The American Dream in Of Mice And Men Essay

In the 1920s the American dream was too work hard and earn yourself a good living. In the book Of Mice and Men the American dream is simplified to the dreams of two men and this dream eventually seduces two more characters, their dream is to get a little bit of land, own crops and animals and live off of the land. It is a simple dream, one of self reliance. But what is the reality of the situation? What was the American dream back then? What are the dreams of the other characters? And what does this book teach us about the American dream?

Of Mice and Men is about the death of the American dream. O.K Someday were gonna get the jack together and were gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and Well have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit-hunch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter well just say the hell with goin to work, and well build up the fire in the stove and set around it an listen to the rain comin down on the roof. Does such a dream differ from that of any other American? All they want is a place to call home, the opportunity to work for themselves, and to be happy. Is that not our god given rights as Americans? The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life is represented by the farm, liberty is represented by the idea of working for yourself without anything being taken away or being told what to do, and the idea of being happy is obviously the pursuit of happiness. George and Lennie think that they are different from other workers who wander around aimlessly because they think they have a future. Does that make them different? Because they have a future? The two men are not unique for wanting a place and a life of their own; they are unique because they have each other. The companionship they share opposes the loneliness that comes with being a ranch worker, and if we dive into a larger spectrum, the loneliness of being the segregated black man who just wants equality or the objectified woman who once aspired to be an actress. Characters like Crooks and Curley's wife should be perfect examples that they are no different from anyone who has a dream.

This book tells of a bleak existence that in the end will teach us a grim lesson about human nature and the otherwise meaningless pursuit of the American dream. But the truth is that the common American had more integrity back then, they didnt like the idea of handouts or being told what to do by a higher authority, the mind set was that one would do what he wanted when he wanted, Spose they was a carnival or a circus come to town, or a ball game, or any damn thing Wed just go to herWe wouldnt ask nobody if we could. Jus say, Well go to her, an we would. Jus milk the cow and sling some grain to the chickens an go to her. Their dream was one of freedom and self-reliance and the farm represents a haven where there is protection from the harsh reality of the world. At the end of chapter 5 where it describes Candy mourning the loss of his dream with Lennie and George, it is a representation of the common American mourning the loss of his dream.

Lennies death at the end of the book is essentially the death of the mens dream and the American dream. By killing Lennie, George gets rid of a major hazard in his life; even though Lennie would never hurt George, Lennies actions would eventually get George into some serious trouble or even killed. The sad truth is that George is forced to shoot the only thing that made him different from the other ranch hands and admit that his dream will never happen. George is now no different than any other workers, Slim tries to comfort him in the end by saying you hadda GeorgeI swear you hadda but the sad truth that this book has always alluded to is that one has to give up on one's dreams in order to survive.

In the book Of Mice and Men the American dream is simplified to the dreams of two men and this dream eventually seduces two more characters, their dream is to get a little bit of land, own crops and animals and live off of the land. It is a simple dream, one of self reliance. But what was the reality of the situation? What was the American dream back then? What are the dreams of the other characters? And what has this book taught us about the American dream?