The Significance of Dreams in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men

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The Significance of Dreams in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men Works Cited Not Included The term "American Dream" became popular in the 17th century when the

first settlers arrived in America. Their dreams were to make their

fortune in the gold fields in the land of opportunity. However for

many of them the dream became a nightmare. "Of Mice and Men", written

by John Steinbeck is set in 1930 in California, when the American

people were suffering from a great recession. During those times which

are known as "Great Depression", the price of farm crops fall

calamitously because of the economic effects of the First World War.

Many people felt as if they were being strangled by the disaster of

being jobless. The crash in the stock market made things even worse.

Many independent farmers lost their farms because they were not able

to pay their debts to the banks. Therefore numerous workers swarmed

towards the prosperous states of California to escape from the horror

of starving, the pinch of indigence and in the hope of better life and

work. Many American workers, especially farmers, believed that the

only way to success was to buy land in California.

In period of such affliction period, Steinbeck wrote his masterpiece

"Of Mice and Men" and presented to world the American dream and the...

... middle of paper ...

...Page 76) Still no one undergoes the risk to communicate

with her. Curley's wife did die and her death released her from the

ache of loneliness but she passed the pain to George. Her death makes

George to kill his intimate friend, Lennie.

Dreams are the significant theme in Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men". The

novel portrays the American dream as a symbol of aspiration, ambition

and hope at the time when was set. Many Americans planted the seed of

dream. They accepted the hard toil and labour to fructify it. They

lived in yearn for attain it but the seed corrupted for most of them

and they failed. In this novel it is the bright future that keeps the

characters alive, it is their aspiration that make them to tolerate

and it is the hope that gives their life a meaning. However the dreams

are never fulfilled in this novel.

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