Dreams in of mice and men Essay

Of Mice and Men r foreveriesOf Mice and Men is set in Salinas, California in the 1930s Great Depression. Life was hard and men could be cruel. Hope might be the only escape from hard reality. This links to the American Dream represented in George and Lennies dream of working hard and getting their own prop and farm, and control over their own lives. But it was harder than ever to action due to the tough economic conditions of the Depression. After Lennies death, it might be possible for George to realise his dream, but the emptiness at the end of the novel shows that financial success is nothing when you are lonely. So the dream is not near something to own, or possess, but also something to share. Compassion and love, to Steinbeck as eruptlined in his Nobel Prize speech are the most important things, as is hope having a dream.Lennie and George have a fairly simple dream to own a sm on the whole farm, and be their own bosses, which contrasts with the large factory type farm they are on, where men are treated manage machines, which are frequently unordered (Crooks and glass over), and isolated from each otherwise. George repeats his and Lennies dream like a mantra we got a future, suggesting that they are different to the others. Future here is a metaphor for something bright, and great than what they have now like the American Dream to live off the fatta the land.The phrase fat of the land almost suggests a biblical promised land after the hard, wilderness years. The function of the dream therefore is to help them to endure hardship and not give in to despair. They want control of their own lives well just say the hell with goin to work. This can make them seem naive however, as farmers have to work whether they want to or not especially smallholders. When George sets out the dream, he then says that he and Lennie are not like those other guys.The dream sets George and Lennie apart from the others they make themselves special in the inclusive w e against the exclusive those other guys. The juxtaposition of us and them verbally bonds the protagonists together in contrast to the other men even though they are all, George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy, in the same situation. Still, George and Lennie separate themselves from the others by using the third person to describe farm handsas, the loneliest guys in the world. The superlative loneliest and hyperbole in the world exaggerates the harshness of the world of the Depression as shown in the novel.Sometimes it seems that George owns the dream as he is the one who tells it to Lennie, like a childs bedtime story, prayer or mantra, in keeping with his enjoyment as parent/protector to his child-like companion. This is emphasised by the simple, mantra-like structure, where Lennie keeps filling in the gaps if George hesitates, and repeating short phrases after him as if he knows it by heart, even though as George says frustratedly, Lennie always forgets eitherthing else. It is not al ways certain(a) if George believes the dream is possible or if he is saying it to keep Lennie quiet. Sometimes, George seems sceptical, saying they will have every colour rabbits including red and blue. He is patronising to Lennie, saying good boy, keeping him safe from his own stupidity. In these scenes the dream seems more of a spell or placebo to keep the main characters safe than something that is really possible. Other characters are very cynical about the dream.The reader is made to question how lifelike these dreams are. Curleys wife dreams of when she threw away the chance to become famous, but we can see that her dream is a sham. Of George and Lennies dream, Crooks says every damn one of thems got a little constituent of land in his head. Crooks final judgement is that never a God damn one of em ever gets it. The repetition of the absolute never and ever, as well as the strong slang God damn emphasises how desperate life is. However, it is not certain whether Steinbeck s hares Crooks negative view.Crooks is an extreme character. His language is hyperbole very extreme and relentlessly negative. Crooks phrase God damn suggests that God has abandoned these men, in contrast to the biblical image of hope in George and Lennies dream of living off the fatta the land. The biblical imagery continues negatively when Crooks compares the dream of land to being like Heaven the Christian idea of perfect bliss, not considered a physical reality and which Crooks says is just as impossible to get as a piece of land. Its hard for George to keep Lennie out of trouble and keep them on track for their dream. But when they tell Candy, it starts to seem as if it might be possible. needs enjoin/ quotation/ language analysis In an instant,Candys faith (and money) take them close to the ideal/dream becoming real. As the dream is shared, or hear by more people, the more it seems that together they might make it come true. until now the ultra negative Crooks starts to bel ieve.needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysisBut all the time, Steinbeck has built up a foreboding feeling, that this world is hard and horrible and nothing good can live in it. We feel that the gentleness of Lennie and Georges friendship, and their shared dream, will be crushed by the cruel world even by Lennies desire for gentle, sluttish things. I like soft things Every time he lands an animal mouse or puppy, Lennies biggest, darkest fear is that he wont be allowed to tend the rabbits. The dream is so precious to him that he wants it at any cost. Curleys wife is lonely and wants someone to listen to her dream. needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis When she finds Lennie in the barn, she lets him stroke her hair.When she starts screaming, Lennie screams at her to stop or George wont let me tend the rabbits. Shes so frightened that she cant stop and Lennie accidentally kills her. In a way, Lennies desire to keep the dream (by keeping Curleys wife quiet and smothering her) is the thing that has destroyed it. The irony of this makes it even more poignant.When Candy discovers what has happened all he wants to know is that he and George can still get the farm. needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis He loses sight of human decency the woman is unused and Lennie will soon die too. Steinbeck makes us ask whether any dream of financial prosperity should be more important than human life? Should we hear to get it at any cost? At the end, George tells Lennie the fairy story of the dream again to make him happy at the moment he has to kill the dream of togetherness by shooting him in the head. He almost cant speak because he is so upset. needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis Even though George could still have the farm with Candy, he is deeply sad that he couldnt keep Lennie alive. Because the dream isnt worth much when he doesnt have his old friend to share it with. Lennie loved the dream more than anyone and he never gets it.