Of Mice and Men Essay

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Megan Peace
English 10
Mrs. Bolitho
25 March 2014
John Steinbeck and the American Dream
Everyone has their own idea of an American Dream. Though it would be ideal for everyone’s dream to come true, this isn’t always the case. In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, his characters George and Lennie embark on a journey to achieve their American Dream. Due to certain circumstances however, they are unable to follow through. In order to show that the American Dream is unrealistic, John Steinbeck describes through different forms of positive and negative nature to show that the American Dream will die, but nature will live on.
In part 3 of Steinbeck’s novel, he shows that people who are more privileged both physically and financially, will have more faith in the existence of the American Dream. Curly, who is the owner of the farm, is a firm believer in the American Dream. He has a beautiful wife, owns plenty of land and acquires a lot of money. He has everything a man would want and is already living the Dream. Crooks, however, does not believe in the idea of an American Dream. Crooks is an African American worker on Curly’s farm. He is old, physically unfit, and unable to work anywhere else because of his age and race. These characteristics are the reasons why he doesn’t believe in the American Dream. Since he is unable to achieve the Dream, then to him it isn’t real. Lennie has faith in the American Dream even though he is mentally handicapped. He makes the effort to follow his dream but because of his disabilities he is unable to get his Dream.
Though nature, John Steinbeck uses different moods to depict what will happen to the characters. The description of Lennie in the barn at first has a happy and hopeful affect that makes things seem as though they are about to look up. When the lighting and scenery changes Steinbeck reveals that things are only going to get worse. The positive vibes leave and is replaced with dark and negative
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