Comparing The American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men Essay The American dream is something that all Americans try to achieve. Sometimes, the American dream cannot be achieved because of what you are in life. The dream is also attainable for people who are in a position for power. Of mice and men has shown us how the American dream can be possible for anyone, how it excludes some people from achieving that dream, and how people in a possession in power have a better chance of achieving the dream.
The American dream is possible for most people to have. Lennie and George’s American dream is to own a farm. "We gonna get a little place. We'll have a cow, an we'll have maybe a pig chickens.” This shows that their American dream is possible. the dream also shows that it can be achieved by people that always have to run away from their jobs. The dream that curley's wife wants is to be an actor and somebody. “Well. A show came through an I
met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show." This had shown that her dream was also possible. All of these dreams seem like they could work. They also show that both men and women are capable of achieving this dream even though the dream is harder for them to achieve.
The dream excludes certain people from even trying to achieve that dream. Crook cannot achieve that dream because of his skin color and hunch. Candy can't achieve his dream because he is too old. “I wisht somebody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple.” This shows that candy can’t achieve his dream because of his age and his disability. Also he can not achieve his dream because no one respects him and thinks that he is worthless. The dogs dream can’t be achieved because it had died. “Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice.I didn’t bounce you hard.” This shows how the dog will never be able to fulfill its dream because it is dead. For those of you that are thinking, yes dogs do have dreams that they want to achieve but now the dog can;t because it had died. Some people are excluded from achieving the american dream due to age, color, disability, and death.
The American dream is more likely to be achieved by someone who is in a position of power.
Curley uses his power to achieve the dream that he has. “That’s the boss’s son.” This puts Curley in a position of power. He is able to get his dream a lot faster because he is wealthy and has control over the ranch. Also, Curleys dream can be achieved a lot because of all the perks that he had when he was born and how he is able to get all of those things done due to the position that he had on the farm. George manipulated Lennie so he can get his dream of the fifty dollars. “No mess at all, and when the end of the month comes I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why, I could stay in a cat house all night, I could eat any place I want, hotel or any place, and order any damn thing I could think of.” This is showing Georges dream in life and how he is in a position of power to do this. Also this is showing the dream that george had wanted if he didn’t have to take care of Lennie. All of these dreams show how the American dream could be
portrayed.
The American dream is possible for most people to have. The dream excludes certain people from even trying to achieve that dream. The dream can only be accomplished if you have the power to control and manipulate others. Of mice and men have shown how the American dream can be possible for everyone, how it excludes certain people, and how you have to be in a position of power in order to achieve it. The American dream works in all type of ways. The one thing that is important about the american dream is how you want to shape it and if it makes you happy.