How Does Lennie Reach For The American Dream

In the novel Of Mice and Men, the theme of reaching for the American Dream runs throughout the entire story. It is evident that all of the characters, especially George and Lennie, want to obtain some form of the American Dream. As they come in contact with other people at the ranch, their thoughts and ideas shift from what they originally set out to do. Multiple situations that occur throughout the story decrease the chances of most of the characters accomplishing the American Dream.
Lennie’s personality plays a large factor in his and George’s ability to reach the American Dream. Lennie is slow and does not act completely normal because he is mentally challenged. He is fond of things that other people would consider bizarre and uncanny.

With Lennie now out of the picture, George’s hope to reach the dream completely subsides. In the story George says, “-I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her” (Steinbeck 94). This quotation shows that George did not have faith in achieving the dream from the beginning. By Lennie having so much confidence in the dream, it made George start to believe that they could accomplish it. Without Lennie there to urge him on though, George finally sees the flaws in their plan and how it could never have really taken place. George also says, “He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would” (Steinbeck 94). George and Lennie always wanted to buy land together so it would be just the two of them and they could live however they chose to. After finding out what was going to happen to Lennie, George could not bear to go out and purchase the property because in his mind, Lennie was the one that really wanted to get the land and kept the hope of the dream alive. After losing Lennie, George realizes how much Lennie meant to both him and the chances of reaching their American