'Of Mice And Men': Text Response

Of Mice and Men Text Response Essay- Dreams

Steinbeck shows us the importance and fragility of Dreams in “Of Mice and Men.” Discuss with close reference to the text.

John Steinbeck portrays the importance and fragility of Dreams through certain characters in “Of Mice and Men.” The main characters, George and Lennie both share the typical American Dream of owning a piece of land and Lennie tending the rabbits, yet it slips through their fingers due to Lennie’s ignorance and strength. Curley’s wife desires a life of fame and fortune in Hollywood however her marriage to Curley leaves her aspiration out of reach. Crooks, the black stable buck, Dreams of equality but the racial attitude of others destroys his dream.

George and Lennie desire
Curley’s wife has an “ache for attention” to the men on the ranch as she is deprived of the basic needs of communication. She therefore throws herself at the men acting as a flirt and a “tart” but the reason she does that is because she is “awfully lonely.” Being stuck on the ranch with no one to talk to leaves her isolated and wanting to pursue her long lost dream of acting. She has a Dream to be “in the pitchers” until her husband Curly came along. The first person Curley’s wife tells about the Dream is Lennie, as she believes he is the only one that listens to her. She told him that she “coulda been in the movies” as she was “a natural.” She would have “nice clothes and…big hotels” but her “ol’ lady wouldn’t let her.” Curley’s wife will have had everything she ever dreams of, but being married to Curley leaves her with no future and her Dream just a fragile aspiration of the past. She dosn’t want to be married to Curley, she “don’t like Curley” as he restricts her from the basic socialisation with other people on the ranch, especially the men. She wants so greatly to become an actress, but as her Dream is crushed and the reminiscence that it didn’t happened proves how significant it is to her. Curley’s wife not being able to pursue her dreams has been the reason for her loneliness and desire for a better life. Therefore, Curley’s wife shows how important her acting Dream is to her,
He lives alone and he is often discriminated against because he is a “nigger” and a cripple as he has a “crooked back.” Crooks is banned from going in the bunkhouse and has limited freedom outside his room because he’s a “coloured man.” Trapped in solitude all night long, he resorts to books as his only companion. Trying to portray himself as “proud and aloof” man, inside he is happy to be around the company of other men. Crooks first tries to make Lennie leave his room but then he decides that Lennie does not understand and that he actually wants someone to talk with. During his conversation with Lennie, Crooks reveals his loneliness on the ranch as “a guy needs somebody” and how he wishes he’d be respected as an equal to the white men just like he was when he was a kid. After Lennie explains his dream to Crooks, he becomes caught up in his own dream of escape, wanting to join in, only to be put down by Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife uses terms of racism towards Crooks to put him back in his “place” leaving him “reduced down to nothing” and the Dream of equality shattered. He dismisses the other men, saying he has "forgotten himself" because they’d treated him so well. Hence, as quickly as he is excited about the Dream, he abandons it showing fragility and the important Dream of equality in Crooks’ life is impossible to