One dream, One Shot in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men

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Everyone has an American dream, a belief that represents anyone can carry out a higher quality life through hard labor, and finding happiness at the end. These people work their lives to fulfill a dream that seems impossible, but in the end they either succeed or fail. Despite the odds, people still dive into this idea not knowing how it will end. By taking risks in life, they have a higher chance of achieving this dream of theirs. It ultimately shapes their character and spirit. Stopping at no extent, they make sacrifices to meet their main goal. This dream is put to the test in Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, which takes place during the Great Depression causing George and Lennie, mentally disabled friend, to have a hopeless American dream. Their dream ultimately shapes their character and spirit, inspiring them to achieving this dream, but others dreams are crushed due to the Great Depression; similarly Steinbeck suggests that the American dream is unattainable due to the time setting, Great Depression.
George envisions a dream causing Lennie to be manipulated by it. This leads into George believing in the American dream as well. Their dream is to own a farm on a piece of property, own animals, be safe, live in comfort, and find independence. While at the ranch, Lennie explains to George, "An' have rabbits. Go on, George! Tell about what we're gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits in the cages...How I get to tend the rabbits" (14). This quote reveals that Lennie does not see the true American dream, his dream is to simply pet rabbits. While George starts to believe in this dream of theirs, he is not sure how both of them will acquire this American dream. This is why the American dream is put to the test. At...

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...ing the farm, comfort, independence, more or less Lennie’s half of the dream. This all changes when George kills Lennie, at this point all hope of their dream is crumbled. Since they live in the time of the Great Depression, everyone lives in poverty. Accomplishing the American dream is nearly impossible as Steinbeck suggests, the author wants the reader to infer that the dream is unattainable, due to the time setting of the story, and the main character’s decisions throughout the novella. This American dream is envisioned into millions of peoples of minds, where they believe that anyone can accomplish a better life through hard labor, and ultimately finding happiness when the dream is fulfilled. Each human-being strives to accomplish and fulfill this American dream of theirs. A dream cannot be achieved by wishful thinking, but with hard work and absolute dedication.

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