The American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Although the end of World War II brought immense joy to the world, it was a turning point for American literature. Though the war was over, it was like starting over for America as it donned a new post war era. Authors and poets used their stories and characters to portray the grim era of that time and many of them reflected a guilt and disillusionment in the American dream. Though various writers had their own ideas of what the new post war America would shape out to be, not all had positive outlooks. It was a time of change as the United States was beginning its foray to the forefront of being the new cultural center and world power. Not only did a new generation come out of the war, but its ethnic, regional, and social character was

It tells a story about two traveling ranch workers, George and Lennie, trying to earn enough money to buy their own ranch. As it is set in 1930s America, it provides an insight into The Great Depression, encompassing themes of racism, loneliness, prejudice against the mentally ill, and the struggle for personal independence. The book can be a parallel of what many people were going through at the time. Also it touches on how skewed the American Dream could be or if it even existed at all. There were many themes that encompassed this novel and really represented what the United States was going through at the time.

Perhaps one of his greatest works, The Grapes of Wrath also reinforces the themes during the Great Depression. As it tells the story of migrant farmers moving west to find better opportunity but they are only met with despair. When the book was released, although controversial it was read by millions. It was criticized by farmers and their mistreatment of immigrants, as well his socialistic views. For whatever people thought of the book, one thing was clear that it sparked major debates and made people open their eyes on what was going on in America. The novel went on to win him the Pulitzer Prize for