George's Determination

Richard Nixon once said, “The American Dream does not come to those who fall asleep,” and he could not be more right. In the novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie try to do what any man does and that is to live the American Dream. In this article, the point argued is that George and Lennie could have achieved their goal.
This goal would not come easy, and George knew that; but with his determination, they never had a doubt in their minds that they could accomplish it. The first prime example of George’s determination is when he and Lennie got kicked out of Weed. They were out of work and out of a home, but George kept his head up high (which kept Lennie’s head up too), and focused on where they could find work next. Another example of this trait would be when the bus dropped George and Lennie off at the completely wrong spot. Instead of calling it quits, George and Lennie took their things and hiked to the farm, stopping one night for rest. This shows that they could adapt to new situations, and be able to overcome various tasks. The last example of George’s determination happens the night they get to the farm. Curley, the boss’s son, was giving George and Lennie a hard time. George knew that it could lead to trouble, so

instead of getting hooked onto Curley’s tough guy act, George told Lennie to stay away from him to avoid trouble, and to ensure they would leave with their stake.
With George’s determination came his and Lennie’s ability to work.

The first encounter of the Boss, George, and Lennie mainly discusses the working ability of Lennie. George kept reassuring the Boss, making sure he knew that Lennie truly was a great worker in hopes he would overlook his mental problems. Both George and Lennie’s resilience and ability to work around the situations they are put in shows their drive to do things right and their great potential to be phenomenal workers. Since George and Lennie have been together for so long, they have built a friendship that could show well out there harvesting. George would be able to ensure Lennie does not get off track, and would be there to help him if he

does.
The last and most important reason as to why George and Lennie would have been able to complete the American Dream is George’s ability to handle money. George may not be a genius, but he has the wits and the determination to ensure he does not go and blow all of his money in one night at a bar or whore house like the other workers. When Candy overhears them talking about their dream and buys his way into it, George takes the money and deposits it into a bank. This is the smartest idea, because it prevents all three of them from taking the money and spending it. With Candy buying into the dream, it makes George realize that their dream really is going to come true. With that on his mental, he can become even more determined to work until the end of the month and get the rest of his stake.
Although George could most likely complete his dream without Lennie, it is Lennie who is constantly reminding and annoying George about their dream and about the rabbits. Without Lennie, it would be like that George would just become like the rest of the guys and blow his money instead of saving it for a better future. Once Candy comes into the picture, there is even less of a chance that George would spend the money. Candy makes them realize that their hard work is going to pay off, and that with hard work you can achieve almost anything. George and Lennie could have undoubtedly achieved the American Dream. They were determined, hard-working, and focused on making their dream a reality. This is why they could, and they would have had everything they had ever wanted in life.