Of Mice And Men Example #2 Essay Example

same aspiration. Many of them. They arrive, they quit, and they move forward; yet none of them ever accomplishes the small piece of land in their thoughts. And not one of them ever attains it." (pg. 74) These workers were not the first to envision owning their own land or being self-employed. This dream represents George and Lennie's Great American Dream, the belief that anything is attainable with the right mindset and determination.

George and Lennie believed that as long as they had each other, they could achieve their dream of owning land. Candy becomes interested in their dream and offers to contribute his life savings. Meeting George and Lennie gives Candy a new sense of hope, helping him escape the feelings of worthlessness caused by old age and loneliness after his dog died.

In this passage, the narrator explores the eagerness and hope exhibited by a character as he proposes joining George and others in their venture. The character expresses his willingness to contribute financially and work in various capacities, feeling a sense of significance despite his limitations. Following George's acceptance, the character finds hope and value in his ability to assist, even though he can no longer perform his previous role. With the inclusion of his contribution, George, Lennie, and the character are struck by the realization that their dream can actually come true within a month. This revelation astonishes them, as they had never truly believed it could happen. Although they are close to achieving their goal, the outcome hinges on avoiding any setbacks. With newfound reassurance, George leaves Lennie behind and goes into town with other ranch workers for

entertainment. It is during this outing that Lennie encounters Crooks, an educated black man who works as a stable hand. Crooks is another character with dreams of his own.

He dreams of escaping the loneliness and isolation caused by racial discrimination and simply wants to be treated equally. He wants to find a place where he is respected, feels secure about his future, and is accepted. The dream land that Lennie, Candy, and Crooks talk about seems to be a place that fulfills all his desires. He offers to join them because he feels accepted by the men. However, everything changes when Curley's wife appears and reminds Crooks of his subordinate position by threatening to have him lynched with just a word from her. Crooks then dismisses the idea of joining them on the farm, realizing it is just a fantasy and that his hope for acceptance is futile. Curley's wife is another character with dreams in the story. Initially portrayed as a mean and seductive temptress, readers are inclined to dislike her immediately.

Steinbeck presents a more sympathetic perspective on Curley's wife by delving into her dreams and explaining why she flirts with ranch hands. She feels deep loneliness and unhappiness in her current life because she missed the opportunity to become a Hollywood actress. Unfortunately, the person who promised to help her achieve this dream turned out to be someone who would likely harass her and had no interest in her talent. She expresses frustration and longing for a different life, recognizing that she could have accomplished something significant. This highlights Curley's wife's naivety as she fails to fully understand others'

intentions. Instead of realizing that her "ol' lady" was trying to protect her by preventing her from joining the show at just fifteen years old, she stubbornly chooses to marry Curley in hopes of escaping her isolation.

However, this only worsened her situation and ultimately resulted in her death. Numerous misfortunes occur in the novel Of Mice and Men, causing most characters to abandon their hopes and dreams. George, due to the loss of his companion Lennie, fails to achieve his aspiration of becoming his own boss and owning land. Similarly, Lennie never realizes his dream of living off the land and caring for rabbits in reality. Nevertheless, since he dies with the blissful image of his dream intact, it could be argued that Lennie is in a better position than enduring the tragic consequences that awaited him in life.

Candy is greatly affected by Lennie's death as it means his plans and future are no longer possible. Similarly, Crooks hopes for an end to his loneliness and racial discrimination. Meanwhile, Curley's wife lives a miserable life until her death. These misfortunes in the novel reveal that it mainly explores the hopelessness of dreams and the seemingly unattainable nature of achieving The American Dream.