Allusions In Of Mice And Men Essay

Through allusion, characterization, and character relationships, Steinbeck reveals the cyclicality of life and the reality of the unachievable nature of the American Dream in Of Mice and Men. In the time period of this novella, thousands of migrant works were roaming the western states in search of work due to their roles being taken by machines. Apparent in these men where frustration and loneliness, all aspects found in the characters of the book. Also associated with migrations towards the West is the American Dream, which for the characters in this book is representative of their desire to own their own farmland. At the end, however it is realized that dreams like this unattainable. Throughout the story many allusions to other literary
Furthermore, George is correlated to Galahad, best known for being the knight that achieves the Holy Grail, because in the end of both of their tales the pair are “dismounted, armed only with a fading dream, a long way from Camelot” (Davis 65). Ironically George is kneeling by the river, having just killed Lennie and their dream, and is far away from his dream farmland. Even more paradoxical is the contrast of Galahad and George in that Galahad actually achieves the Holy Grail and George does not achieve is Holy Grail, comparable to the American Dream. Another, inference found throughout the story is the relationship between George and Lennie to the story of Cain and Abel. In a fallen world George and Lennie want to retreat back to their Eden much like Cain but “in the post-Cain world human fellowship cannot survive and neither can their dream” (Benson 56). In congruence to this Biblical story, George and Lennie’s dream is doomed much like Cain’s want to retreat back to Eden because paradise is already lost for Cain when he kills Abel and lost for Lennie and George whenever Lennie develops attachments to things. In addition because of Lennie’s