A writer, George Monbiot, once said, “If wealth was the inevitable result of hard work and enterprise, every woman in Africa would be a millionaire”. John Steinbeck’s views on the American Dream in his novella Of Mice and Men agrees with Monbiot because Steinbeck expresses the American Dream as obtainable, but not for everyone. In his novella, the characters George Milton and Lennie Small acquire a job at a ranch in the Salinas Valley during the Great Depression. These men have their own American Dream that they work towards, yet don’t achieve. Through these characters, Curley’s wife, and Crooks, Steinbeck illustrates that even through hard work and the drive to succeed, people may not always achieve their own American Dream.
Steinbeck uses George and Lennie to support his idea of the American Dream not always being achievable. Through their shared dream and Lennie’s obsession with rabbits, Lennie and George show their passion in achieving their goals. George and Lennie’s planned American Dream proves their vigor to attain their goals, especially since Lennie has George continually retell it. George is coaxed into repeating their dream and says, “‘O.K. Someday ---- We’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and ---- ’ ‘An’ live on the fatta the land.’”(14). Lennie interrupts George at the end of their dream and states the last part of it from memory. That shows their dedication because they have everything planned out. Despite their hard work, they don’t achieve their dream. Another instance of this is Lennie’s obsession with rabbits. Lennie loves rabbits and won’t stop talking about them. This is shown when George states, “‘An’ you get to tend the rabbits.’ ...
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...tries to succeed, but he will never acquire his goals because of his limitations.
Steinbeck proves that even through hard work to obtain the American Dream, many people have yet to achieve and succeed in what they want to do. Nowadays, high school students work restlessly to get good grades, ace tests or exams, and eventually get into college. Yes, some students don’t try, but many do and don’t end up where they want. This relates to the novella Of Mice and Men because Curley’s wife, Crooks, and George and Lennie try their bests to reach their goals, but never do. These four characters and present day high school students have one thing in common; they work hard and try to achieve, but many don’t obtain their goals or achieve what they had planned. Overall, the novella Of Mice and Men prove that the reality of American Dream just doesn’t happen that often anymore.
The biggest dream throughout the story is for George and Lennie to have enough money to go and buy a farm of their own. But then Lennie does something that he can’t change back or hide from, and all hope is lost for him and George to have a farm when George does what he never thought he’d do. “And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie’s head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger… Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering.” (page 106) This one final scene symbolized all of George’s aspirations, hopes, dreams, ambitions, anything he had, diminishing before his eyes. He made a point earlier in the book, “ I was feelin’ pretty smart. I turns to Lennie and says, ‘jump in.’... well I ain’t done nothin like that no more” (40). He promised himself he wouldn’t hurt Lennie again, he took it upon himself to keep Lennie safe. But George fired that last bullet and killed Lennie, stripping himself of all his hope and ambitions. The other main ambition that was crushed in this story has to do with Lennie and his rabbits. “We’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs… An’ have rabbits!...” (14) This is a recurring event throughout the book; they talk about their future dreams, and Lennie tells everyone he meets about the rabbits he's gonna have, but again that all changes when Lennie messes up badly and kills Curley’s wife. The story displays the reader the visual of, “She struggled violently under his hands… “Don’t you go yellin’,” he said, and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.” (91) This visual can help you see where Lennie’s dream of ever handling another living being again diminishes because if he can’t keep an
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.
The American dream has been a tangible idea, greatly sought after by many over the course of American History. The dream has eluded many, to strive for achieving in America’s open markets, and become a self-made man from the sweat of one’s brow. The idea of become self-sufficient, and have limitless dreams that take one as far as they are willing to imagine is captured very differently from The Great Gatsby to A Raisin in the Sun. Both novels seem to have the American dream as their subject, but both end up having very different outcomes to how one achieves it, and if the dream is truly in existence, namely with the characters of Jay Gatsby and Walter Younger. The books mainly brushes upon the idea of what the American dream truly is, how one achieves the dream, and what the real fulfillment the dream encompasses.
The novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is written primarily about two men who go from job to job collecting their pay to try and achieve their dream of buying land. While at a job, they encounter an elderly and handicapped worker named Candy and his equally old and handicapped dog. While they discuss their flawed lives, it is made known that something is wrong with society and The American Dream. As a result of Candy’s character being old and handicapped it makes his dream unachievable. Candy fears of being disposed because of his disabilities. Steinbeck utilizes Candy’s character in order to reveal the discrimination of the elderly and handicapped which demonstrates the flawed nature of the American Dream.
The American Dream was derived from the United States Declaration of Independence which states that, “All mean are created equal” and that they are “endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (US 1776). This means that every person has equal opportunity
There are various individuals throughout the world who believe that the American Dream cannot be achieved by all people. Those who agree with this view believe that our culture contains too many roadblocks and obstacles. Some of these obstacles include prejudice, poverty, and social inequality. Another view on this matter is that others believe that America is the “Land of Opportunity”. They also believe that if you can believe it, you can achieve it. Back in the early 20th century, The American Dream meant something to people; nowadays it is a term that various people loosely throw around. The American Dream is not realistic because it is not attainable to everyone like Cal Thomas presumes and although education, budget cuts and lack of employment may seem of some concern to only a small group of people, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about the status of the economy.
All throughout time, dreams have been fuel for one to keep going and something a person will put everything on the line for. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck illustrates the importance of dreams by giving meaning to character’s lives and futures, how dreams give life purpose and give one’s day a cause, and showing what people will sacrifice for their dreams. Throughout the novel, George and Lennie use their dream as a motivator to persevere through the hardships of being a migrant worker and sacrifice many things in hopes of achieving their American dream, owning and living off their own land.
missing works cited It is the intent of this paper to prove that the "American Dream" can. best be explained as a "city upon a hill." "City upon a hill" meaning " being above and superior to those below. The Civil War, the imperialistic race of the 19th century, the Korean War, the KKK, and the Gulf War are all.
Mostly anything you want to achieve requires time and perseverance it doesn 't just come to you easily. In America we all have dreams we want to achieve, a set of goals for the future. The American dream is in your perception, what you want it to mean for you. It’s what you want to consummate in America where you can 't anywhere else. How you can succeed in life enough to survive and be happy. The reality of the American dream is the essence of any person living in America, immigrant or not. Trying to achieve in life more than their parents did and to be successful with a prosperous life, but many people believe it can’t be achieved, but with assiduous work and determination you can make your
Lennie is displayed as a happy, loving man but the source of all that love is his goal; to tend the rabbits. Steinbeck clearly shows this in the novel, the first time we learn of this is when George tells Lennie of there future. And when he gets to the part about the rabbits Lennie shouts with excitement (13-14). Lennie is clearly goal minded, the readers learn that when Lennie shouts because it shows his enthusiasm towards his mission. Steinbeck uses Lennie as an example to show that even though Lennie may not be intelligent, goals will still keep him going. The next time readers see Lennie express the want for the goal is when George is about to shoot him, George tells Lennie about the farm to get him excited and then George proceeds to tell Lennie about the food for “the rabbits” (105). The reader can see that Lennie ultimately, is a very happy person even right before his death. That is why Steinbeck uses Lennie as an example because the reader can tell he is fulfilled, and they can then link it to his goals and the
In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck illustrates the dreams of George,Lennie, and other characters and how these dreams are unrealistic and unattainable .Their dreams were the reason that these characters kept moving forward but because of difficult circumstances the dreams of George,Lennie,Candy and Curley's wife are shattered , they knew that their dream was never really attainable but they still had hope but because they were so greatly impacted by Lennies actions their dreams are never accomplished.
In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows that even if one meticulously plans out the road to their American Dream, fate will inevitably intervene and lead one to desolation and loneliness.
The story,Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck take place during The Great Depression, the era where twenty percent of Americans were unemployed, many characters might work as laborers in a ranch but does not mean that they have dreams. Many characters that newly introduced in the story each have their unique individual dreams and goals that they want to accomplish. Lennie dreams of being with George and getting an opportunity to tend rabbits.Crooks dreams of being finally equal as any other man in the country.Candy dreams of working with George and Lennie to buy land and farming for themselves. Many of those dreams require a lot of time and patience and eventually their dreams might come true, but without those key component, their dreams might
"The American Dream" is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguish by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. The American Dream is often something that humanity wonders about. What is the American dream? Many people discover success in a range of things. There are many different definitions of the American Dream. However, the American Dream embraces prosperity, personal safety, and personal liberty. The American dream is a continually fluctuating set of ideals, reflecting the ideas of an era.
What is the American Dream, and who are the people most likely to pursue its often elusive fulfillment? Indeed, the American Dream has come to represent the attainment of myriad of goals that are specific to each individual. While one person might consider a purchased home with a white picket fence her version of the American Dream, another might regard it as the financial ability to operate his own business. Clearly, there is no cut and dried definition of the American Dream as long as any two people hold a different meaning. What it does universally represent, however, it the opportunity for people to seek out their individual and collective desires under a political umbrella of democracy.