The American Dream is something Everyone wants, but have to overcome some obstacles for achieving. In his Novel, Steinbeck shows us that the great depression was one of the biggest obstacle of his time. In "Of mice and men" by John Steinbeck, the reader can see the effect of the great depression on the American Dream through characters like George, Lenny, Slim, and Curley's wife.
One way Steinbeck shows the effects of the great depression on the American Dream is through the characters George and Lenny. First he shows the reader the impossible dream these two men conceived for themselves and are distant from achieving. In the words of Steinbeck, the readers learn that George and Lenny need 600 dollars to achieve their dream, but George said "We got ten bucks between us"(steinbeck59). The depression is crippling the dream they have, and making it even harder to
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As we read about this character, we see that Steinbeck wants us to know that he's important. In the book, we learn that "His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject "(Steinbeck 33). Slim is a godly character and is treated as such. Steinbeck wants us, as the reader, to realize even a man such as himself could be working on someone else's ranch for scraps. Second we learn Slim is also said to be different from the other men. He is described as (Steinbeck 33) Seeing that He's the best Skinner he should be making a bit more then the other men but makes just the same. The depression had an effect on his boss and there for him. From all we read about Slim, the reader can infer he's got more potential then all the other men. "He moved with a magesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen"(Steinbeck 33). Slim is a powerful man and seem to be able to do whatever he wants. But why would a man with his Status not be following his dreams. Because of the depression this powerful man is reduced to just another bindle
First, Steinbeck uses the character of Slim to describe that helping others makes that individual feel gratitude towards the individual who helped
This could be for many reasons, but the most probable might be that Steinbeck wants us to delve deeper in the story, and make our own inferences. Because of this concept, the character might be a bit “fuzzy”, meaning that because he is not described directly, there can be many interpretations to just one common character. This indirect characterization of Slim is on page 46, where it reads, “A young laboring man came in. His sloping shoulders were bent forward and he walked heavily on his heels, as though he carried an invisible grain bag” (Steinbeck 46). We know that Slim is a young man, however from the quote above, some might be led to think that he his a bit elderly because of the “weight he carries”, infering that he has a laborious life. Nonetheless, from the information we know and the quote above, it is probably safe to assume that in the short life Slim has had so far, he has worked during most of it, but is a kind
A friendship is not all they have together, Lennie and George have dreams. Lennie and George have worked up the idea of owning their own piece of land together. Lennie wants to tend the rabbits (Steinbeck 11) and George just wants to be his own boss (Steinbeck 14). The only problem with their dream is that it is unrealistic. They cannot buy land to tend and just go days without tending it because they do not want to. Like many traveling farm hands during the 1930s, George and Lennie think they could work up enough money to buy their own place and not give a “hoot” about anyone but their selves. Although their dream is unattaina...
Cory Daniel wrote in his article ‘Of Mice and Men:’ Steinbeck's controversial banned book for over 50 years, “Making their (George and Lennie) way through The Great Depression by working on various farms.” The focal point of this quote is that many Americans like these two had to go through bounteous amounts of jobs in the 1930s. The Great Depression was a horrible time in U.S history and John Steinbeck did a perfect interpretation of it. It is a very important for teachers to give an accurate point of view of The Great Depression (Of Mice and Men) for the teens to learn how it affected America economically and socially. Teenagers will then take this knowledge and learn not to repeat the mistakes that the U.S did during this time, for these students are our future and affect it
The theme that John Steinbeck amits from the novel Of Mice and Men is not everyone’s american dream can come true because one wants it to. This alludes to a famous poem by Robert Burns called “To a Mouse”. The theme of this poem is the greatest schemes of mice and men often go astray. Meaning that things do not always go as one plans it to. The novel is set in the Great Depression (1929-1939) in Southern California (near Soledad). Characters in the novel such as George and Crooks have obstacles that hold them back from achieving their own american dreams. George is held back from his by having to care of Lennie, who cannot take care of himself. Crooks is held back from his american dream because of his skin color.
His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer.” (Steinbeck, 33-34) Slim is the noblest of the ranch as the only character who seems to be at peace with his circumstances and his life. The other characters view slim as wise and respectable man and often go to him for guidance, as the only person who has achieved what he wants in life.
Slim set a specific tone as soon as he was introduced; one could tell right from the start that he was the top dog. The first mention of him was also a jab at Curley “‘Slim don’t need to wear no high-heeled boots’” (Steinbeck, 28). He didn’t need the riches of someone living the American
The American Dream is a dream that everyone imagines to be picture perfect. The American Dream means having freedom, equality and opportunity’s to achieve the dream that you conceptualize to be right by you. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck did not want to just illustrate the American dream as being easy, but he wanted to point out the American Dream as being difficult too. Steinbeck made a work of art by composing a great novel to make the reader understand that life can be difficult and at times dreams are hard to achieve. Of Mice and Men was written and based on the settings of the Great Depression (Anderson). The Great Depression was a very dire time that left multiple of people despondent and the unavailing to move on with their lives. The Great Depression created a world where everyone had to seek and survive for themselves. In the novel Steinbeck wanted to explore and point out how powerless people where during the time of the Great Depression. Steinbeck purposely incorporated his characters to depict the life struggle of what people go through during grim times. In the novel, Steinbeck illustrated a great set of characters Lennie, George, Candy and Crooks. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck discusses handicaps, hardships, and friendships of the characters.
In Of Mice and Men, one of the main themes is the idea of the American dream. This is one of the more important themes in the book because it plays such a big role in how each character pursues life, and their dreams show a different side of who they are and what they want from life. Many of the characters talk about what their version of the American dream is. Curley’s wife talks about how she wanted to be a movie star. Candy and George both want to own their own land.
‘Of Mice and Men’ was written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937. The story is based on migrant workers in California during the time of the Great Depression. The Great Depression was caused by the Wall Street Crash in America which effected many business and banks many of which became bankrupt. This resulted in mass unemployment, inflation and economic migration from the city to the countryside. Steinbeck wrote this novel to show what life was like for low-paid, poor workers and to show how the Great Depression effected American people. He represents what life was like for many unprivileged people in 1930s America: migrant workers, women and black Americans.
The American Dream is a thought that everyone has at some point. Some are bigger than others and some are harder than others, but everyone hopes to accomplish their American Dream. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows that the American Dream is a myth, not a reality. John Steinbeck shows the American Dream being a myth through a few of the characters in Of Mice and Men. For example, Lennie, Curley’s Wife, and Candy all have American Dreams, but they also have some obstacles that stop them from completing their American Dream.
In Of Mice of Men, John Steinbeck uses a wide variety of literary elements such as foreshadowing and colloquial language in order to set the tone and capture the time and place. Throughout the book Steinbeck shows how the Great Depression negatively affected American workers by telling a story about two men who go through constant struggles.
What is the role of dreams in John Steinbeck’s novella ‘Of Mice and Men’ In John Steinbeck’s novella, ‘Of Mice and Men,’ the role of dreams plays a very important part. The book was written during the ‘Great Depression,’ which occurred just after the well known ‘Wall Street Crash.’ The book Of Mice and Men was set in the depression of the 1930’s in California in a place called Soledad. Men travelled around looking for any work they could find, they had to leave families and their homes just to make money. Even firms and companies went bankrupt; these were depressing and desperate times, with no hope and definitely no future.
Other than being a topic of the novel, The American dream identify with a few characters. Lennie and George's fantasy of owning their little homestead and rabbits with Candy was a case of what a normal American dream was amid the 1930s Great Depression. The Great Depression has changed throughout the year relying upon the condition of the country. Amid the Great Depression the normal dream was simply singular fulfillment. To fulfill one's self amid the Great Depression was distinctive. Getting another or surprisingly better occupation was restricted of gaining fulfillment, yet the place where there is fresh chances to succeed was filled with emergency after the share trading system smashed. The American dream had lost its impact on America amid the 1930s, yet was still vivacious when men like George and Lennie sought after a superior and distinctive life and perpetual miracle into the desire for the better of individual
Is the American Dream simply an illusion? John Steinbeck raises this question in his novel Of Mice and Men. Set in the 1930’s, the novel begins with two migrant workers, one of which has a mental disability, traveling to a ranch in Soledad, California to find work. The two men named George and Lennie dream of saving enough money to one day own their own ranch. However, as the story ends, it is displayed that their dream has the same outcome as most of the other individuals on the ranch. John Steinbeck intertwines conflict, symbolism, and setting in this novel to display whether the American Dream is an illusion.