The American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Dreams are goals that keep man motivated to improve, evolve, and chase for the better things in life. But unfortunately, not all dreams come true. The American Dream is also a goal to achieve success through hard-work and dedication; The American Dream is a goal that is often fantasized by two men, George and Lennie. In John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, George, the smaller man, leads the way and makes the decisions for Lennie, a mentally challenged fellow. They both travel and work together. Ever since they landed jobs at a ranch near the Salinas River in California, George and Lennie’s dream grew stronger. It motivated them to work harder for the money. That dream was destroyed when Lennie unintentionally snapped Curley’s wife’s neck. Lennie runs away to the brush and waits for George. George later finds him there and does something very unexpected. He shot Lennie in the back of the head. Steinbeck uses the farm, the rabbits, and the bunkhouse to present the idea that the American Dream doesn’t always go as planned.
One of the symbols that represents the American Dream is the farm that George and Lennie often fantasized about. It’s symbolizes a paradise. Lennie constantly urged George to describe their future on their own ranch. It kept them motivated to work hard. Specifically, it’s evident in the beginning of the novella, “‘Well,’ said George, ‘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