Dream Fragments John Steinbeck, popular American author, became interested in literature due to the influence of the novel Le Morte d’Arthur. Steinbeck decided that he wanted to be a writer in high school because of the book. He would often write stories and read them to his friends. In 1925, Steinbeck worked in construction and as a reporter, which helped him gain ideas for his first novel. After working those two jobs, he settled down and started writing serious fiction in California. Steinbeck wrote about the labor issues and other issues he saw in the United States of America. This lead to the first play-novelette he wrote, Of Mice and Men. He considered it be an experiment. Originally Steinbeck wanted to make it a play as well but it failed. …show more content…
The two would often talk about the fact that they’d “have [their] own place” (Steinbeck 57). Thus, shows their extreme desire for their dream ranch. The idea of obtaining it is always on their minds and causes them to work harder to obtain it. They imagine that they would be able to say “ the hell with goin’ to work, and… build up a fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain comin’ down on the roof” (14-15). When the weather is really bad, they would not have to deal with the harsh conditions and can relax. Thus, they are able to work when they want to and for the amount of time they wanted. However, there is no guarantee that the ranch will be as successful as they imagine. It could be tiny, and they would have to work every day no matter what due to financial concerns or other problems. According to one critic “their dream of contentment in the modern world is impractical and does not accurately reflect the human condition” (“Themes and Construction: Of Mice and Men”). Furthermore, when Lennie kills Curley’s wife, any chance of the dream coming true immediately disappears similar to most American dreams. George’s original plan or working to get enough money to pay for the ranch is shattered. Lennie would have to escape to avoid being captured and possibly tortured by Curley. Thus being unable to stay and get the …show more content…
Curley’s wife has had this dream since she was young. She laments that she “coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes-all them nice clothes like they wear…because this guy said I was a natural” (Steinbeck 89). Curley’s wife was very happy with that statement and thought that she was special, but the guy who told her that never contacted her ever again. He most likely saw that she was very absorbed into the dream and told her that out of pity. Since she never got any information from the guy, she decided that “[she] wasn’t gonna stay no place where [she] couldn’t get nowhere or make something of myself…[and] married Curley”(88). Curley’s wife immediately marries Curley after she made up her mind and seals her fate. Attell believes that Curley’s wife’s “actions and the events resulting from them are [results of] specific norms and practices that govern society and contemporary life”(n.pag.). Thus, Curely’s wife did not want a regular women’s life at the time and wanted to stand out. But since she was a woman and was not special she had to get married like how other women would during the time. Bound by her unwilling marriage, she is unable to actualize her practically impossible
John Steinbeck was born in 1902, in California's Salinas Valley, a region that would eventually serve as the setting for Of Mice and Men, as well as many of his other works. He studied literature and writing at Stanford University. He then moved to New York City and worked as a laborer and journalist for five years, until he completed his first novel in 1929, Cup of Gold. With the publication of Tortilla Flat in 1935, Steinbeck achieved fame and became a popular author. He wrote many novels about the California laboring class. Two of his more famous novels included Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck got the title for Of Mice and Men from a line of Robert Burns, a Scottish poet, “The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry." In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck includes the theme of loyalty and sacrifice between friends. Steinbeck illustrates the loyalty and sacrifice between friends through the friendship of Lennie and George.
I. John Steinbeck used his personal experiences as a laborer to write many of his novels like Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.
John Steinbeck was perhaps the best author of all time. He was the winner of a Nobel Prize, and among other accomplishments, Steinbeck published nineteen novels and made many movies during his lifetime. All of his experience and knowledge are shown through his novels. A reader can tell, just in reading a novel by Steinbeck, that he had been through a lot throughout his life. Also, Steinbeck worked very hard to accomplish everything that he did during his lifetime. Nothing came very easily to him, and he had to earn everything he owned. This helped him in his writing, because he was able to write about real people and real experiences. John Steinbeck got his inspiration from life experiences, people he knew, and places he had gone.
John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. Even when he was growing up, he had a passion and love for writing. Once he entered high school, he would stay up all night just to write. He would even invite friends to listen to his readings. Researchers have found out that Steinbeck would often sent short stories or pieces of his works to magazine companies under a fake name and add no address. At age fourteen, he knew he wanted to be a writer. After he graduated from Salinas High School, he went to Stanford to study marine biology. Steinbeck attended Stanford for six nonconsecutive years, then he dropped out, in 1925, without any degree. Had decided to travel to New York and worked many odd low paying jobs. Steinbeck started out as a reporter but was fired, then became an apprentice for painting, a surveyor, then finally a fruit picker. It wasn’t until
To paraphrase Robert Burns-"The best laid plans of mice and men go awry". This is a bleak statement and it is at the centre of the novel's action. George and Lennie have the dream of owning their own ranch and living a free independent life; they would be self-reliant and most of all they would be safe from a harsh and hostile world. Other characters in the book also try to buy into their dream ie, Candy and Crooks. Ultimately, the dream unravels and like a Greek Tragedy, the ending is terrible but also predictable.
George and Lennie depended on their dream as motivation to live on and work. They've been working all their life to accomplish their dream. While taking a break by a pond on the way to another ranch, Lennie asked George to tell him why they are working and saving money. "Guys like us got nothing; they work up a stack and blow it in the town. But we're different, we got a future " (14). Most workers back then just live on day by day, without a goal. But George and Lennie are different, they got a dream to work and live for. Lennie kept on wanting to be told about their dream a few times in the story, indicating that it's really important to them. George depends on the dream to save up money and take care of Lennie instead of using all the money like all the other workers. While staying in the cabin, Lennie asked George about their dream. "George, how long's it gonna be till we get that little place an' live on the fatta the land and rabbits" (56). George and Lennie's dream has been repeated several times in the story. Each time they describe it, it gives them more will to work and try to accomplish the dream. The dream keeps George and Lennie together so they can work toward their dream. Without the dream, George and Lennie would be different from what they are now. George would be like the other workers, spending all the money right after getting them. And Lennie might be in jail for accused of rape or get bullied by other workers.
At the beginning of the story Lennie describes the dream as future, and they carry this dream towards the end of the story at the place where they slept the day before they go to the ranch. They describe how it looks like and what each of their job is going to be. George explains that the dream provides them both freedom in work, settlement, and a property of their own. The description of the promises in this dream through “An’ live off the fatta the lan’,”(pg.14) shows how they could potentially become the bourgeoisie and achieve the other products of this dream. What is important here is that the dream fails because George and Lennie are weak characters. In other words, the upper class constantly overpowers the working class and makes them weak, disabling them from achieving their dreams. Just as in other cases the dream which seemed like a reality failed to become reality. This is natural order as the bourgeoisie and proletariat are in specific relationship with each other where one dominates the other and is weakened by it. To put it another way, the poor rely on the rich to give them jobs,
George and Lennie have a dream, even before they arrive at their new job on the ranch, to make enough money to live “off the fatta the land” and be their own bosses. Lennie will then be permitted to tend the rabbits. Candy, upon hearing about the dream, wants to join them so that he will not be left alone, especially after they killed his dog. From the 17th Century, when the first settlers arrived, immigrants dreamed of a better life in America. People went there to escape from persecution or poverty, and to make a new life for themselves.
The book of mice and men is a fiction written by john Steinbeck (1902-1968). John Steinbeck writes mainly short stories and novels, he was born in Salinas California, which is the same area where the book of mice and men is set. He is became widely known thanks to his peace: tequila flat. Steinbeck's novels have themes of social criticism in them, a lot about the economic problems in rural labor. Good examples of books written by John Steinbeck: dubious battle (1936), of mice and men (1937), the long valley (1938) and east of Eden (1952).
The structure of the american paradox is complex. The dreams set through decades upon decades of generations have consumed the americans way of living. this paradox and dream is what we have come to not just base our entire lives around but build are morals, standards, and expectations for overall existence. “Paradox and Dream “ isn't like Steinbecks normal pieces of literature. Steinbeck's “Paradox and Dreams” is a sarcastic and criticism filled outlook on the self made paradox created by americans and based on their way of living. Steinbeck is a credited author who is also known for writing Of Mice and Men and East of Eden. both well known pieces of literature. But unlike his more famous pieces of literature that are Fictional stories with specific lessons. “Paradox and Dreams” is based on a realistic outlook on american civilization and the fictional expectations people have for life. He criticises the perspective we have on normal living. and informs us of the true reality and reasoning behind what we look at as normal and realistic. he gives a new look and view on a flawed nation of unreasonable perfectionist. It’s believed Steinbecks criticism stems from The american ability to create false hopes and dreams. that ultimately fool themselves into believing that they are something they're not. leaving the outcome to only hurts the community and population.
Curley’s wife, in the story her and crooks will probably be the most unsuccessful dreamers because of their roles in society, this is establishing the idea of obstacles and dreams. Curley’s wife at some points will become so lonely that she dreams for someone to talk to and when she gets the chance in the story we find out she had many more dreams. For example, in the text Curley’s wife says “Nother time I met a guy, and he was in pitchers. Went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it.” Further into the story we learn that she never got that letter, that was another obstacle that Curley’s wife had to face all to be in the movies. Unfortunately, on the ranch all the boys thought she was trouble so they would stay away until she tried to talk to lennie and ended getting her neck broken breaking all of her
Americans strive to obtain the American dream, but they fail to realize that it is our own dissatisfaction and anger that get in our way of keeping the American dream alive. John Steinbeck’s, “Paradox and Dream”, describes these paradoxes that linger in almost all Americans lives. Steinbeck shows how Americans believe in these things, but they contradict them by the actions they take or the words we say. He describes how Americans are dissatisfied, angry and intemperate. John Steinbeck portrayed a negative attitude towards Americans and their ideals by displaying how most are dissatisfied and angry, intemperate and opinionated, and believe in these certain things about ourselves that are not always true.
In the book Of Mice and Men Lennie and George have a dream to have their own land and farm. Lennie loves soft things and wishes to take care of bunnies and other animals on the farm. George has had a rough past life and hopes the new farm will lead to a new beginning and a better
George and Lennie have to continue to move around the country looking for work until Lennie screws up again. The instability of work only makes it that much harder for them to complete their dream of a farm of their own. Candy’s participation in the dream of the farm upgrades the dream into a possible reality. As the tending of rabbits comes closer to happening fate curses them with the accidental death of Curley’s wife. The end of their wishful thinking is summed up by Candy’s question on page 104, “Then-it’s all off?”
... was dragged away from her dream, and could never fulfill it after being killed by Lennie. Curley’s wife only dreamed of being noticed by people, however marrying Curley and the lack of her family’s support ultimately resulted in her broken American dream.