Hundreds of years ago, Europeans set sail from Europe to the New World, with the hope of bettering their lives, also known as the American Dream. The story, Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, explores the American Dream through two unlikely friends, George and Lennie. The two friends journey to a ranch near the city of Soledad, California to work on earning enough money to buy their own farm. Lennie is a big, strong man, while George is small, and smart. The two of them are running from the law because Lennie always accidentally runs into trouble. John Steinbeck, explores the failure of the American Dream through the characters George and Lennie, Crooks, and Candy. George and Lennie both share the same dream of owning their own ranch. About halfway through the story, George tells Lennie all about their dream ranch, where Lennie will tend to rabbits, live in their own …show more content…
When he heard about George and Lennie’s dream, he quickly latched onto their dream and offered to pay for at least half of the ranch. Candy suddenly becomes upbeat and cheerful, not knowing he has a future (p.59-61). Candy has gotten this taste of the American Dream, and he is looking forward to his new life. Candy figures out more about how they can have rabbits and profit (p.75). Candy is very much in love with the idea of the ranch, it is all he has left to live for. Then at the end of the story when George leaves to go find Lennie, the whole world crashes down on Candy, “You God damn tramp, he said viciously. You done it, di’n’t you? I s’pose you’re glad. Ever’body knowed you’d mess things up. You wasn’t no good. You ain’t no good now [...] I could of hoed in the garden and washed dishes for them guys” (p.95-96). Candy was crying, he realizes that he was going to die alone and without anyone caring about him. The American Dream died almost as soon as it came into Candy’s
Candy didn't have anything so he wanted grow old on the ranch with George and Lennie (pg59-60) but then Lennie kills Curly's Wife and his dream dies (pg.94). Candy's dreams end in a pessimistic outlook because all he wanted got destroyed leaving him with nothing. Crooks dream was to be respected and not looked at for his color and wanted to live on the ranch with Curly Lennie and George (pg.64). Even though he wanted this he noticed by what Curly's wife said to him that his dream will never be achieved, so he changes his mind (pg.
Steinbeck describes Candy right after the men hear the shot that kills the dog. Candy's loneliness over the loss of his dog is short lived as he becomes part of George's and Lennie's plan to get their own farm. In fact, Candy makes the dream seem almost possible because he has saved $300 which he will contribute to the price of the property George can buy. The three men believe that one day they will up and leave the ranch and go live on their own "little piece of land." In the end, however, Candy is plunged back into despair and loneliness after he discovers Lennie has killed Curley's wife. The dream is shattered. He poignantly communicates his feelings over the loss at the end of chapter five: “You done it, di’n’t you? I s’pose you’re glad. Ever’body knowed you’d mess things up. You wasn’t no good. You ain’t no good now, you lousy tart.” He sniveled, and his voice shook. “I could of hoed in the garden and washed dishes for them guys.” He paused, and then went on in a singsong. And he repeated the old words: “If they was a circus or a baseball game .
George and Lennie live in a hopeless present but they somehow try to keep a foot in an idealized future. They dream of one day running their own ranch, safe and answerable to no one. Others such as Curley's wife dreams of being a movie star, Crooks, of hoeing his own patch and Candy's couple of acres'.The dream ends with the death of Lennie.
The theme of the American Dream is presented in Of Mice and Men. The theme is particularly expressed through and around the characters of George and Lennie. Both of these characters have a belief, a dream of owning their own little place to call their own, or as George would say “We’re gonna have a little place and a couple of acres an’ some cows and some pigs...”(Steinbeck,14) This dream is mostly expressed through Lennie but George is the one who supports Lennie. Lennie is the most dedicated to the dream. This dedication is shown when he said “An’ live off the fatta the lan.”(Steinbeck,14) This proven b critics like Kevin Attell who said ”This is the kind of life that George and Lennie dream of living.”(Attell)
Through characterization, both authors illustrate their view on the American Dream. Using George as a catalyst in Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows how the working class of the United States strives for something better and works hard to attain their dream. “O.K. Someday – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and-…” (14) George’s conversations with Lennie involving the farm that they are trying to buy show that George will not give up his pursuit of a better life, no matter what obstacles slow him down. Steinbeck also shows how friendship is part of the American Dream through George always sticking by Lennie, despite...
Candy is an elderly man working on the farm with his dog who was killed tragically because the men on the farm perceived the dog as useless. With the passing of his dog, Candy grew mindful of death and yearned to die happy and have something to call his own before death. After overhearing Lennie and George plan to buy land, Candy wanted to be a part of the plan. Candy declared,"I'd make a will an' leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, 'cause I ain't got no relatives or nothing…" (Steinbeck 59). Candy was willing to give money despite the fact that he might not live to see the day where the men got their own land. He had no relatives but had felt a need to help these men achieve their dreams. At this stage in his life, Candy understood the significance that family played in the day to day life and wanted to have a chance to be happy. Candy’s actions gave George and Lennie hope they'd never had before. ENDING
The dream of owning a farm and "living off the fatta the land" originally started as a story just to keep Lennie quiet but because of Lennie constantly asking George to tell him the story kept the dream alive. One time in the bunkhouse, George was re -telling this story when candy overheard it. Candy fears that because he is getting old and has one crippled hand that any day soon he is going to be asked to leave...
Although Lennie could not live like a normal adult, he still dreams of a better life filled with the things he desired. Lennie constantly badgers George about the story of the farm where they hope to eventually reside. Lennie sees a place where he faces no adversities, and Lennie dreams of tending the rabbits, stroking their fur and feeding them handfuls of alfalfa. “When they have their farm, as George tells him at the end, Lennie will not need to be scared of bad things any more, and he can tend the rabbits and pet them… Their farm is a place where they can live together, have animals and, in general, feel safe. Lennie has little memory, but the story of their dream is one he knows by heart” (Lennie). In a child- like vision, Lennie still sees the farm he and George often dream about and discuss. Lennie will never forget about the farm until they have achieved their goal. Lennie realizes the farm will be a place of leisure where he can simply tend the rabbits. Lennie always believes and chases after their nearly impossible American
With racism is would go far beyond the book as to why some people might not live the American dream, it could be jobs that people won’t hire you for because of your race, or you are too young to do something so until you get that age you can’t do it. All the American dreams that the characters had were not affected by just one ism, they were affected by two or three; meaning that no one is singular when it comes to things that affect them. And with all the isms piling up it just became too much and their dream just ultimately failed, and they were left with nothing. In the novel Steinbeck writes a dialogue for Candy and it explains all the hope the characters had for the American dream. “Sure they all want it. Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much. Jus’ som’ thin’ that was his. Somethin’ he could live on and there couldn’t nobody throw him off of it” (76). That is what the American dream is all about, though it didn’t go right and the isms just destroyed all the characters and dreams in the end. It means that the people aren’t the reason to blame for the failure of their dream, it is the born traits they inherited that ultimately destroyed all the characters American dreams. drastically personality repercussions
Candy was drawn to the dream when Lennie and George were talking about it. Candy wants to go because he thinks it would be better than staying at the ranch. “If you guys want a hand for work for nothing” ( 76). Crooks was drawn to this dream since he thinks it would help make his life better than the life he lives on the ranch. “It’s a lot nicer to go around with guys you know” ( 37). It is good to have a small group of friends working towards the same
Candy dealt with his loneliness by being friendly with George and Lennie and becoming a partner in obtaining the small ranch that was George and Lennie’s dream. Candy kind of an outcast because of his age difference from other ranch hands. “I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some”(Candy 319). Candy attempts to be useful in someone else life. He heard that George and Lennie have this dream to “live off the fat of the land” as soon as they get enough money. Candy wanted to join, he offered as much as he can. He wanted to join the dream but not only did he want to join, he wanted to join the friendship of George and Lennie. “Maybe I can give you guys money”(Candy 325). Candy offered his money that he gets from the government for his disability. An exchange for money Candy gets a friendship out of it. So he is paying George and Lennie to be friends with him really. I think money will never buy a real friendship. Not only was Candy lonely and miserable trying to deal with loneliness, but so was Crooks...
George and Lennie, Curley’s wife, and Crooks the stable buck all have an American Dream and through them and their dreams, Steinbeck shows that the American Dream can or cannot be achieved with the amount of dedication and motivation you put into the dream. Even though George and Lennie, Curley’s wife and Crooks all have dreams they are all at different points of achieving that dream, if they are even trying.
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.
... (pg 60) . Candy so desperately wants his dream to come true so he is willing to invest his saving on the land that George picked out so that he can finally have his dream come true. But after George kills Lennie not only is Georges dream shattered but so is Candys ,and part of him still wishes that he and George still would've bought the land.
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?”