, independence, and freedom many have come to expect from the American dream. To Lennie and George, the farm is paradise and talking about it makes them very happy.
"And I get to tend the rabbits" (Steinbeck 105). Rabbits were what George and Lennie were talking about just moments before Lennie dies. George knew that this innocent idea of tending rabbits would calm Lennie down so his last thoughts would be something that brought him joy. By using the motif of rabbits Steinbeck shows how Lennie would have never been able to survive off that dream and how having innocent dreams can blind you from the real
A Dime in the Rough What does it mean to be an American? Having freedom, being a patriot, your own way of life? Being an American is all of this and much more. America and the American Dream have been very controversial topics for the last hundred years, they are key elements that give people within and outside America the feeling of hope and positivity in their day to day lives. Elie Wiesel, a famed article writer and a survivor of the holocaust, is a perfect example of what a positive and hopeful view of America on the outside looks like.
The American Dream is only attainable to those who are privileged and considered truly American. Though many immigrants believe that they can grasp the American Dream, it is always out of reach and can never be achieved. The American Dream can never be accomplished through working hard and determination. Often, people chase the American Dream with high expectations for a new life, and they are often disappointed when failure strikes. Because of this, many of the characters in Of Mice and Men struggle to achieve the dreams they’ve been longing for.
The American Dream The American dream is the desire of all most all the characters in the novella Of Mice and Men. This is shown in many ways in many kinds of dreams whether it be becoming Rich and famous or just having the means to survive on their own each character has their own American dream. The first example of the american dream would be George 's dream. George wanted nothing more than to own his own farm and survive off of the land with Lennie which is shown in this quote “we’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we’ll just say the hell with goin’ to work, and we’ll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain comin’ down on the roof ...”
(page 119-120, Steinbeck) This quote again shows George's constant hope of living the american dream. George is always talking to Lennie or whoever else will listen really, about him and Lennie's life plan, which even more supports the theme that Steinbeck establishes as the yearning for the american dream. Steinbeck uses imagery and characterization to make the theme of the book Of Mice and Men evident. The theme of course is the wishing for the american dream.
The American dream is something that we all strive for in one way or another. Whether it’s being equal to the people around you, or having freedom to be successful in whatever you want in life. But for the characters in Of Mice and Men it is the dream of owning land and being independent from everyone else. But the American Dream is not something that is given to you, it includes work ethic, knowing that the dream may be impossible and the sacrifice that may have to be made. These are all things that George and Lennie and other characters in the book have to do to eventually reach the American dream.
Lennie does not know what was going to happen and George does not want him to know so he begins to talk about their dream, “Lennie begged ‘Le’s do it now. Le’s get the place now.’ … George raised the gun and steadied… He pulled the trigger.” (Steinbeck 106).
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 idea of the American Dream is indicated through out the novel, especially through the characters Lennie and George. They talk about their dream so much that it becomes a ritual between them and often they can finish each other’s thoughts and sentences. This is quite amazing, because Lennie is mentally challenged and has trouble thinking for himself. The dream gives both men purpose in a time when life is harsh and cruel.
Since 1931 when James Truslow Adams first created the phrase “the American Dream”, people believed that America continuously offered everyone an equal opportunity to be successful. John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, was set during the Great Depression. Farms were struck hard during the Depression, and the two main characters George and Lennie were farm hands during this time. They had experienced the misunderstandings of other farm hands in terms of Lennie’s mental disability, but they were trying to earn enough money to buy their own farm. The idea of this farm drove Lennie and George to keep working, and like many others during this time they hoped to achieve this dream.
Lennie and George’s relationship and their development throughout the story is shown through these ideas: dreams and reality, the nature of home, and the difference between right and
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.