Comparing The American Dream In Of Mice And Men

For decades, Americans have disputed over the meaning of the American Dream as a whole.

However, many have failed to come to the conclusion that there is no universal definition.

Instead, the American dream is an amalgamation of diverse hopes and aspirations that vary from person to person depending on his/her morals and lifestyle.

The idea that all these individual dreams can coexist peacefully regardless of the differences between the dreamers endows it with the epithet “American.”

Nevertheless, works by past and present American authors differ in their depictions of the American Dream since they relate one aspect of it to their characters.

Some examples of such novels are Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Of Mice and Men

After fleeing the Widow Douglas, Huck justifies his actions by pointing out that she was trying to civilize him and that she was too proper for him to live freely. (Twain 1)

The Widow Douglas would always dictate how he should behave and act, causing him to yearn for an environment where he felt free instead of repressed.

Huck represents the American Dream since he wants to live life on his own terms, without conforming to society’s expectations.

This results in an adventure where he creates an identity and lifestyle that he gets to control.

Huck fulfills the “American Dream of living as [he] choose[s] to without being subject to the restraints and restrictions [he] does not embrace” (Literary Themes for Students: The American Dream).

Huck achieves his American Dream because he does not let society’s standards control or dictate his actions.

Instead, he brings it upon himself to know the difference between right or

This establishes the theme of racial justice since Scout realizes how people in Maycomb are hypocrites.

They preach equality but their actions do not display this.

Scout hopes that Maycomb will see eye to eye and actually exhibit democracy in their broken court system.

Her innocence in this trial further emphasizes the notion that the law is color-blind because she does not understand the social stigmas that define Maycomb's perversion of justice.

When Atticus' role in the trial is questioned by Alexandra, Miss Maudie explains that he is voicing the opinions of Maycomb townspeople who believe that a fair trial is for everybody (317). represents the gradualism of the South since she believes a fair

Miss Maudie represents the gradualism of the South towards racial justice since she feels that Tom Robinson is wrongfully being accused of rape because of his skin color.

Like Scout, she dismisses the social stigmas that surround Maycomb's court system.

Her morals guide her to believe that black people should not answer to white