The Importance Of Dreams In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
Jobless, homeless, and unable to support themselves, many farmers during the 1930’s moved west in search of better life. In John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, readers observe how dreams keep people motivated; especially through tough times. Steinbeck’s characters George Milton and Lennie Small, search for work in the struggling agricultural market of California. Although there are many hardships that the men face, both George and Lennie have a dream that they are determined to accomplish. Despite Lennie’s lack of social boundaries and the hardships of the Great Depression, it is the dream that they have together that keeps them motivated. Walking for miles to their jobsite, George and Lennie must camp out near a stream before meeting
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their new boss. It is while their hope is waning that Steinbeck first indirectly characterizes both men as dreamers. Steinbeck writes, “‘O.K. Someday - we’re going to get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house an’ a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and -’
‘An’ live off the fatta the lan,’ Lennie shouted.” (14)
Both men have the strength to keep pushing forward because they believe their dream is just out of reach. Dreams are what keep people motivated and Steinbeck makes this evident through his indirect characterization of George and Lennie, and the implied idea that friends help each other hold on to their dreams. Although both men dream of owning a little house, they are dreaming for different reasons.
Steinbeck makes this evident by writing, “‘We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there…’ (57)
‘An’ rabbits, ‘Lennie said eagerly. ‘An’ I’d take care of em’.’ “(58)
There is an obvious contrast between their dreams; George wants to belong somewhere and feel accomplished, while Lennie wants comfort, symbolized by rabbits. Steinbeck uses this difference to foreshadow the dream’s weakness. Having two different versions of the dream emphasizes the idea that, with George and Lennie’s different needs for comfort and security, the dream can not survive. Toward the end of the novella Lennie fears he’s “done a bad thing.” After accidentally killing Curley’s wife, Lennie hides by the stream that George foreshadows as a meeting place, in case something bad were to happen. Knowing that Lennie can never be accepted by society, George makes the decision to take Lennie’s life in order to save him from the cruelty of society. Steinbeck writes, George “pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again.” (106) Steinbeck uses this tragic moment to make apparent that George and Lennie’s dream has to die with
Lennie. Once readers grasp that the dream dies with Lennie, they must understand why Lennie dies happy. Through saving Lennie from the cruelty of society, George sacrifices his dream and loses his incentive. Steinbeck writes, “Lennie begged, ‘Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now…’ And George raised the gun and steadied it… He pulled the trigger.” (106). When Lennie dies, he dies thinking of how, together, him and George will accomplish their dream. Taking Lennie’s life tears apart the dream, and George and Lennie’s friendship. Without Lennie by his side, George has no motivation or desire to strive for their vision of a better life. The cruelty of society kills the dream, and when the dream dies the friendship between George and Lennie dies also. Even though George and Lennie face many hardships , such as Lennie’s lack of social boundaries and society’s cruelty toward those who don’t fit in, they manage to hold on to their dream until society won’t allow them to any longer. Society favors rejecting Lennie rather than working to accept him. Killing Lennie is, in George’s eyes, the most humane way to save him from the inevitable cruelty. Chaining Lennie up is society’s “humane” way of dealing with him. Lennie dies, but he dies with the dream; he doesn’t have to lose hope. George has to sacrifice the dream in order to save Lennie. Readers might come to the conclusion that it’s the cruelty of men toward each other that causes them to lose everything, and it’s the friendship between men that helps them hold on to their dreams.
their new boss. It is while their hope is waning that Steinbeck first indirectly characterizes both men as dreamers. Steinbeck writes, “‘O.K. Someday - we’re going to get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house an’ a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and -’
‘An’ live off the fatta the lan,’ Lennie shouted.” (14)
Both men have the strength to keep pushing forward because they believe their dream is just out of reach. Dreams are what keep people motivated and Steinbeck makes this evident through his indirect characterization of George and Lennie, and the implied idea that friends help each other hold on to their dreams. Although both men dream of owning a little house, they are dreaming for different reasons.
Steinbeck makes this evident by writing, “‘We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there…’ (57)
‘An’ rabbits, ‘Lennie said eagerly. ‘An’ I’d take care of em’.’ “(58)
There is an obvious contrast between their dreams; George wants to belong somewhere and feel accomplished, while Lennie wants comfort, symbolized by rabbits. Steinbeck uses this difference to foreshadow the dream’s weakness. Having two different versions of the dream emphasizes the idea that, with George and Lennie’s different needs for comfort and security, the dream can not survive. Toward the end of the novella Lennie fears he’s “done a bad thing.” After accidentally killing Curley’s wife, Lennie hides by the stream that George foreshadows as a meeting place, in case something bad were to happen. Knowing that Lennie can never be accepted by society, George makes the decision to take Lennie’s life in order to save him from the cruelty of society. Steinbeck writes, George “pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again.” (106) Steinbeck uses this tragic moment to make apparent that George and Lennie’s dream has to die with
Lennie. Once readers grasp that the dream dies with Lennie, they must understand why Lennie dies happy. Through saving Lennie from the cruelty of society, George sacrifices his dream and loses his incentive. Steinbeck writes, “Lennie begged, ‘Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now…’ And George raised the gun and steadied it… He pulled the trigger.” (106). When Lennie dies, he dies thinking of how, together, him and George will accomplish their dream. Taking Lennie’s life tears apart the dream, and George and Lennie’s friendship. Without Lennie by his side, George has no motivation or desire to strive for their vision of a better life. The cruelty of society kills the dream, and when the dream dies the friendship between George and Lennie dies also. Even though George and Lennie face many hardships , such as Lennie’s lack of social boundaries and society’s cruelty toward those who don’t fit in, they manage to hold on to their dream until society won’t allow them to any longer. Society favors rejecting Lennie rather than working to accept him. Killing Lennie is, in George’s eyes, the most humane way to save him from the inevitable cruelty. Chaining Lennie up is society’s “humane” way of dealing with him. Lennie dies, but he dies with the dream; he doesn’t have to lose hope. George has to sacrifice the dream in order to save Lennie. Readers might come to the conclusion that it’s the cruelty of men toward each other that causes them to lose everything, and it’s the friendship between men that helps them hold on to their dreams.