Reality always defeats dreams. No matter whether or not the dream is simple, in order to achieve it, the journey will be complicated. In Salinas, California during the Great Depression, life was rather busy. Individuals revolved their lives around work, and hardly left themselves leisure time for fantasizing. Dreams were rarely obtained due to the harsh circumstances. In John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men, a majority of the most neglected characters carry foolish dreams that are out their reach; from owning rabbits to becoming a movie star. The lower class people do not realize the reality that surrounds them. Steinbeck implies that dreams never come true; no matter how hard one tries or believes. He demonstrates this by utilizing Lennie and Curleys wifes crushed ambitions. Steinbeck emphasizes that reality overpowers pursuits by using worthless, low ranking characters in his novel.
Lennie, a mentally disabled man, cannot stay away from his desire of owning rabbits on a farm. His innocence prevents him from understanding that his dream is unattainable. Lets have different color rabbits, George (16). Lennie is refused to believe that his dream is far fetched. Despite his devotion to his fictional farm, dreaming will get one nowhere. Lennie seems to mention his dream in almost all the chapters. We gonna have a little place, Lennie explained patiently. We gonna have a house an a garden and a place for alfalfa, an that alfalfa is for the rabbits, an I take a sack and get it all fulla alfalfa and then I take it to the rabbits (89). His enthusiasm seems to increase and he becomes more reluctant to give up on
his dream. He is still unaware that a dream like that is beyond his league. By spreading his dream to everyone, his consequence is a shot to the head. Lennies situation displays that there is no such thing as a happily ever after.
Curleys wife accepts that her life has not turned out the way she wished. Reality has held her behind. He said he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soons he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write me about it. I never got that letter (88). She suffers everyday knowing her dream will never come alive again. Her expired dream has caused her to become a tart with no other option. She is slowly dying from the inside, since she got her hopes up. She continues to threaten men to veil her ashamedness. All she can do is complain about the things she craves to have. Coulda been in the movies, an had nice clothes all them nice clothes like they wear. An I coulda sat in them big hotels, an had pitchers took of me (89). Curleys wife is forced to proceed in life with nothing to look forward to. Dreams destroy expected minds and give off a new, discouraged outlook on life. Dreams are useless and distrustful to hold on to; therefore reality comes into place again.
Crooks is the only character in the novel that knows the outcome of failed dreams and why they do not come true. Everyone strives too much, instead of working to keep their dream close to becoming existent. Its just in their head. Theyre all the time talkin about it, but its jus in their head (74). He is more of a realist that an idealist, unlike the others. He seems to live content since he has no dream to distract him from life. He lives at ease without any expectations. He has no worries with his future whatsoever. an every damn one of ems got a little piece of land in his head. An never a God damn one of em gets it. Just like heaven Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land (74). Crooks states the fact that dreams interfere your chance during and after life. Despite his lifestyle, nothing is worth dreaming for. Dreams are pointless and childlike. Crooks focuses more on reality than on meaningless hopes and wishes.
When it comes to dreams, reality conquers all. Dreams will get one nowhere. They interfere with life and just create problems and misfortune. They weaken the mind and heart, from expecting too much and receiving nothing. Lennie and Curleys wife learned the hard way that dreams rarely come true. It is just wishful thinking. Crooks displays that life has no worries when dreams do not conflict you from progressing forward in life. Steinbeck concludes that life would be perfect if dreams were absent in the making.
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