The American Dream In 'Of Mice And Men'

The American Dream by default is a selfish and materialistic concept based on an individual having more than his neighbour; and always striving to have more, no matter how much they’ve gained. Of Mice and Men explores the American Dream as an individual seemingly impossible dream evolving into a communal, increasingly realistic future; reshaping the possibility of what the American Dream means to me. Throughout Of Mice and Men there is a multitude of different individual dreams that range in varying levels of stereotypical ideals to small innocent desires, however, when these dreams collide there suddenly becomes hope to even the most hopeless of characters. From the different dreams inside a shared dream – to “Live off the fatta the lan’”

The turning point of the novel, where for an instant George and Lennie’s dream finally seems attainable, is the introduction of the dream to Candy. It is at this moment, where a dream shared between two men, spreads out to three because of the irresistible offer that Candy makes the two travellers: his money. Candy negotiates with George and Lennie where he says “’S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?’” (Steinbeck 67). Candy believed that the dream of owning land was unattainable to him because of the loss of his hand, however, by backing George’s ambition financially begins to reignite hope in the old man. As Lennie gets increasingly more excited at the prospects of finally being able to tend to the rabbits, he shares his plans with Crooks, a black stable-hand. Crooks after being convinced by both Candy and Lennie at its potentiality, suggests his own assistance to the trio when he states: “…If you…guys would want a hand to work for nothing– just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to” (Steinbeck 87). This growing community of workers, combining their personal assets and desires now have

George, before the prospect of Candy’s money, already had the ambition needed to one day seek out and acquire his own land, yet it is after hearing how much Candy actually has that he begins really see his plan falling into place. He expresses this when he exclaims dreamily about convincing the owners of the land he wants to sell it to him: “’Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her.’ His eyes were full of wonder. ‘I bet we could swing her,’ he repeated softly” (Steinbeck 67). Candy also has the specific tools – his money – that is needed when pursuing an operation that requires a large income. Lennie, however, realistically never had the tools needed to achieve his dream. His dream was dependent on George, and when he does the unthinkable and murders Curley’s Wife, he immediately assumes that his dream has been demolished because of George’s previous threats and taunts. Lennie envisions a giant rabbit appearing before him and berating him, saying: “’Christ knows George done ever’thing he could to jack you outta the sewer, but it don’t do no good. If you think George is gonna let you tend rabbits, you’re even crazier than usual. He ain’t’” (Steinbeck 115). It’s Lennie’s mental disability and dependency on others that alludes that he will never achieve his