Similarities Between Of Mice And Men

Is The American Dream Real?

Throughout the year the class has read books and watched movies, all with the common theme of the achieving the American dream. From Scotts Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby, focusing on the dream of the wealthy, to Sylvester Stallone's epic film, Rocky, directing the dream from a rags to riches standpoint. A novel the perfectly portrays the reality of the American Dream, is John Steinbeck's, Of Mice and Men, the story of how two migrant workers give their all to reach everything they have always wanted. Sadly, though they tried their hardest, due to their given situation they failed to reach their dream. Many believe that the American dream is attainable with hard work, but in reality the dream is nearly

impossible to accomplish.The general argument made by John Steinbeck in his work Of Mice and Men is the veracity behind the American dream.

More specifically it argues the the American dream is a myth through the character of Lennie Smalls, with his disability, his social status, and finally his death.
First off, is introduced into Of Mice and Men with a mental disability that sets him apart from everybody else. This disability causes him to have a bit of a speech impediment and to think differently, almost as if he is still very much a child. Lennie lives with this disability everyday and it sets at a large disadvantage, “ Guys like us...george!” (page 13, Steinbeck). This quote shows Lennie at his finest, being happy and looking toward the future, he is not afraid to work hard to finally reach his dream. Although Lennie works through his disability, it still oppresses him greatly. Not only does Lennie get set back by his disability, but it also affects the people around him as well. A prime example of

Lennie’s disability affecting someone else, is the story of George Milton. George looks after Lennie and helps him to get jobs, when Lennie messes up by hurting someone at work, George suffers at his expense. George needs to find a solution of getting a new job and making sure nobody knows the real Lennie. So not only does the disability Lennie has oppresses himself, it also affects others around him. Although Lennie Struggles, it does not stop him from trying to achieve his dream that is clearly unattainable. “Overall… study includes” (USA Today) This article clearly shows that even today the American Dream is exactly as it says, a dream. Even the statistics show that very few ever achieve “the dream”. Those that do are at an advantage, mainly that they are born into money. For any lower class, even middle class person, the idea of achieve the dream is a bit of a stretch. Though the deeper meaning behind this is that the dream is already difficult to achieve for a regular and someone with a disability the dream, becomes even farther of a reach.
Secondly, Lennie does not live the most glorious life, the time is the 1930’s, during the great depression, no one is living a glorious life.

Lennie though, has a very rough because he's a migrant worker. During the great depression many people took on the role of being migrant workers, people who went place to place in search of jobs. As a migrant lennie’s status was the lowest of the low, people looked down on him, nobody would want to give him a hand in reaching his dream. The only person that could help was George, but he was also migrant worker so he couldn't do much for Lennie either. “What's your… slims team” (pages 21-23, Steinbeck) This quote shows many things, mainly how money was such a necessity in order to do anything. Everyone sought to make money, to steal money, so much so that the new boss thought that George was hustling Lennie, it was a common act. Obviously, George was not stealing money from Lennie, but the significance is that the boss would've been fine if George was stealing from Lennie because he knows in order to make money you had to do some drastic things. Money is the biggest statement in the American dream, it was in the 1930s and it still is now. “Most people… secure retirement” (alternet.org) The significance of money in the American dream is insane, it is almost as if that the whole dream is completely based on money. The meaning behind this is that having the most money was and continues to be the base point of the American dream. Since

money is all everyone is looking for, one can already see Lennie’s disadvantage. Lennie is a migrant worker, he barely has enough money to ensure a meal at the end of the day let alone using the money to achieve his dream. Money is the major factor, that is something when he doesn't have, making it impossible for him to reach the American dream.
Unfortunately, at the end of the book when he gets killed by George. This happened because Lenny had accidentally killed Curley's wife and George knew it was time to give Lennie up. Though, by killing Lennie, George would be killing his dream. George and Lennie lived together and aspired to own a ranch, that was their dream. Due to the factors of Lennie’s disability and their status as a migrant worker, already set them at a disadvantage. Even though the odds were not in their favor, George used Lennie as an incentive to continue to work hard to achieve their dream. When Lennie died George knew that everything he did was for Lennie. “ You hadda … two guys” ( page 107, Steinbeck) Now that Lennie is dead George had no reason to have a ranch and to tend the rabbits, everything he did now was for himself. George would give up his dream, he would no longer believe in it, and he would no longer work to achieve his dream. Not only did George's dream die with Lennie, but so did Candys’ as he also had the same dream. Also curley’s wife had a dream, though when she married curley her original dream died, but any chance she had at being happy died when she did. All these people lost faith in their dream, along with many others during that time. “Young adults… good jobs” (Money.cc.com) This quote shows that even today, people feel the dream is unattainable, a very similar feeling to those in the Great Depression. If nobody believes the dream is attainable does the theory of the American dream continue to exist? If nobody can achieve the dream, will it begin to die off until everyone agrees that the dream is a myth? The answers to these questions are a simple yes. The meaning of this is to show that the dream has always been a myth. Lennie's death symbolizes that, yes, things can work out for good, but right when it seems achievable is disappears, it dies. Lennie did everything right he listened, he worked hard, yes there were some bumps along the way, but for the most part he was headed on the path to success. Lennie symbolized the american dream and when he died the dream died with him.
Throughout history there has been a common goal of achieving financial success. This dream is known as the American Dream, this thought is instilled into many lives of young and old Americans. Many say that the dream is very achievable with hard work, but in reality it is nothing, but a myth. This is clearly shown through many books including The Great Gatsby and in the movie Rocky. Though is it perfectly portrayed in a book about the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men. Many believe that the American dream is attainable with hard work,. but in reality the dream is nearly impossible to achieve the general argument made by John Steinbeck in his work of mice and men is the truth behind the American dream. More specifically it argues that the American dream is a myth through the character of Lenny, his disability his social status as a migrant worker, and finally his death.